In the time you spent commenting here, you could have written a quick note to your Republican Senator(s), if you are unlucky enough to have any, imploring them to do the right thing and at the minimum subpoena John Bolton.
They can drown out a voice. They cannot drown out millions of voices.
129
Subpoena Trump!!
11
I think the Republicans are finally "afraid" of the right people -- not a president to whom they must kowtow, but to voters who will see their dishonesty if they acquit the president in spite of damning first-hand witness accounts. Allowing prosecution witnesses would be political suicide for GOP lawmakers.
10
Not only they don't give a damn about the country and the citizens, they could care less about national security.
What we know now is just a sliver of information that's available to us.
What do we know about his secret conversation with Erdogan and Xi Jinping, not much...we heard him publicly calling China to investigate Biden, but so far no details on that exchange between the autocrats that he worships.
We know he sold out kurds to Erdogan for slaughter, basically treason in wartimes terms.
He also called Egyptian President el-Sisi 'my favorite dictator' at the G7 in Biarritz, France.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-awaiting-egyptian-counterpart-at-summit-called-out-for-my-favorite-dictator-11568403645
The bottomless pit!!!
11
Why should we impeach Trump when he's done so much good for the country? Because he really hasn't. The China deal was phase 1 on points that we already agreed on. Trump has been great for the economy? It depends where you live. Here in the D and across the rust belt, where are the jobs? Trump shows up to town and lays claim to deals that have been years in the works. He's been the best friend to the rich and to big business, not the the middle classes and not to the poor. The new jobs have been in the service sectors but I'm afraid I'm not cut out to work at McDonald's or Walmart. I have to be a Mechanical Engineer. But Trumps been good for my 401 K. But it's nothing Obama didn't do. Not screwing things up just doesn't count as much as turning things around like Obama did.
19
I was very clever of Bolton to have a small microphone hidden in his mustache.
12
You’re right NYT after 726 possible investigations, people of interest, evidence just around the corner John
Bolton will definitely take down Trump...well played NYT....
5
The Trumpublicans (hereby named) insult the intelligence of the American people with their “defense” of Trump. Dershowitz has shown himself to be just another loony Fox news propagandist.
9
What a surprise the information from Bolton's book was leaked to where?--The NYT! Now that's a shocker--NOT! As a separate article today in this never-Trumper liberal rag mentions, an explanation for Bolton's beyond coincidental leakage timing if for Bolton's "personal indignation and greed." The article goes on to state, "Mr. Bolton spent much of his career dreaming of the national security adviser job, and reportedly lobbied the president for it for years. And, of course, his book is due to come out March 17, and these revelations are sure to make it an instant best seller (a fact not lost on the president: Mr. Trump’s backers have predictably cast him as a “disgruntled” former employee, and Mr. Trump himself has accused him of merely trying to sell books)." NOBODY cares about the political charade, they haven't cared since the Mueller report, i.e. Dem implosion fiasco. Sorry lefty's but you're not winning the November election in January, in fact, this latest attempt to win the election outside of the November vote is going to backfire big time and get the buffoon another four years--bank on it!
5
Ho hum. Everyone knows that this whole impeachment charade is because the democrats know that they are going to get slaughtered in November without some type of Hail Mary. This is the latest one, it won't work.
8
Is there anyone in the USA who listens and reads the news every day think NPR, NYT, CNN, MSNBC, WAPO, and Fox deliver fair and balanced reporting?
1
Bolton's testimony may not change any votes in the Senate but it does put Mitch McConnell in more of a pickle than he already put himself when he promised "total coordination" with the White House, then swore an oath to "do impartial justice." To acquit Trump, says the Economist, Republican senators will have to swallow "some odd ideas" presented by Trump's legal team emanating from "somewhere in the outer atmosphere." And it warned Republicans that acquittal in the face of so much damning evidence may one day convince a Democratic president that "anything goes."
49
get trump under oath
7
Well, Lindsay Graham's "good judgment," as the Times puts it, is really no more than another instance of the universal truth that, "Even a blind monkey finds a banana once in a while."
3
Bolton may have the goods, But Giuliani was no "minor player," as the GOP lawyers are saying. I just did a word search of the July 25 "transcript." Rudy? Twice. Giuliani? Three times. John? Zero. Bolton? Zero. Where's Rudy hiding?
7
this is all much ado about nothing, and it is amazing to me that we are having this ongoing controversy. the transcript of the call explicitly shows mr. trump extorting the ukrainian president, and mulvaney confirmed it in a press conference. don't need bolton. just need to get rid of the idiots who refuse to face the truth.
3
If you are a rank and file Republican and you are sitting on your hands not calling upon Republican Senators to hear from Bolton, then please refrain from pledging allegiance to the flag, stop thanking veterans for their service, and please crawl back into your cave of denial while you witness the destruction of our democracy.
If your thirty pieces of silver mean more to you than the rights of the next generation to see and experience the grandeur which is our country, you will then occupy the planet with the rest of the nobodies who failed their country and their descendants by their silence.
9
Let Bolton testify! Bolt On! Full Speed Ahead!
6
President Trump should have held that money until Hunter and Joe Biden came out clean. They are the dishonest opportunists who got rich out of a pour country.
Shame on the NYT editorial board for not investigating the real crimes in Ukraine.
3
Trump 2020 in a landslide
2
So the NYTs has totally reversed itself since 2006. Dick Cheney has won. The neo cons have taken the NYTs. John Bolton is their white knight. All this to arm a side in an ethnic war the US has no business involving itself in. Kill Russians in Ukraine to keep the Russians out of America. Obama was so right not to arm the Ukrainians and to try to keep them out of NATO. The NYTs seems determined to move clock to nuclear midnight.
1
No matter the senate vote; the House Investigative Committee can just keep investigating. I am assuming they are ready and willing if that's what is deemed wise. In any event, anyone who is cleareyed now knows everything we need to know about Rump and his minions. Grifter is a nice word. It is up to the public to clean up senate and the white house what the senate is unable and unwilling to do. VOTE!
4
Ostrich Mitch
5
In less than 5 minutesTrump ordered the removal of an Ambassador on hearsay during this periodan intimate fundraiser at his hotel. Think about that, what has he done on his golf courses, his hotels and the fundraisers since the inauguration? We know a private conversation transpired with Erdogan and suddenly our allies the Kurds were left defenseless. Will Putin arrange for the mysterious Crowdstrike server to surface in the Ukraine for Giuliani to stumble over? The manufactured lies of this Administration knows no bounds. Trump needs to be removed an the Oval office fumigated.
6
The GOP is interested in only money and power, and it sees stonewalling and covering up for Trump as the path to those ends.
To expect consistency, honesty or integrity of any Republicans is asking too much. Graham, Cruz and the rest are little more than pathetic lickspittles who are praying for another day in the sun (i.e., in power). Nothing they say is burdened by truth or fact: it's all fabrication.
Trump is a con man and a crook. His GOP thugs are little more than enforcers for his criminal empire. They are all dirty.
8
1:55 p.m. So now two Senators are open to getting Bolton's manuscript.
What good would that do? Bolton isn't under Oath in it, and anyone can write nonsense, put it in a book, and say this is what happened. Look at 45's tweets and his book and such. Writing in a manuscript isn't swearing under oath!
Anything to get out of having to face a real live witness is what these Senators want. Ye Gods! What if the truth came out. Golly Gee. . .!!!
2
“You can fool all of the people some of the time. You cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”
The cat is out of the bag. We all know Trump is the con man who has been caught.
Call the witnesses, starting with Bolton!
3
Bolton is a disgruntled ex-employee that wants to sell a book
3
The Republican Party a party of liars and hypocrites!
6
Linsey Graham. Weasel of the year, decade and century.
11
The more Democrats try the harder they fall. First the Russian failure now this. Trump is going to be elected once again in a landslide. It will be spectacular !
1
If Republicans have any spine to speak of they'll shut these sham proceedings down immediately. No passing go and no collecting of $200.
The question is quite simple: assuming the worst case, that Trump explicitly and incontrovertibly tied foreign aid to the investigation of the Bidens, are we removing him? The answer is "absolutely not". Since all Republicans essentially agree with that proposition, why exactly would we consider letting Democrats drag these sham proceedings on any further? Do we really need another "Spartacus" moment because from where I'm sitting we seem to be all stocked up in here.
The Democrats will be kicking and screaming no matter what Republicans do. I say let them. Plenty of time for kicking and screaming between now and 2025 when perhaps Democrats can actually find an electable leader that ain't trying to fix what ain't broke (i.e., the wondrous US economy that rewards the hard working better than at just about any other time or place in history).
14
When video recordings are shown, aren't witnesses being summoned?
1
There MUST be witnesses at this trial. Republican senators should be ashamed if they don't insist on it. By failing to do their duty, they are complicit in the pResident's crimes.
6
Remember when congressional republicans all said their was no case because the committee chairs had no eyewitness?
3
The Bolton material is another nothingburger. It doesn't challenge or attack Pres. Trump's legal intent. It simply adds to the Democrats "supposed" corrupt intent.
Bolton, who may help to slay Trump, very necessary, is however himself a terrible evil, and this sense very much like Trump. Bolton is a GWBush type evil, that kills multitudes of Middle Eastern People, who shouldn't be shiskabobs for Republican Neo-Conservatives. May God save us from the conservative Republicans.
4
"I never said that to John Bolton" is just lie number 16,000+ from a president who knows the GOP won't find him guilty because the ratings for his TV presidency are so high with his base. So they get reelected and we get 4 more years of the Trump family's highly successful nest feathering.
4
Eventually the truth will come out - undoubtedly, at the very least, on publication of the Bolton book. Even if publication is delayed, the likelihood of leaks exposing the truth is high. Republicans are foolish if they think they can sweep this under the rug with no consequences, by not allowing him to be called to testify . Or make outrageous demands such as swapping Bolton testimony for Hunter Biden testimony - an impossibility. And when the truth is revealed, especially if Bolton doesn't have the opportunity to be questioned, their complicity in this cover up will be apparent for all to see. Perhaps even Fox viewers.
So, they may be assuring an acquittal and continued time in office for Trump, at the expense of their seats, their careers, and most importantly their morals.
2
Trump investigating Ukraine for US Government officials' corruption, including the Bidens, is a good thing. Unless you support politicians and their families getting rich off of public "service" that is.
Impeachment is a sham, the REAL Cover-Up - of corruption. They simply don't want the giant band-aid being ripped off. Washington DC is the highest income metro in the USA - what, exactly, do they do there to earn that income? THINK about that ... even for a second. If you don't get it, perhaps you never will.
'Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.'
~ Frederic Bastiat (1850)
1
“I am the “Pied Piper trump” and have a secret charm for all the people who follow me” And as I play my song of lies, false claims and personal attacks at my rally, I will happily lead my supporters into the deep waters of conspiracy theories, corruption and moral bankruptcy all for my own self interests. trump knows what all conmen know, there’s a fool born every minute.
4
Boltons just one of many hand grenades waiting to incriminate Trump's COVER UP . I'm loving the Trump's defense team stating "We always withhold aid from countries". No...NOT secretly from the U.S. tax payer. All for Trump's personal exploitation of Ukraine on a debunked Biden conspiracy theory. Even Congressional approved Millitary Aid desperately needed to stop Russia from Invading & Occupying Ukraine. Just like it's direct neighbor Crimea who's now under Soviet occupation. The GOP should never see the light of day on it's pathetic judgement. Instead they cry Trump's their best choice ever for a POTUS
3
Benjamin Wittis said it on Morning Joe this morning. That the claims that the President must commit an actual crime in order to be impeached is rubbish. His example, was suppose the President announced that he was no longer going to attend to his duties as President, but rather was going to spend his time playing golf, vacationing, and watching cable TV. None of these things are crimes but clearly he would not be faithfully representing the interests of the American people. This behavior would not be impeachable? Really? Get a grip.
4
Bolton, Kelly, Mulvaney, and others MUST testify and we MUST see Trump's Tax Returns.
6
How many times before have the NYTimes and the media announced that they had "the goods" on Trump? Why do they go on deluding themselves?
But the strategically timed Bolton leak at least gave the Times cover for burying the compelling case made by the Presidents' attorneys at the Senate trial.
When are the media going to get back to reporting the news instead of trying to get their nemesis?
3
Here, in plain words, is what the president did: He tried to cheat to win an election. He got caught. He lied about it. He tried to cover it up. Now he's blaming it all on Biden. Even little children know that's wrong.
7
John Bolton certainly does not look happy about Trump in that picture not to mention Trump fired him yet we're supposed to believe every word he says about Trump like it's unvarnished gospel? Ha, ha.
1
Why just Bolton? Why not Pompeo, Pence, Mulvaney - and Trump himself as witnesses? If everything was”perfect” they should glad to testify!
5
The Republicans chose what they thought to be the least of two evils, i.e., Clinton, and they elected the worst possible candidate among 16 better qualified ones , the narcissist Trump.
They now want to hide their devastating choice, by cow-towing to this dangerous, pathetic lier, Trump, to save their "own skins". And finally, one person with a modicum of character, is turning the tables on Trump.
The next thing we will hear from Trump is that 'he never met Bolton"...
4
Republicans will be roasting over the flaming pit of infamy. History will not be kind to those who sold out our Constitution for their next election.
5
The "one way to find out" has more to do with Joe Biden and his son Hunter that Mr. Bolton.
Okay, why not horse trade? Bolton and Trump for the two Bidens. Then let the Chief Justice subpoena Rudy and Lev, just for giggles.
Or just Donald for Joe. Trump’s reaction would be worth every bit of that gambit. Watching Starr and Dershowitz choke on that would just add to the enjoyment.
Come on Dems! Your country is desperate for real leadership. Give it to them.
2
Trump's lawyers are crushing the Democrats. Trump was trying to root out corruption in the Ukraine. He was not thinking about himself. It was obviously the furtherest thought from his mind. Bolton is just a disgruntled employee who is bitter because he could not live up to Trump's high standards. Truth will win out. Trump in 2020. Let the good times roll.
“Get rid of her,” Mr. Trump said of Ms. Yovanovitch. “Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. O.K.? Do it.”
This is the scariest part of this column. If Trump was saying this to Pompeo, it would have one context, even though misplaced. But he appears to be saying it to Parnas, who had no authority to take any action, other than literally, "take her out". This is similar to his comments to Zelenski that Yovanovitch would be going through some things.
Obviously Parnas did not carry through on what appear to be orders from "the Don", but imagine if he had.
75
BOLTON MAY WELL BE HAWKISH, but he has shown integrity in coming forth with reporting that he has evidence of Trump's communications with him and with others about Ukraine and withholding aid. I think that the probability of hearing witnesses is becoming much higher by the day. One Senator conjectured that the number of Senators who will demand to hear Bolton may be in the double digits. If that number is 20 or more, there may be a sufficient shift in the political center of gravity, meaning that there may, indeed, be the votes necessary to remove Trump from office. Holding Trump to account for his high crimes and misdemeanors is essential. The GOP has a chance to redeem itself from its current state of moral bankruptcy. As the November presidential election looms on the horizon, the window of opportunity for the GOP to begin to reorganize and clean house grows smaller by the day. The truth will come out when Bolton's book is published. The only way the voters can show their displeasure is by voting against the GOP, which, if it refuses to provide voters with the facts of Trump's high crimes and misdemeanors, will find itself greatly diminished not only in political influence, but in credibility and in the proportion of US voters that support it. It's not an existential threat to the GOP. Not yet, at least. Returning to being grandfather's GOP would hold many advantages for a party that is going to face its day of reckoning in November. To be or not to be?
