Posted on 01/10/2020 4:00:11 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
President Trump strongly indicated he will try to block former national security adviser John Bolton from testifying in a Senate impeachment trial that could start as soon as next week.
"I think you have to, for the sake of the office," Trump said during an interview on Friday with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, who asked if he would invoke executive privilege.
Trump, who said earlier this week he would consult his lawyers on the issue of executive privilege, claimed he personally had "no problem" with Bolton testifying but argued that he has to consider the precedent it would set for presidential privilege and how much a commander in chief would be able to confide in advisers.
"You can’t be in the White House as president — future, I’m talking about future, any future presidents — and have a security adviser, anybody having to do with security, and legal, and other things," he said.
Bolton, 71, issued a statement Monday saying he is willing to testify, but only if subpoenaed by the Republican-controlled Senate, marking a shift from his refusal to testify before House investigators on orders from the White House.
There has been debate about whether Bolton could offer damaging information to Trump and whether the president can even exert executive privilege to block his testimony.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, announced Friday she’s preparing to send over two articles of impeachment charging Trump with abuse of power in dealing with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress.
So far, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has rejected demands from Democrats to approve a pretrial witness list and said he’s got the backing of 51 GOP lawmakers to approve rules postponing consideration of witnesses until midtrial.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
He has too. The democrats have tried to make this all about Trump, but each President has to protect the office. It would set a horrific precedent for future Presidents of either party.
All they have done is obstruct, lie, and cause problems. They have done NOTHING to promote a better America for “we the people”. It probably will not happen, but I hope and pray that they lose the house because of it. It would serve them right and it would truly unshackle this President. He is posting an incredible record of accomplishments despite their partisan games and hate, but think what he could do with a Trump legislature!
Oops, has to block it (not too)
Excellent move.
L
That’s why Dems want Bolton, so Trump will block and they can scream “That’s proof he’s guilty!!” And the media will be all over it and I’m sure they already are.
Very wise move. Bolton is a Globalist snake in the grass and cannot be trusted one bit.
No, Bolton is a solid American
To tar him with your globalist brush is travesty
He ought to let him testify, he just can’t tell anything he heard or said while in the White House.
“Mitch McConnell has rejected demands from Democrats to approve a pretrial witness list and said he’s got the backing of 51 GOP lawmakers to approve rules postponing consideration of witnesses until midtrial.”
Well take that vote damn it while you still have the 51. Slow Mitch can drive you crazy.
Agree....
Not just a patriot....He believes strongly in the Office of the President as the Leader of the Nation. And as CIC, he has the only position attributed to a particular individual. It is an awesome power...but it belongs to him and him alone....not to any member of Congress or any staff member.
the gullible believe the propaganda
Yes Bolton is a hawk....so are many others....but he's a good hawk. My gut says that him testifying can only help the President.
There’s a very formal order to this. All the Senators get sworn in...Roberts presides....
My rationale for this is simple: If he had any such information, his testimony would be meaningless because it would be just as easy to have it made public through the Washington Post or New York Times.
It seems the Senate can conduct its trial any way it wants.
Indeed I recall reading such here from time to time.
But what do I know,
Could you speak English please?
If the President is seeking opposing opinions that cover the whole spectrum of possibilities, but each advisor is unaware of the questions asked of others, what would an advisor who was asked only about the negative scenarios testify to when subpoenaed?
They only know less than half of what was really going on.
-PJ
That may be but they are on the threshold of voting to proceed without Pelosi sending the articles. So that tells me they have plenty of latitude to do whatever they want, including voting right now to use the rules used with Clinton.
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