Posted on 01/28/2020 10:14:31 AM PST by Antoninus
Both in front of the cameras and behind closed doors, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (UT) has embraced the role of leader of the Senate resistance to the party line on impeachment witnesses — and some of his colleagues are making brutally clear how they feel about it.
In a private lunch with fellow Senate Republicans Monday, the frequent critic of President Trump reportedly “made a strong pitch” for calling additional witnesses for the Senate trial, according to Politico’s sources.
In addition to trying to convince fellow Republicans to defect behind the scenes, Romney is going public with his plea. “The article in the New York Times I think made it pretty clear that [Bolton] has some information that may be relevant,” he said Monday, as reported by Politico. “And I’d like to hear relevant information before I made a final decision.”
The move followed reports based on the leaked manuscript of John Bolton’s upcoming book that reportedly claims that Trump “told his national security adviser in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens,” as The New York Times reported Sunday.
While Romney has long supported calling witnesses, the conveniently timed leaks have given the Utah Senator and two of his centrist Republican colleagues, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, additional grounds for making the demands. All the trio needs is one additional Republican defector to side with Democrats to force additional witnesses in the trial, prime among them Bolton.
According to Romney, the claims in Bolton’s book has made it “increasingly likely” that his fellow Republicans will call Bolton to testify: Romney: "Increasingly like" other Senate Republicans will want to hear from John Bolton
Despite his public optimism about winning the witness argument, as Politico notes, the three moderate senators’ appeals seem to be going “nowhere,” and multiple Republican Senators have come forward to push back on Romney’s case for calling witnesses.
As The Daily Wire reported Monday, in a social media post that’s gained a lot of attention online, newly sworn-in Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler (GA) — who, along with her husband, New York Stock Exchange Chairman Jeffrey Sprecher, donated more than $1.5 million to a pro-Romney super PAC in 2012 — slammed Romney for his attempt to “appease the left.”
“After 2 weeks, it’s clear that Democrats have no case for impeachment,” she tweeted Monday. “Sadly, my colleague [Senator Romney] wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the [Donald Trump] during their 15 minutes of fame. The circus is over. It’s time to move on!”
Politico highlights a few other strong responses from Republican senators to Romney’s witness push:
“I’d rather he not” push for witnesses, said Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). “He isn’t all that close to the administration. … I don’t agree with him.”
Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) has compared Romney to “Jeff Flake on steroids,” and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) asserted last fall that Romney “thinks the worst of the president.” Trump himself called Romney a “pompous ass” when he expressed concerns about asking other countries to investigate Joe Biden.
Sen. Mark Meadows (R-NC) has also addressed the issue of calling witnesses, sending a clear message to his colleagues considering caving to Democrats’ demands during an interview with CBS News Monday, as The Daily Wire reported. Asked if he thinks his colleagues with “face political repercussions if they break with the president,” Meadows said, “Yeah, I do. I mean, listen, I don’t wanna speak for my Senate colleagues. But there are always political repercussions for every vote you take. There is no vote that is higher-profile than this.”
“I’m also one that believes that when you get close to the president, whether it be his chief of staff or his national security advisor, you have to allow for that free flow of conversation back and forth, where ideas can be shared,” Meadows explained earlier in the interview. “And so I do believe that executive privilege should be invoked on that and that we shouldn’t hear from Ambassador Bolton.”
I think you meant Milt?
“What exactly is McConnell supposed to do to Romney — throw him off a bridge?”
Mitt, I thought you were a closet Democrat and didn’t put money in the spending bill for your bridge in the latest spending bill.
Sometimes carrots have to be dangled in front of donkeys to get them to move in the right direction.
And who would profit most if Democratic senators were kept in DC?
Joe Biden, who’s behind in Iowa.
Being familiar with Jim Inhofe, that’s a pretty strong and emphatic statement that Milt needs to knock it the **** off...
Mitt Romney has never spent even one nanosecond caring about anyone except Mitt Romney. He’s a backstabbing snake and a sleazeball. Schumer probably has photos of Mitt with young boys.
Frankly, this all has to do with Milt being a deity of his own little cosmos someday, someday soon... Very soon...
Romney must feel he can beat Pence in 2020 nominating convention. Personally, I think Romney can get more votes at the Bolshekrat convention. He might be Hitlery’s running mate.
‘...wish I could rescind my 2012 general election vote...’
AGREE! Sent him a scathing email to say he has betrayed those of us who trusted him.....and how foolish I feel for doing so!
Yes I meant Mitt l have lost count of how many times I have done that.
Sounds like Mitt is not going to win the day.
Fine by me. Let’s have the vote. Let Mitt and the Bobsey Twins vote to impeach. Trump will remain in office, and three political careers that desperately need to end finally will.
“Mittens should be kicked out of the RNC.”
I can never, ever, in a million years understand people like you saying a particular Republican should be kicked out of the party. Can you not understand — that when the dems take over the Senate, they get to choose Supreme Court justices?
What have you accomplished when you decrease the Senate majority? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Sen Inhofe is now known as Captain Understatement!!!
Sen Inhofe is now known as Captain Understatement!!!
Is the bastard really that delusional? Outside of Utah, the GOP base freakin’ hates Mittens. He’s never getting another Republican presidential nomination, not in 2020, 2024, 2028 or ever. I wouldn’t support him for dogcatcher.
Milt, not Mitt.
(Sarah Palin’s nickname for him... Fish sperm...)
went to Senate web site and was able to send ‘email’ message even though I’m not resident of Utah. Hope he and ANY Republicans who think about aligning with Dems are being blasted via calls/ emails!
Just left message at GOP Senatorial Committee. For years GOP has caved to Dems so they could be ‘fair’ or open minded....and what did it get them?! Dems have and continue to walk all over GOP. ENOUGH! Message included why I haven’t donated to GOP Senate or House committees....told them to find a spine! Sick of these holier than thou GOP people!
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