1
I am so tired of the political games of both parties. One says one thing and the other says another. I no longer watch the nightly news shows because I want to pull my hair out. I have no idea why we just cannot find common ground in this country. There are so many things that should be uncontested, like climate change on the one hand and the need for control over our borders on the other, but everyone has to take a side and cannot deviate from the party line even if they know it is wrong. I really miss those very brief times that I can remember the country could get together on some things, like after 9/11. But even then, there were people who took advantage of that good feeling and gave us Iraq. It is just exhausting to watch this country being torn apart when we have so much in common with each other if we just take time to actually communicate.
1
Perhaps Mitt Romney can use some of his gazillions to convince three of his colleagues to do the right thing.
It seems to be the way things are done.
2
Whether it's testimony from Bolton or from someone else, whether in the end there is an acquittal or otherwise, what is crucial in this matter is that the Senate challenge and defeat the attempt to deny Congress its oversight authority over presidents, which would inalterably change the constitutional balance of power that we've had for 240 years, and place presidents above the law. The only way to do this is to demand evidence, and to get evidence. An acquittal after that would perhaps be craven and cynical, but it at least would not do the severe damage that leaving his 'absolute immunity' claim unresolved would do.
The problem with having just one person above the law is that it doesn't stop there. If one person is above the law, then all of his allies are above the law as well (as we clearly see developing here).
In fact, our enemy Communist Russia has a constitution and elections, just as we do. The only difference is that in their system the Russian president is above the law. The result? All of Putin's allies are now above the law, his political enemies are subject to political persecution, and their elections are meaningless.
6
If a few years ago (or even a few months ago) someone would have asked me to come up with a political scheme where John Bolton is the good guy, the one doing the honorable, decent, constitutional, and American thing, I would have given up almost instantly. My imagination would not have been that strong.
And yet, here we are. Reality proves to be more fantastic that fictional thinking.
5
The Republicans are playing chess and the Democrats are playing checkers. What difference does it make if Bolton testifies, do you really think any Republican will vote to remove Trump from office? Some may think that the American people need to hear the truth. We already know the truth, "read the transcripts" as Trump likes to tweet, it's all there. If you still support Trump now, hearing from some "disgruntled employee" won't change a thing.
Wouldn't it be better for the Democrats if the Republicans didn't allow witnesses? Then when (not if) Trump is acquitted the Dems can say it was a sham trial, a complete farce. If you allow witnesses, Trump can go around claiming "complete exoneration".
The NYT Editorial Board is an excellent study, on how human beings tend to polarize, and devolve into warring factions.The Editorial Board having (for a long time) now become emotionally dissolved into the identity of one faction: the Democratic party.
I say this, because the articles for the last couple days, deliberately mislead, to make it seem like the Republican Senators are madly scrambling to embrace what Dems have been dreaming for. Later, from other news sources, it sounds like 1 (possibly 2) Senators have vaguely hinted at wanting a witness to speak.
Shameless political Cheerleading.
1
Honestly, can we even comprehend the deeply corrupt, insidiousness of the Republicans in the House and the Senate. Is it true, 'one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch?' We have seen it before, but we would never have believed this level of infectious annihilation of reason could occur in our precious Democracy. Are we truly lost, have we met our enemy from within?
3
Personal whim grounded in conspiracy theory and pursued through private channels does not constitute settled public national security policy carried out through official channels. Regardless of whether this reflects Trump's insecurity or his authoritarian inclinations or his self-interest - this is contrary to the Presidential Oath.
Trying to cover this up is simply inexcusable.
9
Trump not only deserves to be impeached, but he deserves to be in jail. Regardless of the short term outcome of the impeachment trial, this will not end well for the Republican party. I'm not sure why they do not understand this basic fact that stares them in the face. At some point, trump will be gone. Yes, his supporters will still be around but they aren't close of the majority of the nation. And the rest of us have very long memories. The Republican party, in its current form, could easily go the way of the whigs - and should. For the survival of the party, they need to rid themselves of trump.
10
Just subpoena Trump. He doesn't have Fifth Amendment protection in this trial.
11
I doubt Mr. "President" was surprised about the Bolton manuscript. He's had it in his hands since December and that's why he and his minions vehemently do not want Bolton to testify. Since Mr. "President" is so innocent, he should testify.
8
Trump is trying to make this a he-said, he-said. Fine. Subpoena him too and let him tell his version under oath.
9
Remember when the GOP called itself the Moral Majority?
12
Yes I remember. But as I recall they were neither moral nor the majority then as well.
5
The bits of all this that elude me are:
- Why haven't, and when will, Trump supporters realize their man is so crazy, incompetent, selfish and dangerous that he can't be remotely trusted to deliver on their expectations of him, no matter how hideous?
- That Trump's denials of fact, and unwillingness to allow people he worked with and later fell out with -- like Bolton -- to testify, are comically revealing. If you're so very innocent, why are you acting so very guilty?
- Why Trumpophiliac Republicans don't seem to understand that throwing their lot in with him will surely come back to bite them on their own derrieres, once all this has passed. Or do they all truly believe that this daily insanity is the new forever normal, and that this is how they must heretofore play the game to even stay in the game?
- And why those same Republicans can't seem to see that being in Trump's inner circle for any length of time tends to obliterate the reputations and careers of such people, leave them vulnerable to him and his henchmen for years into the future.
In other words, how can anyone still -- after all that's happened since and before Trump's election as president -- think they could possibly benefit from working with him, voting or supporting him, funding his campaign, when all he's ever shown is that the only thing Donald Trump cares about is Donald Trump.
Help me, someone. What am I missing here?
8
-Surprise, Mr. President. John Bolton Has the Goods.-
Perhaps.
What Senate Democrats do not have are the 67 votes to remove President Trump from office. It's extremely questionable whether or not Senate Democrats will have the votes necessary to compel any witness testimony whatsoever.
The House impeachment managers' charges that President Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress are rooted in their insistence that President Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s activities as the Obama Administration's "point-man" on Ukraine, and the circumstances surrounding son Hunter Biden's impressively lucrative financial windfall with Ukrainian natural gas firm, Burisma. Nevermind that Hunter Biden had no experience...whatsoever...in the energy industry. He still took home millions of dollars from his arrangement with Burisma. Yet astonishingly, no Congressional Democrat has any questions about the circumstances surrounding the activities of Joe and/or Hunter Biden in Ukraine.
One thing is virtually certain...neither John Bolton nor Mick Mulvaney will testify in this Senate impeachment trial if Joe and Hunter Biden, Adam Schiff and the whistleblower, and other witnesses desired by the GOP are excluded from testimony.
That simply won't happen. It's even less likely than the prospect that Senate Democrats can persuade 20 of their GOP colleagues to remove President Trump from office based on such a weak impeachment case.
2
Denials ring hollow from someone who has told over 16,241 lies from inauguration to January 21st of this year. Trump is the last person from which one would seek the truth.
8
He would no doubt purger himself on the stand. That is why he wouldn’t appear during the Arusha investigation. A young man would have had difficulty keeping his story straight with all the lies he tells. An old codger would never be able to get his story straight under examination.
January 28, 2020
The Bolton cauldron has arrived with thunder and fire to bringing the force of truth to the Impeachment castle and so goes off Trump into the abyss of a fall chosen finality. All is right with America as Lady Liberty is forever truth when great men of honor know what to say and stand by perfection for democracy’ honor.
3
It is now being reported that Trump praised Pompeo for verbally abusing and berating a journalist.
In his tirade, Pompeo explicitly declared that Americans have no reason to care about Ukraine, "a small country."
Ukraine is a nation of almost 45 million people (plus millions in the disapora, including in North America); its value for Big Ag remains consequential at a time when we can all see extreme weather wreaking havoc in Australia; diseases roiling China; economic turbulence persisting in South America; drought & locusts ravaging Africa. Food prices are going up for a reason.
Don't turn up your noses at Ukraine. Its brave fighting forces are keeping the Russians at bay.
You should be very alarmed, indeed, that Trump & Pompeo both think abusing or reviling Ukraine is a job well done.
America's NATO allies stood by us after 9/11. Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but Poland & the Baltic republics are. A Russian onslaught against Ukraine -- that neither Trump nor Pompeo care much about -- could very rapidly turn into an all-out confrontation between Moscow & NATO.
Trump has been frank about his dislike of NATO. NATO knows the score on that. But do Americans all understand what harm to their own economic fortunes & to our fragile democracy an ascendant Putin, encouraged & applauded & parroted by Trump, will be able to inflict?
4
@Maria Ashot: "It is now being reported that Trump praised Pompeo for verbally abusing and berating a journalist."
Do you know exactly why Secretary Pompeo was upset at the journalist? That would certainly put things in context.
"A Russian onslaught against Ukraine -- that neither Trump nor Pompeo care much about -- could very rapidly turn into an all-out confrontation between Moscow & NATO."
The onslaught began during the Obama administration - what did Obama do?
@hm1342,
"Do you know exactly why Secretary Pompeo was upset at the journalist? That would certainly put things in context."
Why, yes. He didn't want to answer the journalist's questions about Ukraine, although there are emails documenting that he had agreed to do so.
And to top all that off, he lost it completely when the journalist pointed out Ukraine to him on an unlabeled map that he keeps on hand, heaven only knows what for.
5
To borrow a phrase from another great paper, "Democracy dies in darkness." The US Senate Republicans will do anything to keep the public in the dark. They will not allow witnesses here, just as they prevented a real, normal investigation in pursuit of truth about the behavior of now Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh. Sadly, the Republicans don't want truth: they hide from truth, do not seek it, and obfuscate to create confusion about what is true.
I have no optimism that even 4 out of 53 Republican senators, can muster the will to do the right thing, vote for witnesses. They are now Trump-like in character. I'm glad I'm not related to any of these people, and I feel sorry for their families who will be tainted. Mitt Romney's family can be proud of him for generations.
5
@Sues : "To borrow a phrase from another great paper, "Democracy dies in darkness." The US Senate Republicans will do anything to keep the public in the dark."
Then what's your opinion about the House Intelligence Committee conducting closed-door hearings and severely restricting Republicans in the process? Do you find anything open or "fair" about that? If Republicans started impeachment hearings in that manner what would you say?
@hm1342 The republicans have been the obstructionists here and attended the closed-door hearings. So you are also claiming something that is false.
4
Any Senators so unserious about their jobs as to block a full hearing of the evidence (including all relevant documents and witnesses) in a Presidential impeachment trial, will not hold public office much longer. Public opinion and history will judge them with the harshness they deserve.
They're making an irrevocable choice about America's future, and their own. If they simply decide they don't want to know, and don't want the American public to know, what elected and appointed officials did on our behalf, they're active participants in a criminal cover-up.
6
There is not much of a difference between "we didn't know" and "we were following orders"?
The Trump playbook has some very dangerous echoes of the past.
8
GOP trump supporters including most GOP senators dismiss the Mueller investigation as irrelevant. And now they are deliberately contriving to derail he impeachment trial in the GOP dominated senate. However Mueller said on nation-wide TV that his report did not exonerate trump and that ONCE OUT OF OFFICE he was definitely liable for indictment for crimes most pointedly the deliberate obstruction of justice of which ten instances are extensively detailed in the report! This evidence has been carefully and painstakingly prepared and geared to support this eventuality. The 2020 election itself then is the critical vehicle for finally bringing this trump criminal travesty to a just end.
5
Bolton must testify. Are there four brave Republicans who will do the right thing and insist on it?
114
@Barbara
And if by keeping silent Chief Justice Roberts allows Bolton's testimony to be suppressed, we have to wonder why he’s even there.
23
@Barbara
Let's remind them that once there are four Republican Senators voting yes to witnesses and documents , they may as well all vote yes.
Better political cover? Spread the targets?
Yes or no?
9
@Barbara
I wouldn't bet the ranch on it.
4
If Mr. Bolton were a true patriot with relevant information to share (regardless of its impact on a sitting president) then he has a duty to share it.
Mr. Bolton doesn't seem to ever be too far away from a microphone. He has always had a platform.
So whatever he has to say should be heard. But he is a very flawed vessel who cannot overcome that this is all a wee bit to calculated and self serving.
If the motive was protecting our nation, Americans should have already heard his thoughts.
Sorry. This all sounds like it is all about a book deal and maximum hype.
6
The joke will be on the foolishly loyal Republicans over the next couple of years. "We didn't know..." they will bleat sheepishly.
Anyone think Bolton's book will be the last tell-all about the inner workings of the Trump world? Not a chance. When hard core neocons and conservative dogmatics like Bolton and Barr start attacking Trump, its because they are distancing themselves from the scene of the impending trainwreck, and his nihlistic foreign policy.
Thusfar, we have had many confirmations that the President puts his own interests above that of his Office and country, directing foreign policy based on current and future Trump real estate.
And the biggest prize of all for Trump is Russia, a country in which 20% or more of all economic activity is illegal, creating global tsunamis of cash seeking luxuries, while average Russians enjoy the lowest living standard in Europe. Russia wants to be freed of sanctions over Ukraine, which is worth hundeds of billions to Putin and the oligarchs. And the Trump team has been scheming to get this done since early in the 2016 campaign, leading several to prison sentences.
The Ukraine "Aid for Dirt" caper is no one-off. And the GOP will be living with the stain of Trump and their complicity for years.
141
@Look Ahead Excellent analysis.
8
Like mueller had the goods and Hillary had the goods and the whistle blower had the goods?
Why don’t the Democratic’s offer something of substance I the American people instead of trying to “gotcha” the president?
Also, NYTimes why don’t you post my comments? I pay fir this subscription and deserve to have a voice
4
Sometimes the only way to outwit a con man or crime boss is to “Gotcha!”
1
Although Senator Graham is a former military avocat, it is hard to imagine him exercising "simple good judgment", no matter how clear cut things seem to be, for he is someone who, like many involved with the President, espouses obfuscating material so as to avoid seeming to go against the President, party dictates. It is a classic psychological ploy to withhold gratification with a view towards obtaining an objective; Trump's actions are as partisan as any in this somewhat farcical scenario. The aid would have gone to Ukraine regardless, which is simple bad judgment, except in the case of wanting a strong military force so as to potentially garner the treasure trove of natural resources possessed by the RF. People like Republicans and Democrats alike seldom consider that expansions bring with them retardant functions, in this case, the vast numbers of potentially lost lives. Bringing Bolton into it (..."And we'll be in Tehran in 2020!") only confirms the louche nature of his and Trump's view of foreign policy. He was ostensibly fired; Trump should be removed from office.
While the GOP Senators would not remove Trump, as payback on the ruinous tax-cut for rich individuals and businesses, his and their re-elections now blowing in the wind. The house was flipped in 2018 as a check on a treasonous president. Still, Trump's continued abuse of power and obstruction not only of Justice but the Congress and even the GOP controlled Senate will very likely result to the flipping the Senate in November back to finally put a break on a lawless president if, BIG IF he gets re-elected with another assistance from Russia's Putin.
4
House Democrats were in a no-win position. If they had gone to court to compel witnesses like Bolton, they would have been accused of dragging out the process to close to the election. That they didn't brought accusations of slovenly investigation and a weak case. Imagine if Speaker Pelosi hadn't delayed the investigation or had delivered the articles immediately; this would be over before Parnas/Bolton's evidence had come to light. And the Senate could bask in the afterglow of "how were we to know?"
Still, Sen. Blunt is correct. All that is being accomplished is delaying what has been a certainty since it began--the Senate's complicity in the continued degradation of a once-great nation. That, more than anything, is the tragedy here.
5
I imagine that all present, former and future US diplomats must be feeling, ‘Who’s got my back? Feels like nobody does. Why do I want to do this?’... Remember the inauguration speech, to end the ‘American Carnage’? We’re finding out now what that really meant.
98
@Alan DeWitt
American Carnage' is just beginning.
8
A good way is get to the truth is not only to hear from Amb. Bolten under oath. How about DJT under oath? If I were Joe Biden, I'd volunteer to sworn testimony if the President would. Let's call that bluff.
Then. if called, VP Biden could rattle off all the names of relatives of lawmakers who have fancy jobs only because of their last names.
10
@RBCD: Trump couldn't remember anything when responding to Mueller's written interrogatories.
Chuck Todd's parting remarks at the end of Meet the Press, said to the effect Mr. Bolton being a witness to this impeachment hearing will be akin to J. Deans tape revelation to the Nixon administration. Time will tell !
7
Mr. Bolton's book is exactly out of Trump's playbook: monetizing everything trumps loyalty.
6
Lamar Alexander’s voicemail boxes are all full! How convenient!
For those with ears to hear, this is going down!
5
The most shocking aspect of this is that it's a revelation that Trump appears to be untruthful in light of others' informed versions of an event. What would be shocking if it were found that Trump ever told the truth about anything.
5
During the Clinton impeachment, there was public outrage about a long string of public denials from the President about his relationship with a White House intern. It wasn't just the perjury in the Paula Jones deposition that inflamed the scandal; there was an expectation that the President of the United States should not repeatedly stand in front of a microphone or television camera and lie to the American public.
The parallels with Trump's denials about Lev Parnas are striking. It seems that the American public no longer has any expectation of candor and forthrightness from our president.
151
@Jim U
I would argue the difference was then, a Republican party desire to "get" Clinton any way they could vs. a Republican party now determined to protect Trump any way they can.
The only strategy of a dying party. This, not Dr. Blasey, is why Brett Kavanaugh should not have been seated on the Supreme Court.
25
@Jim U Trump has lied over 15,000 times according to WaPo.
5
@Jim U: And any humane father of a daughter thought it was OK for Clinton to do whatever he could to minimize the damage to the young lady's life under the circumstances.
2
I would change the Lede entirely.
"Surprise, Mr. President. Hundreds of US government officials and foreign leaders and US and foreign intelligence services have the goods." Or, shall we say, the "materials."
4
DDePetris in the Washington Examiner tries to advance the pro-Trump, anti-Ukraine argument that "America Has Bigger Fish to Fry than Ukraine."
Coincidentally, Moscow is trying to squeeze Belarus to merge with the RF in order to create a new, bigger version of Putin's current totalitarian society. Believe it or not, Belarus is resisting the invitation.
It is sad that so many Americans cannot be bothered to listen to the arguments presented in the HPSCI Report that formed the basis for the Articles of Impeachment. Too many apparently are only too happy to dismiss the grave concerns of seasoned US experts such as George Kent or Ambassador Taylor or Dr. Fiona Hill or Lt. Col. Vindman.
Gordon Sondland had many direct interactions with Trump, to whom he has donated a million dollars & much more (time, expertise, reputation), yet Republicans insist there have been no direct witnesses to Trump's extortion of the Ukrainian leadership to disparage Joe Biden, whom Trump has repeatedly called "corrupt" in the public record.
Putin has demonstrated himself to be immoderate & willing to pursue military escalation not only in Syria, but now also in Libya -- in addition to Ukraine. He has sold advanced weapons systems to Iran as well as Turkey (against whom Russia is now squaring off in Libya) while simultaneously touting the latest in Russian arms.
Were the US to "be neutral" in Putin's war against Ukraine, nothing would impede Putin's further escalation against NATO. It's that simple.
6
While I find it doubtful, there may have been a time when a Presidential impeachment trial would cause truth to override party loyalty. If so, that is not now. In this fiercely partisan era, I doubt that any witness testimony or legal manuvering could change a single Senator's vote from what he or she would have voted before the trial started.
Mr. Bolton could show up with verified tape recordings of what he claims Mr. Trump said, and the GOP would still vote to acquit, that's true. Equally true is the fact that no testimony would change a single Democrat's vote to convict.
The entire proceeding is a picture perfect example of a show trial, in which the outcome is already decided and the actors just read their lines for the sake of theater.
5
If not , then they are all traitors and should be summarily removed from office for not upholding their sworn duty to the country.
@michaelscody
But also for the sake of the historical record, which must not be dismissed out of hand as an utterly irrelevant triviality.
Get your stories straight. Tell us what you have. Then show us what you are made of.
What Roy Blunt said
“Unless there’s a witness that’s going to change the outcome, I can’t imagine why we’d want to stretch this out for weeks and months.”
is not a tautology. Tautology is an unnecessary repetition.
Instead, the above candid statement is
1. a blunder that reveals how impartial Reps are : outcome of trial is already known to them
2. an exaggeration : the jury will have to listen to testimonies for a few days, not weeks and months, and
3. naive: of course that the jury would want to spend time only with witnesses who are consequential to the yet-unknown trial outcome.
Roy Blunt should change his name to Roy Obvious Candid-Blundering.
3
The secondary definition of ‘tautology’ is a redundancy in logic, similar to begging the question. That’s what the authors meant here.
Bolton shot his load in his book. No need for him to testify. Even if what he said was true, and it is not, Trump did not commit any impeachable offenses. There is nothing more that Bolton can add to the articles of impeachment that he did not put into his book. On top of that if Trump's trial is over before his book comes out his book sales will tank as they should and as he deserves. Unless Bolton taped the President it is a he said he said situation and even if he does have tapes the acquittal will proceed as scheduled because what Bolton said is still not and never was an impeachable offense.
3
@NYChap He said, she said indeed. He, Bolton, is willing to testify under oath. She, Trump, is not. My vote is with what he said.
9
@NYChap
A manuscript of Bolton’s book is informative, but a book cannot be cross examined. We’ve only heard a headline to his story. Bolton has offered to testify under oath in the trial. The Senate needs to call him as a witness.
The defense lawyers have argued the charges are not impeachable offenses. That is simply their opinion, and they’re wrong.
9
A path forward is for Republican senators to meet with Vice President Pence and arrange for him to grant a full pardon to Trump after he resigns. Trump could thereby avoid indictment and conviction for the numerous alleged crimes being investigated by prosecutors. Instead of bargaining about witnesses, the bargaining should be about resignation in exchange for a pardon. This quid pro quo would be in the national interest and might give the Republican Party a chance to avoid cataclysm.
3
@Dave
We’ve had enough quid pro quos. Everyone was in the loop, remember?
A President Pence might try to pardon Trump for these articles of impeachment, but he might just decide to resign before his own involvement is exposed.
I don’t think his pardon ability extends into the NY investigations.
9
@Dave: This is why the theocrats have backed Trump to this point. Pence is a Christian first, and nothing less matters. He caps the coup.
1
The fact that the American people have to rely on leaked documentation brought out by a former key official of the Trump administration is further evidence of the whole sham the Republicans have made of this serious impeachment trial.
And even with the revelations made by Mr. Bolton to the press, the unlikely matter of this evidence being admitted into the trial because it's being blocked by Republican senators is completely dishonest.
Not only is the behavior of the Republican-dominated Senate reprehensible for not following proper procedures for a trial of this type, but the fact that they hold no regard whatsoever for the truth is frightening.
12
@Cate: Two thirds of them don't even face election this year. Voters don't get many chances to limit terms in the US.
4
@Steve Bolger: Indeed! Good point here, Mr. Bolger. @Cate
1
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, the senate Republicans will call it a rabbit no matter what. Ken Starr prosecuted Clinton for lying under oath. Didn't many of these senators lie under oath when they said they would vote against impeachment regardless of the evidence and by refusing to hear the evidence from witnesses. Roy Blunt says witnesses will not change the outcome. If they will not, his oath to base his decision on the evidence has been violated. But then again, we're back to the surreal rabbits in this government . Frightening.
11
If the aid -- aid denied to Ukraine by Obama -- was due to be delivered by September 30, and in the end it was delivered within the specified time frame, what exactly is the relevance of previous discussions about possibly denying the aid? Leaving the groom at the alter is not a crime, either, even if it is a horrible thing to do. Sometimes promises ought to be broken, especially in transactions with foreign countries. Yes -- let's definitely hear from witnesses -- ALL the relevant witnesses. That would include ALL of the testimony heard by the House Intelligence Committee, and all of the relevant details of the US relationship with Ukraine, going back to 2004-05. Let's not forget Yanukovich, Timoshenko, Poroshenko, other Ukraine leaders past and present. What was the CIA and/or NSC involvement in the two overthrows of Yanukovich -- in 2004-05 and 2014-15?
Why was Vindman in uniform? Why was the "whistleblower" anonymous? Let's hear it all, and get the full truth out. It seems pretty unlikely to me that either the George W Bush or the Barack Obama administrations left Ukraine in super condition and with clean hands. This is a 15-20 year fiasco that has left Ukraine with its own gas and a huge record of government corruption.
John Bolton has never been a bull in a China shop himself? Suddenly he's supposed to be the essential calm, thoughtful guy who -- wait, wasn't Boltom the most aggressive of the neocons advising Dick Cheney?
3
@mitchell
Lt. Col. Vindman properly testified in uniform because that’s the military protocol when appearing before Congress. The whistleblower is entitled to his/her animosity. Period.
Trump’s defense is lame. And they have shown they’re willing to take anybody they can down the drain with him. The country is not on trial. Nor are our past policies, past Presidents, and sons of past Vice Presidents.
He is not only guilty, but dangerous to the country and needs to be removed from office now.
11
While Trump threatened a trade war with China (that Americans paid for at the grocery store and more), his company did a secret deal to build a golf course there. If republicans are in on the deal and set to gain financially from this, what other deals did trump procure that republicans are cashing in on? is this why they refuse to vote against him, they need him in power four more years for more deals and financial gains personally? he really is their gravy train. They need to cover for their own sins and decisions to use the oval for personal gain. Is it possible the top republicans have financial investments in Trump's resorts, hotels, golf courses, etc. and stand to lose tens of thousands of not millions of $$$$ should they dare vote against him? is it possible?
6
I don’t understand why the hypocrisy of this administration does not get any attention. Trump’s children living off the government’s largess and influence. McConnell’s wife including family members to American government commerce meetings. And those are just a few of the glaring items. The conduct of this presidency is a farce, a tragic comedy. Yesterday, when Pam Bondi brought up Biden’s use of nepotism was unbelievable!
What is the press afraid of?
14
Yes, yes, just as Mueller had the Russian collusion goods. One word can make a huge difference and so we know nothing really about what Bolton would say. We would know had the House subpoenaed him but they chose not to. Most importantly, if you listened to Pam Bondi’s presentation, it makes Bolton’s testimony irrelevant. There was more than good cause to ask Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and potentially prevent a corrupt candidate becoming President. Sounds familiar, eh? You simply have been focused on the wrong candidate.
2
Why not ask the US government's own agencies to investigate then if there was such a strong case for Ukraine to get involved? And why the manipulation? If the case against the Bidens is so strong, why would extortion be necessary to get an investigation going?
5
Senator Durbin is right. We should not trade witnesses like baseball cards. John Bolton is a relevant witness. Hunter Biden is not.
13
Does anyone believe that Trump is the root of this crisis, rather than the rot and racist feedback loop in the United States Senate that stoked this constitutional crisis; The Honorable Mr McConnell.
The decision in front of the Honorable Republican Senators is whether to stand with the rot before the electorate swearing impartiality when another of there ilk, “Mr. Bolton, a hard-line conservative with decades of service in Republican administrations” has a modicum of self-respect in the face of grave constitutional indifference that puts the entire world in danger. This is not a reality tv show where one man’s ego is allowed to destroy 250 years of brave democratic experience unlike any other country in world history!
4
Alan Dershowitz made an excellent article last night that even if Trump is a terrible president, it sets a dangerous precedent to remove him from office for charges as vague as "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress."
Since the NY Times is shirking its responsibility to provide you with relevant arguments regarding impeachment, I encourage you gentle readers to watch the Dershowitz presentation on You-tube. You should think for yourselves not offload your thinking to the NY Times.
Regarding calling Bolton as a witness, yes, if we continue with impeachment, getting all information possible is necessary. But consider this. The appearance of Bolton will likely cause Republicans to call for the testimony of Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden's actions do seem just a little bit corrupt. And if called, and Joe Biden is the Democratic candidate for president, we will see videos of his testimony from now until Nov 3.
How is it that Democrats think that a bad joke by Al Franken warrants his forced resignation from the Senate, but look the other way when it comes to corruption of Joe Biden?
Trump is indeed the worst president Americans have had at least since Andrew Johnson.
But are Democrats bound and determined to try to replace Trump with a candidate who has corruption problems of his own?
Democrats need to focus their energy on finding a viable replacement for Trump. It is virtually certain that the Senate will not vote to remove Trump.
1
I know but the Republicans and McConnell don't care. I wonder if they will be voted back in? I am not sure the news cycle has hurt all of us.
1
Theresa, you do understand that the only reason the aid was released was because Trump was outed by the whistleblower, don’t you?
To use a rough analogy, it’s as if the bank robbers, caught during the getaway, shrugged, gave the money back and said, “ No harm, no foul, right?”
7
Who would have thunk it? The only academic legal expert whom Dershowitz cited disagrees with Dershowitz and tells us that Trump certainly has committed a crime. After telling us Trump did pursue the illegal and unconstitutional Ukraine scheme to cheat in the election, Bolton now tells us that both he and Barr were concerned about inappropriate personal favors Trump was doing for brutal autocrats like Erdogan and Xi. (He was interfering in our own DOJ investigations on their behalf.) Barr, you might remember, has turned the DOJ into a partisan, private agency that works for the president alone.
4
Lindsay Graham now says he supports a proposal by Senator Lankford to allow senators to read Bolton’s manuscript in a classified setting. “Let’s see if it’s relevant...”
How could it not possibly be relevant! No reason to hide it in a classified setting, or in that secret bunker in the basement either. The book is coming out soon enough, Lindsay.
4
Will John Bolton be the unlikely successor to John Dean for the 21st century? A shocking but welcome prospect. Even though I am a lifelong Democrat, I'll buy your book John!
4
The angry, hawkish terrier is going to bite the ankles of his owners, who he helped put in power, and they’ll just kick him aside like they do everything else that stinks of the truth.
3
Isn't a way around this--and getting his testimony before the public--to have Bolton testify before the House?
He's agreed to testify if issued a subpoena, so why not? Shouldn't think it breaks any laws.
I hope all this attention on Bolton is just a carrot ---- as this trial could never be complete, fair or democratic ----- if all those named or involved were not brought in as witnesses along with their supporting documentation. This includes Pence, Pompeo, Barr, Mulvaney and Guiliani, and his fellow conspirators ---- and then any others that may be implicated in their testimony. All of the above have some knowledge regarding the events which lead to the Impeachment Trial. The questions are what do they know, how much, etc. Does it support or implicate Trump ----and does it implicate themselves. To not have witnesses, it would be a Watergate hearing without a John Dean or others. In other words, anything less is a complete and full fledged cover-up, an insult to the citizens and a destruction of our Democracy. The founders did not give the Chief Justice the responsibility to preside over an Impeachment hearing so he could do nothing. It was in fact to provide a necessary avenue, a fast track to offer impartial advice and rulings.
4
Actually instead of Mr. Bolton testifying we can call Ms. Haberman to testify about who showed her the manuscript and then have them produce it to see how accurate it is.
Sound fair?
1
@PLenzo
First y’all attacked the whistleblower. Now you attack the reporter and demand they identify their sources? Sounds like you don’t want a free press and don’t really want to find out the truth.
4
It's beginning to feel a lot like 1974. All of this makes my bones feel younger.
7
@zephen
It sure does feel like 1974. But will the GOP have the courage or wisdom to see that?
3
Senator Blunt is absolutely correct. There is no reason to shlep this out if it won't change even one vote. Trump will be acquited. The Dems in the House knew this when they impeached the President. It's why Pelosi held back the Articles for a month. There is no reason to drag this on any longer with meaningless "witnesses", paralyzing Washington in the process. Moreover, it's not like extending the trial will change any voters minds either. The proceedings are incredibly boring and tedious and no one's watching them at home. Even the Senate gallery is half empty. Take the vote, formalize the exoneration, and get on with the usual law passing and graft taking. If the Dems believe they have a winning case, then take it to the people in 9 months time. If they are right they will win a landslide. The only problem that I can see is that they have no faith in their position on impeachment or their far left candidates to believe they will win in 2020.
39
@MJG
It may or may not change "even one vote" as you note. But the information derived from such testimony will be part of the impeachment record for all of history. Therefore, witnesses, Bolton etc, must testify. These witnesses are not meaningless. They provide the first person account for which the GOP is clamoring. Moreover, we have been watching the proceedings and they are far from boring. This is history in the making and it's hard to pull ourselves from the tube. As House Rep Schiff noted, this administration is trying to influence (cheat) the 2020 election (along with Russia), so we can't necessarily count on a free and fair election to vote out the president.
320
@MJG The problem with that approach is that Trump will run on the lie that he was "totally exonerated!". If witnesses and evidence are presented in the Senate, at least there will be some facts to counterweight that lie, and people can vote accordingly. Yes, his base will not be moved (willful ignorance), but a few percent of the swing votes is all that is needed, and some of these people are paying attention to the trial and may be moved by facts.
217
@MJG Need a reason? How about principle? Taking a stand? Defending the Constitution regardless of the outcome.
315
The GOP Senate is putting on an excellent display of a race to the bottom in the abdication of a sworn oath to preserve and protect the constitution of the Republic. Mitch is effectively presiding over a Vichy caucus in fear of the “base” of a corrupt and autocratic President. Whatever the outcome, it’s a low and dangerous point for the country which can only be corrected by throwing the GOP out of office - from the WH to the local level.
10
If Hunter Biden is indeed a worthy witness, then I have a proposal: let's trade Hunter's appearance for Jared and Ivanka's. Since the crime is apparently profiting from your father's elected influence, this would make for some interesting testimony and cross examination. no? The ensuing apoplectic tweets would be really entertaining, too.
16
I described most of Don's illegal actions to a friend from high school who supports Don. Her reaction was, "I've never heard about those things." I guess that pretty much sums up why the MAGA's still support him.
17
Agreed! There have been many television interviews with clueless Trump supporters. Some say he’s great but can’t point to one great thing he’s done. And some have not a clue that he golfs every weekend and has spent a fortune on Secret Service to support those outings, despite Trump making fun of Obama’s golf games and swearing he’d never leave the White House for such things. It’s good to know that such ignorant people put such an incompetent and corrupt man in the White House.
4
Deniability is not innocence.
Trump and his enablers insult the intelligence of Americans on all sides with these antics. To their peril.
6
Your "one way to find out" is to ask a Never-Trumper who has no more credibility than any of the other "witnesses" the House Democrats trotted out last week? Bolton can say anything he likes--and probably will--but that doesn't constitute "proof" of anything.
And, that aside, it's quite apparent that the only reason the Left is trying so hard on this issue is that they're trying to protect Biden. Based on the evidence so far available, he did in fact engage in corruption and it was perfectly reasonable, given a reasonable suspicion, for the President to ask for cooperation from Ukraine in investigating it.
3
What evidence? If there was so much evidence then why weren't US agencies already looking into it? There's no need to ask Ukraine to do what the US government could do itself. And most certainly no need to do it through backchannels with Rudy in charge.
2
So direct evidence from one person who was part of a two person conversation is not "proof"? What then in your mind, would constitute proof? How would any criminal be convicted in a court of law without universally accepted standards of proof given under oath?
1
@Henry Miller, Libertarian Since there is absolutely no evidence that Biden did anything wrong in Ukraine, your assertion is ridiculous. It is the Right that is trying desperately to deny the guilt of this President, who is guilty of far more than the articles of impeachment.
1
Without witnesses the "trial" in the Senate is just a debate. The Constitution does not call for a debate after impeachment.
4
What is truly disturbing to me is that there are 35-40% of the population that is perfectly okay with all of this.
10
@Robert kennedy
Just listened to Malcolm Nance on Stephanie Miller's show on YouTube.
I strongly urge you, too, to listen up -- and share.
The people who are "perfectly okay with all of this" are about to get a massive dose of Trumpian comeuppance -- such as having their health care, Medicare & Social Security yanked.
By the liar they couldn't be bothered to stop.
1
John Bolton has damaged goods and Trump's defense debunked Bolton's falsehoods even if it were true. Whatever policy difference Bolton would have had will not rise to boost the articles of impeachment. Trump has nothing to fear from Bolton's testimony but everything to fear had he taken any toxic advice from Bolton to force a regime change ion Iran or North Korea. The drug deal that Bolton talked about was the hallucinogen drug Bolton has been on since the time he was in the Bush administration's initiation of disastrous regime change wars. NY Times can interview Bolton if they believe he has something credible to say. I would ask him why we should be believed on Ukraine and why he nudged Bush into the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that cost 5 trillion dollars and catastrophe for 5 million people globally.
4
@Girish Kotwal So funny - up to Saturday Trump's defenders were portraying Bolton as a linchpin of their case for Trump's innocence - the salt of the earth. As soon as it looks like he nay really spill the beans on Trump, you are all trashing him mercilessly. What a bunch of faithless sycophants.
1
Strange how every Trump appointed staff member becomes “tainted goods” only after they turn on him. What’s wrong with Trump? Why does he select such damaged goods? Is he incompetent? Naive? Please explain.
1
@AW from Maryland. Trump made a blunder in appointing John Bolton but not a colossal blunder like initiating a regime change war like Bolton's boss Bush did.
2
The new mantra for the Republican congress is hear no truth, see no truth , speak no truth.
Need I say more?!
4
The Republican Senators are willimg to deny the truth by not seeking Bolton's ieye witness testimony ... They are willing too say to the America people that the sky is red when there is proof it is blue... Just to remain in power. They will probably win in the short term, but I don't think that the MAJORITY of Americans are that stupid in the long term to accept lies all of the time from their elected leaders. In the short term the Republicans will retain their power, appoint judges and push their agenda, but America will remain strong in the long term only when the voters force their leaders to seek the truth as much as possible. If we become a country whose leaders believe the sky is red or are afraid to tell their red sky seeing constituents that the sky probably really is blue... The United States's reputation as a global moral leader will further crumble and US citizens will further understnsd they can not trust their elected leaders to act in the best interests of America.
1
Someone named MJG commented "Senator Blunt is absolutely correct. There is no reason to shlep this out if it won't change even one vote. Trump will be acquited. The Dems in the House knew this when they impeached the President. It's why Pelosi held back the Articles for a month."
1. No, that's not why Nancy Pelosi held back the articles of impeachment. Pelosi stated herself that she held the articles back because she wanted witnesses with firsthand knowledge to testify, that further documentation withheld by the President may come to light, and the delay would show the difference of opinions (democrat versus repubolican) in the Senate regarding Trumps action. That info has been published before.
2. So what if Trump is acquitted. I'd rather have more info come out, and the US population learn more about our President's self centered actions, than follow your rational and allow the president to hide witnesses and documents.
8
@Todd And the poll numbers are showing you are correct - Independents are at a 20 point margin against Trump on impeachment.
1
I promise - this will not end well for the GOP. Fraud doesn’t work.
5
Be wary of strange men bearing gifts.
I remember all the hype around the Mueller report that fizzled.
“Principled” John is someone we should not put a lot of faith in - St. Thomas
2
Dershowitz: “Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power, or an impeachable offense.”
Dershowitz claims only a crime is impeachable, and abuse of power is not a crime; therefore Bolton’s revelations aren’t an impeachable offense. This argument has been debunked by most constitutional scholars.
Nevertheless, the Republicans love it because it sounds scholarly and it eases their dirty conscience!
8
@I Gadfly
How can Abuse of Power not be a crime, when it is a violation of the oath of office?
The oath of office is a contract with the employers, who are all American citizens & taxpayers.
Abuse of Power means wrongly taking that Power, then wrongfully -- falsely, secretly and improperly -- taking advantage of the position obtained through cheating and deception in order to pursue a secret agenda, one not authorized by the employer.
We, the people, are the Employer.
Fraud is a crime.
False representations in a contract amount to fraud, at a minimum. In this case, Trump's side gigs -- the profiteering -- are a further violation and betrayal.
The White House is a crime scene.
Of course, Dershowitz has turned himself inside out to help serial criminal offenders before!
1
Democrats had better hold the phone. While Bolton is no Trump fan, he is no fan of the Democrats either.
1
If I was a Republican Senator I’d be angry that the Trump administration knew about this book but didn’t tell them. Once again, Trump is showing his lack of character. If you sleep with dogs, you get fleas.
9
The least the Republicans can do to save the Senate trial from being laughed at as a kangaroo-court-type trial is to call the witnesses and subpoena the documents that are most pertinent to the case. That will happen if just four – repeat FOUR – Republican senators support the Democrats' demand to do it. All that is expected of them is to follow their conscience and the truth.
The truth is getting reinforced by the day that President Trump withheld congressionally-approved military aid to Ukraine to benefit himself politically. He did it “against the strenuous objections of his top aides and both parties in Congress,” as the editorial puts it. The latest irrefutable proof of it came from no less a person than John Bolton, who, as the president’s national security adviser at the time it happened, had firsthand knowledge of it. And he has offered to testify before the senate on what he knew. Isn’t it a shame that Republicans wouldn’t seize the offer and do what the whole country wants them to?
Let them be warned that if they lets the country down on this, they could be accused of being complicit in the crimes for which the president has already been impeached by the House and penalized for that. Not even the so-called “celebrity Harvard law professor,” as Alan Dershowitz, one of members of Trump’s legal team defending him at the Senate trial has been described in the lead story in The Times today, will be able to rescue them.
1
Déjàvu:
May 6, 2019
"Let Robert Mueller Testify"
By The Editorial Board
"There is no question that the American public needs to hear from Robert Mueller, the special counsel, directly"
"the proceedings would be edifying for lawmakers and the public alike"
"Mr. Mueller’s testimony could prove illuminating"
"Mr. Mueller and the American public deserve no less"
Evidently, John Bolton is the new Robert Mueller.
3
@John They were still correct - if Bolton punts like Mueller did, so be it. Only those afraid of the truth are opposed to witnesses.
5
Who would've thought John Bolton, conservative hawk to the max would have the goods to bring down this highly corrupt administration. The universe operates in mysterious ways these days.
4
While the house had the ability to find the dirt, admittedly without too much difficulty, it is the job of GOP Senators to try and sweep it under the rug.
Apparently, that is not as easy to do when the White House hid a bag of dirt in the form of a Bolton manuscript that the NY Times just dumped on the Senate floor. All I hear from GOP Senators is the cry that "we were almost done cleaning out this mess! Now what do we do?"
3
After reading the article and the comments section, it appears that there are some who are in such denial about trump’s attempt to dismantle every government institution that exists to represent them. I can’t say that I have been a fan of John Bolton, mostly because he is so bellicose and zealous about projecting American military might against the world. His interventionism in foreign policy is extreme. However, the truth will come out about DJT and if he is the catalyst, so be it. One cannot render judgment without hearing evidence, incriminating or exculpatory. The obviousness of the Rubs effort to fast track this trial belies the foregone conclusion baked into their decisions. That is not a trial, nor is it faithful to justice, governance, or the separation of powers. Why the Rubs would conspire to limit their own power is beyond me. I can hardly wait to see how they change when a Democrat is in the White House. They’ll be jumping up and down to try to reassert that which they have conceded to this president.
8
It should be apparent to Republicans (sometime!) that the revelations of the president's corruption and ignorance will not end abruptly with a senate vote to absolve him. This saga, and more, will undoubtedly continue to evolve.
The Republicans are deluded by the idea/hope that it will all go away. But it won't. Wake up. Even if it's only a strategic (vs moral), decision, do you want to be remembered for obstinance or courage, because the outcome is set.
I'm okay either way because the likely senate outcome is a prelude to a re-evaluation by the voters of November, by which time, odds are, even more corruption and ineptitude will have been revealed and more voters will be angry.
7
The good senator from Missouri lacks imagination.
Let us hope fellow GOP senators are more imaginative than he.
Let us hope they can imagine defeat on November 3, 2020, for many senators viewed by their constituents as unworthy of representing them in a constitutional republic.
And let us hope that they're willing to risk the wrath of the few who would vote against them for the sin of calling witnesses during the impeachment trial, to gain the respect (and the votes) of the many (one hopes it is many) who want to see justice done for the sake of our Constitution and our republic.
1
I'm not a citizen.
I really do not get how there is such a huge part of the population who still buys the OBVIOUS lies by the Trump administration.
Trump has repeatedly stated there has not been a quid-pro-quo. Every single witness in Congress has testified there was or couldn't deny it - even Trump appointed office holders. Trump's defenders have failed to present evidence to the contrary.
Trump has repeatedly stated he does not know Parnas and Fruman. In spite of numerous pictures of Trump being photographed with both at different times and different occasions and video evidence that proves he dined with both for over an hour, discussing the Ukraine matters. Trump OBVIOUSLY lied to protect himself. This fact is in plain sight as clearly as the Earth is round, water is wet, and ice is cold.
And that's just the VERY obvious tip of the iceberg. The Trump administration does not act like an innocent party accused of a crime. Everything they do makes them look more guilty.
It just boggles my mind how a Republican majority still ignores all of it, like three monkeys holding their hands over their ears, eyes and mouths. It's insane. Insanity.
It's almost as if Republicans do not care about the rule of law, honor, honesty, democracy.
2689
@Tobias W. If you ever become a citizen, you will quickly learn that Americans interested in politics are not expected to be patriotic, but partisan. Party over country 98% of the time. This has always been around to some degree, but it used to hover below the 50% mark. The change is recent. Maybe you can help change it back.
148
@Tobias W. - This Australian finds it bizarre. Any Australian prime minister who did even 10% of the stuff that Trump has done would have been thrown out of office and into prison years ago. In fact, the "Access Hollywood" tape would have ensured that they were not only barred from public office, but branded a social pariah. That this didn't happen to Trump is simply staggering. Just how much will his supporters tolerate? We're discovering the answer to that question now, and it's terrifying.
549
@Tobias W.
In the Declaration of Independence, we read what our Founding Fathers wrote in 1776. After setting out the reasons for declaring independence from the King of England, the final paragraph states:
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; ... And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
Today's Republicans in Congress, both the House of Representatives and the Senate, do not have any "sacred Honor."
They are not worthy of being the leaders of the USA.
We need to vote as many of them out of office as quickly as we possibly can.
We do not have a King. They need to get that message.
349
Considering we're talking about offences at the highest levels of government, I don't see why John Bolton shouldn't testify. By the same token, Trump's team could argue that corruption may have been afoot in Ukraine related to U.S. aid. Indeed, possible embezzlement of U.S. funds by American citizens. Most Americans would agree political candidacy should not be a defense against that. So who would the Republicans ask for as witnesses in their "quid pro quo" and how high would it go?
There is absolutely no basis for that suspicion. At the time the aid was withheld, Biden wasn't Vice President, and Biden's son wasn't working for Ukraine's military.
4
Mitch McConnell may be an American by birth but he is no American. He's a Republican first, last, and always. Party over country. The truly sad part is that Mitch's approval rating has dropped to as low as 18% in his home state of Kentucky. Good to know that a handful of Kentuckians can block a majority of Americans desire for change as proven by Mitch's refusal to bring to a vote over 400 bills passed by the House of Representatives. "Representatives" as in the Representatives of the people.
4
“Unless there’s a witness that’s going to change the outcome, I can’t imagine why we’d want to stretch this out for weeks and months.”
The outcome? How does he know what the outcome is going to be if the trial has not concluded? What is he hinting at, that the GOP has decided they will not remove the President no matter what the evidence shows? Is that even legal?
Today we allow the evidence that shows the potential guilt of the President to be suppressed. Tomorrow it will be the evidence that shows the innocence of any of us citizens. How is this acceptable? Why are we allowing these people to control a legitimate process without following the rule of law? This is a very dangerous precedent.
4
Bolton is a disgruntled ex-employee who wants to sell a book.
3
Sometimes the enemy of my enemy is my friend. John Bolton and I would diametrically disagree on most issues, but I would never question his steadfastness to principle. If this is to be a fair trial, his and all available evidence must be considered, even if the ultimate conclusion is Trump's acquittal. Anything less means that we are no longer a nation of laws and principles; the Senate can tear up the constitution on the way out the door as they hand the keys to the kingdom (word chosen deliberately) to King Donald I.
3
If the information from a "witness [is not] going to change the outcome" why stretch the process out states Sen. Blount. Why? Because the American people need to hear just what occurred w/in the WH. Because the Republican Senators who claim to support the Constitution need to hear just what occurred w/in the WH. Because all Americans need to understand that the Senators who will not vote for removal of Trump, a president who has clearly acted against the Constitution for his own interests against the interests of American and all Americans, are not doing their job, are not upholding the Constitution, are only acting in self interest out of FEAR of Trump. Nicolo Machievelli wrote in The Prince that it is preferable for a King to be feared rather than loved; however, Trump is a wannabe King and can only act as a King if the Senate allows. I would argue that it is preferable for a King, any leader, to be respected and trusted to do what is right rather than to be feared. In Trump, America has a president who is neither trusted nor respected, nor can be counted on to do what is right for America.
3
So now Liberals worship John Bolton.
Last year it was hate.
This will go away like all the others.
So predictable.
9
What nonsense. Nobody worships Bolton, we simply want truth in a trial, a foreign concept in the dystopian age of Trump.
3
@Joe Paper liberals don't worship Bolton. It's that they are more then one dimensional. Disagreeing with someone's politics does not mean disagreeing with everything they do. Conservatives should try it.
3
Try as they might, GOP Senators can't act as if Bolton doesn't exist. You can't ignore the walrus in the room.
7
The Truth, Kicking and Screaming
6
Yeah, didn't you say the same thing about Mueller too?
4
" President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine to benefit himself politically, "
That's not what the NYT claims Bolton's book said.
More misdirection from the Ministry of Truth. Worse, we already knew what Bolton said. Both that Orange Man wanted to investigate the obviously corrupt Bidens actions in Ukraine, and that he withhold funds. Not a crime, certainly not sufficient to remove a sitting president.
And finally, when is the press going to get honest about how they really feel about rigging elections, both how their favored party did it in 2016, and how the House Dems have admitted they're doing right now with this bogus exercise?
It IS a crime ... as the congressional accounting office found.
1
You can always trust the liars. Because they're always lying.
3
Did anyone actually read the book or is the editorials board mind reading?
1
Agreed! The explosive revelations evidenced by the unpublished manuscript of John Bolton speak volumes. Bolton is percipient, materially relevant, witness. No hearsay. No conjecture. No speculation. Just straight forward direct eye witness testimony. Irrefutable. Incontrovertible.
Bolton's testimony will corroborate Dr. Fiona Hill's compellingly factual characterization about the "drug deal" Mick Mulvaney, Rudy Giuliani, and Gordon Sondland were cooking up, and that Rudy is the hand grenade who will 'blow up everyone.' Ad to the mix the recently disclosed Lev Parnas tape that the Vietnam War draft dodger was seriously plotting, on 30 April 2018, to get rid of Ambassador Masha Yovonavich [with lackey first son present], all of this drama makes for the perfect storm compelling Bolton's testimony! After all, the GOP can bring Rudy in to testify and discredit Bolton!
Let the games begin!
Chairman Adam Schiff's closing remarks Friday evening about a fair trial is appropriate and necessary. America expects a fair trial. "She deserves it."
8
God is alive and well, and she's a Democrat.
5
No, Bolton has the book deal and nothing else. And those in the publishing world know this. Sweet deal, eh?
2
Mitch McConnell leads a 'heads on pikes' visualization for Republican Senators. Result: No witnesses.
3
It is amazing, after years of the Times reviling Bolton, now he is the great truth telling savior. No, Editors he is still the same war mongering trouble maker he always was, except he now has a book to sell. Between Village Dirt and Bolton’s book the publishing industry has sank to new lows, no integrity left there.
2
I can hear the republican senators chanting God Save The King! God Save the King.
Oh please beam me up Scottie.
3
Shocking but not surprising revelations? Or more speculation and heresay?
Funny that the NYT is praising NeoCon John Bolton. Bolton is a war hawk who promoted regime change and undermined global arms control. Bolton is a loose cannon. That is why President Trump fired him.
3
@Sam Freeman NYT itself was a Warhawk promoting Iraq war! Check the archives. They mislead us, royally. They also misled us promising Hillary’s guaranteed win. Because they were blind to Bernie’s appeal to millions of people, they chose to ignore it, diminish it, dismiss it.
That’s 2 strikes...and we are counting..
1
Sorry NYT but Trump and the Ukraine president say no quid pro quo. Does not matter if Bolton has it tatooed on his forehead.
3
@Reader In Wash, DC
Trump said "no quid pro quo" AFTER he was made aware of the whistleblower's complaint. Timing is everything.
4
Justice Roberts is praying Dershowitz never argues before his court. The 'shoe test', seriously?
3
What is equally fascinating about not calling for witnesses and documents is the Defense evidently has no exonerating witnesses and documents! They are totally relying on argument and innuendo. Thomas Friedman's two questions come to mind. "Why would an innocent man not want all the evidence out and witnesses to testify? Wouldn't you if you were innocent?" The House Managers rightly urged Senators and American citizens to use their common sense. The Republicans desire for Hunter Biden in no way prove 45's innocence. Prior investigations have shown no crime no foul, just that it did not look good. Moreover, in 2015 when Republicans were the majority in both houses, no questions were made and no investigations occurred by the House and Senate into Hunter Biden's work in Ukraine.
4
I watch the hearings and have made my voting age kids watch as well and ask them to tell the friends what they see. Is anyone willing to stand up for democracy ? Who has a trial without witnesses and documents ? If the president has nothing to hide why the obstruction ??
I would like to the Senate do their jobs, call witnesses , drag this out so WE THE PEOPLE can see that our Democracy still works !
6
Dershowitz lists Presidents that would have been impeached under Democrats’ "view of the Constitution"https://youtu.be/KyN8bVPncL0
Trump's paranoia quotient just shut through the roof.
Bolton and Barr are both credible sources of the leak of Bolton's book excerpts.
"Bolton Was Concerned That Trump Did Favors for Autocratic Leaders, Book Says"
'The former national security adviser shared his unease with the attorney general, who cited his own worries about the president’s conversations with the leaders of Turkey and China.'
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/us/politics/john-bolton-trump-book-barr.html
1
Fascinating to see the contrast between the NYT and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) editorials on Bolton's book today.
Here is the beginning of the WSJ editorial .
"The report that John Bolton’s book draft implicates President Trump more closely to ordering a delay in military aid to Ukraine is hardly a surprise and won’t—and shouldn’t—change the impeachment result. It does, however, complicate the trial task for Republican Senators, and our advice is for Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser to tell the public now what he says in his book.
Mr. Trump and his media acolytes are calling Mr. Bolton a mercenary who is merely trying to sell books. Mr. Bolton and his publisher deny it, and there is no evidence beyond assertion to contradict their denial."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-john-bolton-report-11580170841?mod=opinion_lead_pos3#comments_sector
Read the whole thing. Their mind-boggling exercise in obfuscation needs responses.
If anyone commenting here has (or is willing to get?) a digital subscription to the WSJ, please comment there, as well.
WSJ has 2.5 million subscribers... [NYT 4.7 million, by contrast] Oh, and the WSJ reporters do good work and should be supported. The WSJ Editorial Board? Judge for yourselves -- read a few of their recent editorials on impeachment.
4
@Sharon Stout I cancelled my subscription the TWSJ as soon as Rupert Murdoch bought it. He and Mitch McConnell have done more to damage America and democracy in general than Trump ever could.
3
@Cowboy Marine
and any other former and/r current WSJ subscribers.
"He and Mitch McConnell have done more to damage America and democracy in general than Trump ever could."
Yes, I know. Reconsider, anyway?
I thought about cancelling my WSJ subscription as well. I subscribed to follow their reporting on the tech industry -- but am appalled by the political arguments advanced in the op-ed pieces and particularly the recent pro-Trump, anti-impeachment editorials.
Now, when I see people writing comments to the WSJ pointing out the lies and cancelling their subscriptions, I entreat them to stay and fight.
It's the dilemma A.O. Hirschmann spelled out as "exit or voice." Individually quir -- and hope that markets notice; Collectively, stay and work for change.
The gulf between the NYT and WSJ readership is huge, including just in terms of basic knowledge! Communicating (as respectfully as I can -- cough!) may help bridge the divide? Or maybe at last make clear the knowledge gap? Or so I hope.
Reconsider?
Not asking you (or anyone else) watch Fox Entertainment, follow Breitbart or Infowars. WSJ is as far as I can go.
1
@Sharon Stout
One modest suggestion for anyone crossing back and forth between the WSJ and NYT news sites: If your post is intentionally satiric, label it /s
And if you think someone else's post is satiric, ask them whether they omitted the /s before responding further.
Just the comments' sections are different worlds. What lies beneath that in people's lived experiences, I cannot even guess.
DJ Trump is right on track to deliver another win for his Base as promised during his election campaign. Everyone remembers the “Drain the Swamp” promise. Everyone remembers the promise of an outsider getting rid of the “Career Politicians”. Amazingly DJ has done this by simply turning all of the swamp creatures into his personal protector. We no longer have Republican Career Politicians, we have elected members of congress serving DJ, not the country. As a side benefit DJ will be remembered as one of the most impactful Presidents in our history, he is the one that exposed a critical weakness in our Constitution. Just control 51 Senators and the Chief Justice and you can do anything. So in DJ’s simple mind, everything is going to plan.
4
George Washington warned of the "baneful effects" of allegiance to party above all else. He could not have been more prescient, as it turns out. We now live in a country where mindless tribalism infects both citizens and "leaders" alike.
3
The difference between Bolton, Mulvaney, Pence, Pompeo and all the other folks with direct knowledge of what happened, when and how is the source of their livelihood. Bolton's from publishers and those willing to buy his fantasies and the others whose livelihoods depend on Trump. At the end of the day, nobody wants to throw away their lunch money.
Seems unlikely that a book is Bolton's only source of income at this point.
1
Thank you, NYT. Thank God for a free press!
7
If Bolton were to testify, the Trump's followers would just say he's a dead-ender trying to sell a book, a loser lying to pad his own pockets.
All the Republican Senators -- as well as the Democrats -- should vote for witnesses and testimony.
Six days ago, 72 percent of Americans wanted witnesses and documents. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-poll/let-them-speak-most-americans-want-witnesses-in-trump-impeachment-trial-reuters-ipsos-poll-idUSKBN1ZL33O
I am sure with the Bolton revelations that that number is growing.
The world is watching-- and weirdly, betting.
Will the Senate convict Donald Trump on impeachment in his first term? https://www.predictit.org/markets/detail/5914/Will-the-Senate-convict-Donald-Trump-on-impeachment-in-his-first-term
Not an afterthought: What credibility does our government have in fighting corruption world-wide if our Senators stick with "The fix is in. We don't need witnesses. Get over it."
5
Exonerating the trump without witnesses or additional corroborative documents would be no different than convicting and removing him under those same conditions. Pathetic how LAW-MAKERS are rigging the system to allow one of their own to evade the law.
Wonder what Fiona Hill thinks of trump's errand-boys, embarrassing themselves to the world in the Senate, are doing? She encapsulated the Russian-GOP perfectly in her testimony.
As for Dershowitz performance, he'd claim trump shooting someone on 5th Ave is not an abuse of power and certainly not an impeachable offense as it is not treason, bribery or a high crime and misdemeanor - as he embarrasses Harvard, Constitutional intellectuals, and the guy in the high-chair in the Senate - Roberts - likely squirming at every utterance he made.
Dershowitz is right about the vagueness of what abuse of power is and could be used arbitrarily - just look at how the Republicans have used it and how they have weaponized their investigative and subpoena powers against the Dems and our top counter-intelligence agents protecting us from Russian attacks.
Sorry Alan, but dishonesty IS A CRIME when it is under oath. Which is why we will never see trump under oath ever again.
Had Lev Parnas said our ambassador to Ukraine liked trump she'd never have been smeared, threatened and fired. The idea that the trump can be so easily manipulated by someone he 'doesn't know' is scary. In the hands of a master manipulator, Putin, it's truly frightening.
6
Drug deal? Someone please explain to me how this is not a simple case of extortion. Or even mutual extortion.
You want your aide? Deliver the dirt on Bidens.
You want the dirt on Bidens? Get rid of your ambassador.
According to U.S. law, "extortion is the act of trying to get" money, goods, property, or "anything of value from another person "by . . . . . threat to" inflict bodily harm, accuse someone of a crime, expose a secret that would harm someone's image, "take or withhold action as an official," refuse to testify or cooperate in an investigation, start a boycott or strike, or harm the person . . . ."
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-extortion-definition-meaning-examples.html
4
Hunter Biden got a job because of his father. Let's take a look at how many of the GOP Senators' spouses and children have jobs because of their position. Ivanka, Jared, Mitch's wife, Guliani's son, etc. Unbelievable hypocrisy. They must think the American people are really stupid. Maybe they are for electing this President.
10
Trump. Pence. Pompeo and sometimes Barr.
Moe, Larry, Curly and sometimes Schemp.
The street is dirty. Let Bolton sweep the street.
5
"The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing."
On display in the good old USA.
7
Bolton should make his case before America at large. I don’t care who he tells whether Oprah or Dr Phil as long as the truth comes out.
4
"The president is self-impeaching."
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, May 2019
No truer words describe Donald John Trump today.
7
Show us the documents.
4
I am waiting for president Trump to declare that he doesn't know John Bolton.....he may have been in a couple of pictures with John Bolton....he's taken pictures with everybody.
8
This is a classic example of “What goes around, comes around.” Such a contrast to the books written by the Obama staffers.
3
What a wonderful series of coincidences. Pelosi mysteriously delays the start of the impeachment trial. Which enables Bolton to finish his book and get it over to the NSA for "review." Which review is conducted by the brother of the Lt. Colonel who testified in the impeachment. And then, on the very night before the Trump team was set to give its devastating rebuttal, this glorious paper happened to get the exclusive leak! Shades of Kavanaugh. If you didn't believe in the deep state before, you sure have to now. Unfortunately for the NY Times and the Dems, our deep state is so incompetent that this latest bombshell will turn out to be yet another dud. Ask the thousands who are camping out in NJ of all places, to get ready to help re-elect Trump.
4
You mention everything except for the fact that Bolton’s accusations are true. For that reason, the timing is irrelevant. Not one Trump supporter and not one Republican Senator has declared Trump innocent! Not one! They all attack the messengers which is not the same as defending the accused. The truth scares all of them. It’s like they are all saying “Please, don’t let this be true”. Oh, and by the way, the last “bombshell” led to Trump’s impeachment so don’t get to cocky.
1
To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Theodore Roosevelt
To the unpatriotic, servile, and morally treasonable members of the US Senate... LET BOLTON SPEAK.
5
John Bolton has become the new best friend of the liberals. Why? He is trying to bring down President Trump. They will drop him as fast as look at him. Pity.
1
You’re joking, right? No one drops former associates faster than Trump! Michael Cohen, his own personal attorney and attack dog. Lev Parnas (never knew him despite photographs showing him with Trump and tapes of him talking to Trump). Papadopoulos (a coffee boy).
6
Well, let's just say everyone knew it all along.
There's another good news on international front just came out couple of hours ago from CNN:
Israel's Netanyahu indicted in corruption cases, hours before Mideast peace plan announced.
Netanyahu and trump are like twins and the whole division in Israel is just like us.
If Bolton will prioritize his book profits over the truth and the country, then he's like the rest of them.
Stop playing games Mr. Bolton it's not a game, go and testify and tell us what you know before your book will come out, try to be brave and honest,
GOP is maligning & throwing you under the bus, as we speak!
3
John Bolton has nothing. He is just promoting his book. The Democrats need him for one purpose only: to turn the trial in the Senate into the same kind of circus they had in the House.
3
I agree! Can you imagine calling for witnesses in a trial! It’s outrageous!
2
Bolton wants to sell books. The end. If he really cared, he would have gone public already.
Ask yourself, “Has Trump ever published a book?” I guess you’re just as suspicious of his motives too, yes?
The Left and Media are so desperate that they're pinning their only hopes on a guy who says whatever to goose his book sales. Pathetic. I hope Bolton testifies also. He'll be ripped apart and exposed.
3
The only hope for Republicans to get out from under Trump's thumb is for all of them to revolt against him, convict him and remove him.He is a vindictive bully but will have no power when out of office.
3
Nancy Pelosi is a genius.
4
Trump.. OK Mr Trump.. denies that he knew what was in Bolton's book. Well he denies it even though we all know Bolton submitted it to be vetted by the WH.
Do even his loyal lemmings believe nobody told him what is in it. He would know anyway because he was a principal in what is described.
Do even the blindest of his followers really believe nobody told him? He has known since the new year, so all his statements this month need to be considered in the context of him knowing the contents of the book. But the main point is he lied again in claiming not to know about it. He lied to the American people again- how many thousand times now? That is not merely contempt of Congress- it is contempt of the American people- especially it is contempt for his followers. You do realise it don't you, Trumpians? No?
3
You mean the 45th President may have lied? Wow. Clearly that's newsworthy.
4
The GOP Senators, Trump’s lawyers, Barr and Pompeo are looking identical to a bunch of buffoons!
2
John Bolton certainly did not waste any time writing a book about the Trump administration. Should we believe anything this neocon says? It is amusing how the liberals are showering such praise on this man. That says it all. Some would call this man an opportunist.
#45 does not know Bolton.
#45 has never heard of or seen Bolton before.
3
This is the first time I can remember seeing an exclamation point in a NYT editorial! I won’t get my hopes up until Bolton testifies and is the smoking gun everyone believes he is (lest we forget Mueller).
Didn’t all of the senators pledge to uphold the constitution?
The constitution NOT the president!!! Does it say anywhere in the constitution that regaining their seats at the next election supersedes their responsibilities to uphold the constitution??
Do their electors not know this???
Just askin’.....
4
"After Republican senators claimed that it was perfectly reasonable to put a United States president on trial without hearing from any witnesses, a few of them are showing signs of recognizing that the truth matters. Or, at least, that the American people believe it does."
The only thing that may be right in that quote is the last sentence. I said "may be" because we have not asked "the base" yet.
"You know what would be a good way to figure out who’s telling the truth? Subpoena Mr. Bolton to testify under oath."
No, we don't have to subpoena Bolton. Any time Putin's liar moves his lips or bangs his fingers for a tweet we know he is lying.
I know, The Times has to put up a front of "impartiality", as Dr. Krugman often says in his columns re the two sidedness. But boy, the editorial board should have the guts to call a liar a liar. There is only one side even if the liar says "there are very fine people on the other side" - the neo-Nazis, White Supremacist side.
1
Is the Times engaged in wishful thinking?
What are the ethics of a man who believes the President of the United States is a risk to national security but buries that knowledge in a book whose release date is subject to the whims of a publisher?
What makes the Times think he can be trusted?
1
Are we tired of all the winning, yet?
2
Our parents might me the greatest generation but Baby Boomers are not going to be told what to do by a lying dictator.
4
Really, it seems the NYT have changes their opinion. Bolton can't be trusted, should never have been in the Cabinet and now he is the light and the way. Reads almost like a comic book.
2
It is time to get Mr Trump under oath. We all seem to have accepted that he can choose to do everything with tweets!
Time to start demanding that that is not acceptable. I want to hear him say under oath that he didn't do all that he is accused of. I also want to see the actual transcript of the phone call.
4
Call your senators! Tonight! Demand that they call witnesses!
4
The problem I have is once again the NYT's finds itself the bearer of eleventh hour news event "gifts" from sources that readers should take as fact because the NYT is publishing the article. During the past decade the Times editorial board has taken a massive editorial shift to the political left and has benefited by its increased readership and financial profitability. The readership of the NYT will take the release of Bolton's draft as the holy grail believing that since the NYT broke the article it passes the smell test; this is the same NYT that had us believe for three years that Comey's attacks on Trump were the holy grail until the FISA facts proved NYT's assumptions wrong. I wonder how high the vetting bar has been raised in the fact checking process and questioning the motivation of the source of the leak. let's see how revisionist history will treat the NYT and the Fourth Estate in the Trump era.
As Congressman Jeffries said last week to head in the sand Republican Senators:
"Now you know!!!"
3
Politics real does make strange bedfellows. John Bolton represents the very antithesis of what progressives believe in, especially on foreign policy. This man literally is a war monger. His fondest wish was for this country to go to war with Iran! He was so aggressive and militaristic that Trump was forced to fire him for his refusal to tow the line on Iran, the Middle East, Venezuela and other hot spots. This man is MAD (Mutual Self-Destruction). But today, he is a hero and patriot for those who want Trump impeached. I’m sure he will be making the rounds on CNN, MSNBC, and the View, promoting his new book and airing out his political opinions about how pacifist Trump is! This man really is what people think Trump represents. But the difference between Trump and Bolton is that Trump is not an ideologue. Trump is a businessman who manages by objectives. Trump accomplished these objectives through his brand of negotiation and his interpretation of diplomacy. Bolton believes that war is diplomacy by other (and better) means. He wants to muscle the world into conformity to his ideology and his notion of how the world should behave. Let’s not let political opportunism empower a true extremist. The enemy of your enemy in this case is not your friend.
1
@Raul Campos
No progressive is calling Bolton any such thing. Most consider his behavior in withholding his testimony from the House in order to presumably sell more books reprehensible. You don’t have to like a witness to believe their testimony is relevant and useful.
2
@ABarrett
Obviously, but are you willing to believe a man you think is reprehensible if you find him useful?
The GOP will soon cut ties with Trump as if he was useless , picked over bait. Too late: the electorate will not spare the GOP the wrath that awaits in November.
4
The great majority of Republican senators will simply continue to practice their trade: ignore facts, promote falsehoods and support their leader. no matter what. All that's missing is a straight armed hand salute and a click of the heals accompanied by two shouted single syllables. For them, nothing else matters except blind loyalty and the fear that if they stray from the fold, they will be destroyed by the legions of trolls and potentially violent true believers who rally for Trump's side no matter what he does.
4
The impeachment trial was a farce. I didn't even see any trial just a bunch of over paid guys sitting around and picking their noses while drinking milk and babbling about who was going to win the STUPID BOWL. Our congress is pretty much useless. The democrats can't get anything done because the GOP as more senators and they can do whatever they want.
3
I'm saddened that the Senators are not insulted by the WH team's circular arguments.
If a president cannot be indicted for a crime while in office, and an indictable crime must be committed for impeachment, then what good is impeachment at all? Clearly for them, a president cannot be impeached, ever.
That argument is like saying a president can never wear a red tie or he will be impeached, and if he does wear a red tie, then well, that's not impeachable, because it's the president wearing a red tie. He cannot be impeached, ever.
Neither argument makes any sense.
Clearly, this would insult the intelligence of any clear thinking person. Oh right, I forgot, the Republican Senators and not thinking at all.
5
It's clear already Trump is guilty even without Bolton's testimony. The undisputed facts are:
1. Trump withheld congressionally approved funds (illegal) to extort our ally who is at war in exchange for a politcal favor to his re-election campaign (illegal). When Congress tried to investigate the matter, Trump hid key evidence (illegal), instructed those involved to not honor subpoenas (illegal), threatened and maligned anyone who honored their subpoenas (witness intimidation) and republican senators have tried very hard to help him in a cover up of his crimes by suppressing witness testimony, documents and other evidence that proves his guilt. If you can't see that Trump is guilty and should be removed from office, you need to have your eyes checked.
5
What we have here is An Inconvenient Guilt. Republicans know it, every last one of them. That they are willing to claim otherwise speaks to their willful ignorance, their intellectual dishonesty, and their utter cowardice. It really is disheartening, and frightening, to see them sell us out to save their skins, because they do know that Trump will attempt to have their "head on a pike." But if enough of them step up, he'll fall and be powerless to hurt them. Somebody once said, if you want to be free, get off your knees. Please Republicans, get off your knees, so you can be free of this bully and so can we.
6
How could Bolton have watched these hearings with the knowledge he has and not have immediately informed the public of what he knows. In fact, did he have a duty to report these high crimes and misdemeanors of Trump as soon as he knew them? Greedy just to hold on to it for a book deal. Bolton is no patriot.
1
To find the truth don't just put Bolton under oath...lets give trump a fair trial, just like Bill Clinton, and put trump under oath. That would make perfect sense to me and would give trump the opportunity to clear his name.
6
Every time the impeachment proceedings open, I hear all assembled recite the pledge of allegiance. The senators ought to think about those words carefully and seriously. There is no stronger statement of loyalty and patriotism. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands.” It doesn’t say to the president or the political party you belong to.
3
A disgruntled former fired employee trying to sell books. End of story.
2
@Jordan How do you square that with the 12 other witnesses who testified under oath that confirm what Bolton is saying in his book? How do you figure that all of the evidence thus far points to Trump's guilt? It's not helpful to stick your head in the sand. Most of us want the truth.
4
Scared of the truth, scared to lose their seats, scared of Donald. What a party. What a mess. What cowards.
8
The picture of John Bolton regarding Trump in full blather leaves me speechless! Kudos to the Editorial Board for a perfect depiction of deeply felt skepticism as one faces the prospect of throwing oneself into the steaming abyss just ahead.
1
If you think you had a bad day, consider how Rudy feels. He was thrown under the bus by Pam Bondi. That's right, that Pam Bondi.
3
Hail to the “Liar In Chief” - President Donald J. Trump.
With the lies and falsehood count at 16,000 plus to date and climbing, he should reach 20,000 by Election Day easily, if he makes it that far now that Trump appointee John Bolton can verify exactly what happen concerning this military aid scandal in Ukraine. Either way, eventually the truth will surface and heads are going to roll. Hope they all have a get out of jail free card as in Presidential pardons. They are all guilty as sin, especially Heir Trump!
1
Let's say Trump is impeached and removed.
He runs again anyway.
He wins.
Trump 2020
1
@Elizabeth Carlisle
You have obviously not read the Articles of Impeachment.
Please, read.
What I do not understand? Why subpoena Bolton? Why not Donald Trump?
2
"I NEVER told John Bolton" could easily be true ... if he was telling EVERYONE in the room. Sondland did testify that everyone was in the loop.
4
My Greek and Latin are coming to the fore here.
Greek. The word is ANAIDES.
Latin. The word in IMPUDENS.
They mean precisely the same thing.
They mean "shameless--without shame."
The Latin word (of course) gives us the English word "impudent."
"Without shame--shameless."
Those three words characterize Mr. Blount--Mr. McConnell--Mr. Graham--
--to a T.
I just called the Washington office of GOP senator Toomey of Pennsylvania. Shucks! I forgot to give my name--my town--my zip code. Oh well.
I shouted into the phone, "Call John Bolton." And again "Call John Bolton!" And again "Call John Bolton!"
Wonder if this'll have any effect.
Wonder if the Senate actually WILL call John Bolton.
Wonder if the Senate will (per absurdum) actually vote to CONVICT Mr. Donald J. Trump.
Wonder if democracy will survive in America--
--when my daughter and her husband have kids--
--and grandchildren--
--and so on.
Our forefathers (with all their sins and failings) worked and labored and bled and died--
--to give us the country we now have.
Today's GOP seems bent on squandering that precious heritage.
I have no words bad enough for the whole lot of them.
God have mercy on us all!
3
John Bolton: an unlikely hero ? A true patriot ? A real
Republican ?....
Yes...John Bolton...I believe will show his true colors; those
being red ..white...and blue...; and those he denounces will
forever be tarnished for supporting what is the antithesis of
what our Constitution stands for;
We need to absorb what John Bolton brings to the Impeachemt of Donald Trump
3
I called my 2 senators and told them to read the Book of John 8:32, and apply it to the current senate trial.
Maybe this 'evangelical' slant will get their attention.
3
Bolton is just saying the same thing that the others told the House. Lev Parnas said they all knew.
Joe Biden should welcome telling them he did nothing wrong. There is no evidence Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election in the U.S. So let the babies have their bottles.
Then let the GOP acquit Trump. Then let the voters throw the bums out of office. Let Steyer and Bloomberg spend a billion or two on ads for Dems. Good for the economy and media firms.
1
Trump is guilty as all get out. Rotten to the core. The Republican Party is rotten, too. Just get the witnesses and the docs so we have a fair chance of knowing how rotten this regime is!
3
President Trump’s crime. Hiring John Bolton. He used poor judgement when he invited Mr. Bolton into his administrsfion. He was too trusting.
@KMW
Can you point to even a single instance of Trump using anything other than "poor judgment" in his entire life?
"Too trusting?" Trump's m.o. is the Roy Cohn m.o.
Lie relentlessly, then lie some more about the lying.
Expect the suckers to fold out of fatigue...
A lot of suckers might. A nation full? Not so sure...
Mr. Trump and Mr. McConnell remind me of the great Snidely Whiplash from "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle". His closing line was always "Curses! Foiled again!"
1
Would also love to know what Mr. Bolton has to say about Mike Pence's involvement may gave been in all of this.
4
The whataboutism of Trump's lawyers referring to Obama and Russia today was not only a striking false equivalency but fairly amateurish for a high paid lawyer.
3
Who`s telling the truth about Ukraine? I shall try very hard not to die laughing over that one. On the one hand you have dozens of dedicated career officials who at great risk to both themselves and potentially their families to speak truth to power. On the other hand we have the ultimate pathological liar and his pathetic low life lawyers and sycophants; who are terrified to have witnesses come forth who DO have the evidence that Trump did exactly what Impeachment articles said he did. The Republicans get more desperate every day to shield this liar from his own misdeeds; and the Emperor Has No Clothes only becomes more proven with every fact that comes to light. How long can this farce go on before even a sycophant like McConnell realizes that whatever scheme his twisted little mind can come up with has been blown out of the water with something called truth. "You shall know the TRUTH; and the TRUTH shall set you free. AMEN!"
4
Question: When will Barr be removed from office, so that the DOJ can again become the DOJ? Oh, one more question: What happens if John Roberts happens to be a Trumper?
All I can say is thank God that Bolton has a book to sell. Otherwise Mr. Bomb Iran would not have said a word.
1
Go read about Harvard Law School Professor Alan Dershowitz's presentation this evening. The Democrats do not have a case--and this from a lawyer who voted for Hillary.
1
I thought Dershowitz was dazzling!
Thank you New York Times! GOOD. JOB. DONE.
1
Start with "The 'United States' is a sham" and go from there.
1
Dear Mr. Trump. (You are unworthy of the title “president.”) Just about now might be a good time to book that one-way flight to the nation with the best golf courses that has no extradition treaty with the U.S. Sincerely, an American.
3
Ukraine got their military money and did not investigate Biden & Son, therefore no deal was ever struck for "dirt" and funding.
1
@leaningleft
I’m sure every person in jail for attempted murder would love your ‘logic.’
4
Why do I keep seeing Frankie Pentangeli in the Senate hearing room in "The Godfather" recanting his sworn affidavit, saying, "I don't know nothing about that"?
1
"You know what would be a good way to figure out who’s telling the truth? Subpoena Mr. Bolton to testify under oath."
How about the Senate subpoena Donald J. Trump as well? Under oath is where the pathological liar belongs.
3
The best laid plans of mice and men oft go afoot - Bill Shakespeare. Moscow Mitch's 3 day trial strategy has now gone out the window. Who knew that Bolton had several bombshells in his book draft? Well, the White House knew, apparently.
4
How many times have Dems and ‘progressives’ been told Trump is done?
How many years did Adam Schiff say he had ‘proof’ of Trump-Russia collusion? (“It’s Mueller Time!”)
By all means have Bolton testify. Just make sure the whistleblower, the Bidens, and Schiff testify too. Should be a hoot!
2
So what? You have everyone involved either saying it happened or refusing to say anything about. Trump’s overwhelmingly guilty of putting his interests before the country’s and obstructing justice and that hasn’t made an iota of difference to the rabies infected Republicans who are foaming at the mouth. Our democracy is finished and the Republican Dictatorship is here.
1
Here is my question. Why would Bolton send his manuscript with so much adversity regarding Trump to the White House for review?
@Kathleen Smith It is standard procedure for anyone who has been it top offices to make sure no classified information is published.
1
Wake up NYT. The Republicans will not hold Trump accountable for anything regardless of what Bolton (or anyone else) testifies to and no matter what evidence is presented. This should be expected by everyone after 4 years of their blatant, shameless completely slavish subservience to Trump.
They don't care about the truth. They don't care about the rule of law. They don't care about their oaths of office. They don't care about the United States of America.
They care about their own political power and fortunes and if that that means abasing themselves at the feet of the lifetime thief, liar, crook and morally and ethically debased con man Donald Trump then...so be it. That is who they are.
Wake up already and stop hoping for them to do the right thing. They won't. Instead admit the reality of and start calling attention to their gross corruption and the threat it poses to our republic.
3
Bolton was worried Trump was doing favors for autocrats. On TV news now. This is the worst president ever. You wash my back - I'll wash yours.
1
Donald Trump probably leaked the White House copy.
anyone who travels the midwest and south will find a complete different reality being created. the local news did not report the tapes and there is no Bolton manuscript reference. you would think Trump is a saint and genius who is keeping all promises and fighting corrupt system, especially what Democrats did in last 8 yrs. he has infinite wealth he does not take a penny from people. I tried all different channels, all spewing same message. otherwise its all sports and life as usual. I don't see how anything will change for electoral
4
I am trying to figure out what "goods" the President has on the R senators. Their addresses? A well-armed base, ready to pounce? Why will no one stand up to him and McConnell? There must be something beyond the withholding of his endorsement in the next election.
8
Take the vote. Let the GOP Senate acquit Trump. Let Bolton's book come out in March. Let these senators and the Republican Congress members defend and support their decision to let Trump off the hook when the facts of his words and behavior are so obvious. Let the Democrats use this acquittal and the facts in Bolton's book and other facts that come out in the meantime--and they will--to defeat Trump at the polls in November along with all those GOP representatives and senators who supported a president that they knew to be guilty of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Let the chips fall where they may. Let's work for a defeat of Trump and the Republicans in November. And let's use the facts that they have chosen to ignore for their own benefit.
8
@Meg: Only one third of the senators have to face voters in November, and if the Democrats took every Republican seat, they would still not have enough votes to block filibusters. The US Senate is extremely well insulated from the people. Not to mention the now 25% "Federalist Society" judiciary with lifetime appointments.
4
In my view the videotape of the Trump/Parnas exchange in April, 2018 presents the Trump presidency in microcosm, and in a country with any kind of perception, intelligence, and self-respect, would seal Trump’s fate in the 2020 election, if not in the current impeachment trial. It shows us a president, who has no idea who his ambassador to Ukraine is, hearing from a random donor, whom he later claims not to know at all and who is later charged with federal crimes, that the ambassador, whose name the donor himself does not know, is “bad-mouthing” the president. Without ANY further questions, investigation, consideration, or even learning her name, the president in that moment orders her fired from her position. (He later ominously promises the president of Ukraine that “she will go through some things.”) This is how Trump makes decisions and shows us unequivocally whose word and what quality of information he trusts and makes key decisions upon. This is how our country’s chief executive is running our government, with no curiosity or concern about or for the people who are doing the work of government and no concern for the reliability of the information he is accepting as true and upon which important decisions are based.
How the American people can allow this perilous state of affairs to continue to exist once it has been laid before their eyes is unfathomable.
18
I believe the Constitution says: if the House so votes, there will be a trial in the Senate. I have witnessed a few trials, and they all focused on the testimony of witnesses. Even when the wording of a law was relevant, the attorney didn't just show the law on a piece of paper to the jury, the attorney put a witness on the stand who explained the law. All the trials I have seen are based on evidence, and the evidence is presented by sworn witnesses. I conclude the Senate is not holding a trial, as demanded by the Constitution the senators swore to uphold; each senator voting to inhibit witnesses is in violation of the Constitution. What are we to do about that ?
6
bolton has nothing !
his statements at best prove that trump had intent to block the aid to ukraine until the country investigated trump but unless you can prove that the ukrainians actually were notified that the aid was frozen until a investigation was opened ( and the ukrainians have denied that they received such a notification ) and proof that trump actually ordered the move there is nothing there !
But even IF trump did order the aid to be frozen to force a investigation into biden the question remains whether this constitutes a offense that is impeachable , many constitiutional scholars including liberal ones seem to disagree with the notion that this qualifies as impeachable offense much less as a offense that warrants removal from office !
There are of course valid reasons why those scholars try to dampen down the impeachment frenzy , if impeachment becomes a purely partisan game , if the bar for what is considered impeachable is lowered than this will have consequences for future presidents democrats and republicans alike .
Many republicans already are furious about the impeachment of trump and have revenge on their mind , if trump were to be removed from office and lets say sanders wins this year republicans if they win back the house most certainly will scrutinize every single action of sanders with the intent of impeaching him , it will become a never ending spectacle
@fritz baier Please name ANY constitutional scholar who does not think that illegally holding funds from an ally at war to get a political favor for an upcoming election is not impeachable. Please name ANY constitutional experts who do not think tampering with witnesses, preventing congress from doing oversight, maligning and threatening witnesses honoring legal subpoenas and withholding all evidence is not impeachable. I won't hold by breath, waiting for your reply because there are none.
4
@fritz baier
Impeachment is very serous , no one takes any of this lightly except maybe Moscow Mitch and the GOP senators who feel that everything they do is just a game to hold on to power to stop the progress of America,.to ignore climate change and to become a third rate country's as long as they are rich. that is the goal of the GOP
Ken Starr, bonnie and Mr. Harvard just don't care about this country and everyone knows how to be thoughtful and how to be a self centered fool.
Everyday we have proof that Trump is not fit to be president and his lawyers are not even real lawyers but TV soap opera stars.
1
"On Monday morning, Mitt Romney, of Utah, said, “I think it’s increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton.”
"It’s refreshing to hear those words. And yet the fact that such a statement is noteworthy at all tells you how far from responsible governance Republicans have strayed."
--- The Editorial Board
Let us all remember, come November, just how very, very, very far from responsible governance America's Republican Party has strayed.
Enough is enough.
14
Graham's erstwhile "simple good judgment": something the display of which is anathema in Trump's Republican Party. After all, senators and representatives are sent to Congress not to be a check on Presidential misbehavior and overreaching, but to provide undying support for and succor to that exalted person.
As for "Government of, by and for the people"? Abraham Lincoln is SO deceased. And in any event, Trump IS "the people."
1
Unfortunately the medias exaggerations will nullify the facts. The progressive liberals over- hyped the collusion theory and overlooked the fact that politicians are pandering incompetent scoundrels for the most part. Trump will emerge from this unscathed and will be re-elected, and we will have 4 more years of the egomaniac, liar but he is probably the better of the alternative in regards to the long term sustainability of the country.
4
Trump will not be better is you care about the rule of law, not going to war in a fit of pique and not having to world weep in frustration over the degradation of the English language when they here the President if the U.S pronounce the word “China” “J-ina”.
@Alex We unfortunately will find out, going to war is the important topic (hopefully he will be contained) the other stuff is political fluff. The rule of law unfortunately must be forcibly restored, the politicians have made a mockery of it.
I disagree with Bolton on most things, but he has generally been honest and his agenda has been clear. President Trump, on the other hand is a notorious con man and a liar whose sole agenda, usually hidden, proves to be himself. Whom do our senators choose to believe?
6
This should be easy for McConnell: have witnesses (including Biden), but let only Republicans question them. McConnell has the right to do this, and it will be no more corrupt than anything that he’s done so far.
1
There is a small problem with Trump calling someone else a liar.
I feel for a pitiable employee at the Washington Post whose job it is to count Trump's lies, falsehoods and misstatements that are a daily occurrence.
If I remember correctly, the last tally was over 16,000. But as that changes daily, by the time this opinion is vetted, who knows what the number will be?
4
History will record the Trump era as a dark age in American culture. Trump himself will be pictured as an incompetent buffoon who nonetheless had the undying support of the Republican Party. Perhaps history will note that Trump initiated the decline of the Republicans as a viable political party.
6
I watched a good portion of hearings yesterday. Starr was very puzzling. Has he lost his marbles or was he just trying to fill time and run out the clock? As for Biden and son, ofcourse he monetized his dad's position. It stinks to high heaven and Joe should have shut it down. i can't believe the incredibly poor judgement on that issue. If Hunter committed a crime then charge him. None of this excuses the liar in chief or his attempt to cheat in the election. And what about Rudy's son and his job in the White House where he is paid $95k for a made up position for which breathing is the only qualification? Rudy says he works pro bono as Trumps private attorney. Or perhaps this is just another example of "this for that" via his sons position on the public dole.
8
A minor point of order: Bolton can’t waive a privilege held by the President.
2
This impeachment is more ridiculous than Clintons. The charge is too vague and an abuse in itself. During Clinton's impeachment the media constantly pointed out it was a partisan impeachment. During Trump's impeachment the media plays the part of Tokyo Rose.
1
The US has always been a mighty ship of democracy, sailing on a vision of Truth and Justice.
The only question now is whether Americans will let this ship go down with the captain.
The impeachment trial in the Senate is not about guilt or innocence. Of course Trump is guilty. He's probably guilty of a lot more than just this Ukraine issue. Bill Clinton was clearly guilty of using his position to take advantage of a very young female intern and then lying about it. The Senate didn't remove him and it won't remove Trump. This trial is about whether or not a two thirds majority of the Senate is willing to remove a sitting president based on actions affecting a country that most Americans cannot locate on a map. Guilt or innocence has very little (or perhaps nothing) to do with it.
1
Bolton's not a slouch...not by a longshot.
Bolton attended Yale University, earning a B.A. and graduating summa cum laude in 1970, then attended Yale Law School, earning a J.D. in 1974. He served Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and G.W. Bush in several high level positions for years, before joining Trump's administration as National Security Advisor.
Whether it is before the Senate, or directly to the American public in interviews, public forums, or in other direct statements, Bolton Will Testify.
And, testimony from Pompeo, Mulvaney, Duffey from OMB, and McCusker from DOD would fill out the picture as well, with questioning from both republicans and democrats illuminating and informative.
Get it done, McConnell.
4
So bolton wants to testify that the president did something that was perfectly legal and constitutional?
1
Yes. In violation of his oath to protect and defend the country. And placing his own political interests ahead of the nation’s.
Also, it’s recently been determined the withholding of aid was, in fact, illegal. More important, though: it was unpatriotic.
The president is given broad authority to act on the nation’s behalf. When he uses that authority to instead act on his own behalf, disregarding the nation’s interest, he should be removed. Posthaste, before more harm is done.
7
The US stands on the brink of a very slippery slope where American politics is dominated by foreign nations assassinating characters of American politicians with fake investigations.
4
It seems that some people are still under the impression that the Vichy GOP cares about quaint concepts like "the rule of law", "the Constitution" or "Democracy".
They only care about POWER and MONEY.
Let's stop pretending this nightmare is going to end any other way than voting for every Democrat in every election every year, local, state and federal, even for dog catcher.
If you care about those concepts the Founding Fathers put forth, that is what you will do.
7
Trump’s lawyers, except Dershowitz, argued as though the Bolton manuscript didn’t exist. Dershowitz seemed to argue that though he doesn’t know what (crimes) Bolton will testify to, it doesn’t matter because the articles don’t allege a crime! Legal bogosity. Ask Dershowitz what witnesses he deems relevant. Ask the Chief Justice to issue subpoenas for Bolton, Mulvaney, Pompeo, Duffy & Pence.
A “trial” is not a trial with sworn testimony from the direct witnesses. Executive privilege doesn’t apply to criminal cover up, or when the executive tweets about the proposed testimony. Trumpublicans should be worried.
1
trump now denies telling Bolton that Ukraine’s Aid depended on their inquiries into Biden. He’s lying, He always lies. "Get rid of him. Get him out tomorrow. We don't care, get him out tomorrow. Take him out, okay? Do it!" ... this is exactly what americans are going to be saying about trump soon enough.
4
If we really had justice in this country, all these GOP Senators would be convicted as traitors in a criminal conspiracy along with Trump. They are all just as guilty as he is.
7
Yeah, well, he has the goods and he is upset with Trump because of his refusal to go to war with Iran. Pence on the other hand is all too willing, so yeah, Bolton would go after Trump alright.
1
The editorial says of Bolton:
"He says that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo admitted privately to him that he knew there was nothing to the theories regarding Ms. Yovanovitch, whom Mr. Trump fired last spring."
Ms Yovanovitch was fighting corruption. Parnas says that is why they wanted her out. In his conversation with the President who has never met him, he suggested getting rid of her even though he could not recall her name during the magic conversation he had with Trump who did not know him. Trump clearly had no knowledge of the Ambassador as is revealed in the conversation; yet on an impulsive rush to judgment said to "take her out". Next he will get someone to put a horse's head in her bed.
America, please do not forget this when Pompeo eventually runs for president one day.
To be honest, I find this impeachment trial, which is even chaired by the Chief Justice, a 10 out of 10 joke.
2
Case closed. Or, should be at least.
Excellent opinion piece, NYT, thanks!
1
Bolton has zero new information I know all I need to know.The President did not collude with RussiaHe did not obstruct justice or the House investigation.He asked Ukraine to investigate Biden which is reasonable but it. could be unseemly to many but not an impeachable offense.This President did more to help Ukraine even with delay of help than Obama.You prefer Warren or Biden or Sanders there is an election later this year.Trump will be reelected if the Democrats will propose open border, free health care of illegals, more regulations, more foreign wars,very late term unrestricted abortions,eliminate school choice, embrace the swamp, weak military a growing welfare state and elimination of private insurance.
2
Sorry, but Trump refused to cooperate with the congressional investigation. He directed everyone to defy requests and subpoenas for documents and testimony. That is obstruction of congress.
Some argue the proceedings were illegitimate or the subpoenas invalid because congress did or didn’t do X. Wrong: it is not for the executive to decide how congress conducts its business.
Remember, the people working for Trump do not work for Trump. They work for the American government, the American taxpayer. Similarly, Trump does not own the documents congress requested; he is merely their custodian. He can no more refuse to deliver them to congress than a librarian can refuse to lend a book.
Trump’s Ukraine debacle is clearly impeachable. But, even if you disagree, his utter disregard for constitutional process is cause enough to send him packing.
4
@James K. Lowden Executive Privilege !! If there is a conflict between the Executive and Legislative you go to court.Unambigously not impeachable.
a loyal hawk Republican, the tictactoe-playing Democrats are walking into checkmate as Bolton won't bring down his party, but Biden will also have to testify, leading to a Sanders candidacy. Sanders will be painted as a communist and Trump gets his landslide and rbg's seat. stupid to count on Bolton.
Who’s lying? Who the “h” do you think is lying.
Someone tells something about Trump, from porn star relationships to something he said in an official capacity. Trump says nope. Never happened.
Trump says he doesn’t know someone who could cause him damage. A picture or tape surfaces with him and the person.
Get this straight. If his lips are moving he is lying. He can’t help himself. It’s who he is. Everyone knows that.
What’s worse is those self serving ones who keep trying to explain it away, cover it up, twist it so it doesn’t look so bad, run interference for him. They are the ones who really deserve our disdain.
4
The Republicans don’t belief anything Democrats say, so I’m hoping signs sponsored by the DNC say, THIN ICE.
It won't matter to members of the Trump Cult.
Nothing matters other than absolute loyalty to Trump.
1
Trump is going to run the same nefarious playbook on Joe Biden as he did on Hillary Clinton. There will be smears, allegations without evidence, chants of “lock him up”, “What about Burisma? “. We can’t let him get away with it again.
1
@Michele Vote Trump out of the office by running a strong candidate against him .If you don't like is not a sufficient reason to impeach.
@Gdk He’s being impeached for abusing the powers of the presidency to solicit help from a foreign government for his re-election, which is illegal, by the way. Don’t even need the quid pro quo, which also occurred, and holding up the aid was also found to violate the law. So no, not liking him is not the reason for impeachment.What people never acknowledge is that his behavior and actions are both reason for impeachment and also reason to not like him.
@Gdk
Get everyone out to vote and lets see if the electoral college tries to take away our votes. Betta believe not this time
the republicans in congress have been duped by trump, as well as a significant part of our population. the fact that EVERYONE but trump and his minions are all lying because they don't like him is ludicrous. the guy is a lout and a huge liar.
1
The millstone around republican senators necks grows heavier, the Trump Titanic, carrying ALL of them, continues to take on water. So far the band continues to play, but the hour is getting late.
1
There has been no revelation so far that has put Trump's presidency in jeopardy. Why do you think Bolton's would? Republican voters aren't reading NYT. When it comes time to vote they will vote for Trump, because abortion if nothing else.
@Reid
White women are going to get an abortion no matter what. Technology Have quality health care and in the privacy of your own home it is no ones business, as it has never been anyone's business what women do with their bodies.
The horrors of this administration cannot be swept under the rug. Trump has done evil works against mankind and he needs to be stropped. If senators dont take their job seriously then they need to be voted out.
There is always a job for them on Fox New. the entire world is laughing at them
Trump has been Impeached for obstruction of evidence and he will alwayshave Impeached beside his name
Republican senators are all toadies to Trump. Nobody with a backbone. What a sight.
3
Of course Mr. Trump could offer to testify as well. But he doesn’t want to join Cohen in prison for lying to Congress.
3
The case is clear and based on the President's discussion with the President of Ukraine.Trump asked the Ukrainian President to look into Biden's role in corrupt Burisma. To me Hunter Biden's behavior is consistent with his messed up life,drugs,ridding on daddy's coattails, abandoning his out of wedlock child being kicked out of the military.Why the elder Biden is acting as a codependent makes him a not reasonable choice for president.Bolton testifying that Trump pushed for justice for Biden is well known and accepted as a fact.It will serve no purpose.If you think that asking Ukraine to do the right thing is wrong then you will want to impeach Trump.
I believe Trumps behavior did not rise to the level of impeachable o offense.Let's get on the work of the nation reject the House motion rapidly.
3
@Gdk That's what the DOJ and FBI are for.
Um, if we can call witnesses...and if the republicans want to "deal" why not call Hunter Biden for John Bolton and then Joseph Biden for Donald Trump? Sounds fair to me.
2
@RDR
Why not Trump for President Obama? why not Hillary for Pompeo What are we in grade school.
Trump is the president and this nonsense of calling witnesses for one another is beyond stupid it shows how low this administration is.
Trump stepped on the Constitution he broke the law not Biden, but Trump, RUDI,PENCE, BARR and we are tired of some grade school antics.
GOP Senators better wake up and start believing in this country. No deal needs to be caught. Trump better do there job defending the constitution.
Why would anybody believe a man who has lied over 15,000 times? Why?
4
Republicans will vote to acquit in a straight party line vote. And by August, when the convention rolls around, they will be gnashing their teeth over their partisan stupidity. Trump will be a dead weight on the top of the GOP ticket.
1
No one cares about Hunter Biden. Ivanka and Jared do what ? at the WH, but they have jobs.
Rudy's son scored a patronage job at the WH.
Hunter is a Russian talking point. It actually betrays DJT's fear that he will win the Democratic cat-fight, because he appeals to the 150 uninformed swing voters in a few flyover states that will decide the election and possibly negate the popular vote a second time.
4
If Bolton's revelations don't do it, well, we're all on Fifth Avenue. You know, where that guy had it coming by stepping in front of the president's bullet.
1
Boy, it's really going to sting for Democrats when all this fails and Trump is acquitted. Oh, and re-elected. Pass the popcorn.
2
The House and citizens of good will must do everything they can to force Bolton and the gang to testify. The finger prints and video of the crime are in plain sight.
1
I am trying to figure out what knife is necessary to plunge into the Republican side to expose lies underneath.
Is it a Bolton scabbard or a Parnas paring knife?
Either way, we must plunge....deep.
1
Mueller had the Goods...and that came to No Surprise to any of us with common sense when it turned up empty....Congress had its trail...where was this guy? ...this has dragged on long enough....and he falls under executive privilege ...This is the Senate.....they Democrats have already stated there case...this circus needs to close down to a Vote Now so that elected Government officials can get back to fixing Real Problems that they are WELL Paid to do....not play Political games because one Party is trying to smear a President!
2
An embarassment to journalism catering to the liberal agenda and providing them with the fodder to make them all feel better in their alternative universe. It doesn't matter what Bolton says..nothing was acted upon. Anyone with good sense knows this is a waste of taxpayer dollars and lowers the bar to where virtually any president moving forward is subject to the impeachment whims of Congress. This is a very dangerous precedent and sad day for those who respect the Constitution.
1
Not convinced that this isn’t a set up...
2
All the president's men should immediately implement Plan B-self preservation because Trump is going to bring them all down. Temperature rating: inferno. Getting all their lies straight on the fly is especially hard for this dumb and dumber crowd.
They should have pledge allegiance to our flag instead of to Trump. There are not too many dictatorships that survive without a leaving a battlefield full of corpses.
1
I believe trump is up to 15,000 lies or misleading truths in three short years. So I’ll pick the lesser of two evils, Bolton isn’t lying
1
Absolutely have Bolton come and testify. It will change nothing. Just another opinion thrown on the pile. Yes, Trump worked the Ukrainians to do the investigation, no doubt. However, it all played out in 50 days. The aid was released within the time frame require under the law. The Ukranian President got his photo op, which has nothing to do with law. The obstruction article is dangerous garbage. Every President exercises executive privilege at some point, making that an impeachable offense is crazy.
2
What happened to Lindsey Graham? I'm starting to wonder whether Trump/Giuliani have dirt on him. Why would a close personal friend of John McCain stoop so low? Unless...
3
President Trump must resign. He will not be removed by the Republican led Senate. It is time for the New York times to call for his resignation.
1
Rats leaving a sinking ship.....so sad :-(
What is disgusting as well is that Republicans keep trying to hide an elephant!
They act surprised.
Did no one talk to Bolton? They were just trying to hope it blows over.
No character! No morals! No ethics!
4
Even the end of this editorial is making a play for the volatile and vacillating good ole boy Lindsey Graham. [He loves compliments.]
But that's OK.
1
This doesn't seem to be going quite as Trump and Mitch McConnell had planned. What happened to that quick trial and exoneration?
It's coming to the decision point for the individual rats in the Senate...
...should they jump ship and swim for it?
...or will they keep hanging on and go down with the Trumptanic?
The smell of fear is getting pretty strong. Time for another crate of karma popcorn.
1
Bolton's main gripe appeared to be Trump not bombing folks enough.
1
Dear Editorial Board,
This "leak" of Bolton's comments looks suspiciously like a repeat of the Cavanaugh hearing - a last-minute "surprise revelation" aimed at getting some Republicans to give in to Democrats' wishes for more witnesses. I'd be curious to know how (and from whom) this info came into the possession of the Times.
1
Republican Senators should keep in mind that Bolton’s revelations are a harbinger of many more yet to come. Do they really want to provide cover for a man whose corruption only equals his contempt for the Constitution and the rule of law?
3
At the end of the day who believes that any of these republicans won’t find a reason to keep their heads off a pike?
1
Something tells me Trump "is going to go through some things."
4
oh great, they'll never call him now!
1
An incredible situation: the Senate actively dismantling checks and balances of which it is (or was) a part.
9
"Surprise, Mr. President. John Bolton Has the Goods." Well, no I'm not surprised. I'd bet dollars to donuts that there's a host of people in the White House, the State Department, and throughout Congress who have the goods too.
The problem is that there aren't enough "good" people with the moral courage to come forward. However they would face the wrath of Trump and sadly that is a deterrent. Not only do Republicans not to want to face Trump's relentless fits of outrage they also want to be re-elected and remain in power in the White House and the Senate. Because of that they will accept his corrupt dealings and hope he won't make a terrible move that will doom the nation. The reality though, is that the horse has already left the barn.
We all know the truth. I don't feel hopeful because John Bolton has released copies of his manuscript. Trump still wields a great deal of power and influence. At this point though the only thing for certain that can remove him from office is the coming election. I will not count on anything else.
7
“Unless there’s a witness that’s going to change the outcome, I can’t imagine why we’d want to stretch this out for weeks and months.”
Senator Blunt's blunt comment reveals the depth of corruption not only of the president but of the GOP. The Senate hearings are nothing less than a sham trial if there are no witnesses. Unwillingness to hear witnesses betrays any claim to objectivity.
High school and college students have debating societies, in which two teams argue opposite sides of an issue. The teams don't know ahead of time which side they will argue, but each team's objective is to win the debate, honing skills that will make them good lawyers and politicians. Regrettably, GOP Senators are applying these skills to argue against unarguable truth.
Senator Blunt has clearly violated the oath to which he swore a week ago, as so many other Republican senators have. Not only do they support the president's corruption, they compound it be violating the rights of all Americans to hear the truth under oath. How much more despicable can they be?
6
@Robbbb: They all beg the question: How much are they already corrupted by conspiracies with agents of foreign governments?
4
If you have already decided to acquit the president, why would you want to hear from witnesses whose testimony would make that pre-ordained outcome even less defensible?
No matter how bad it looks for the moment, Republicans will not vote to admit witnesses. They are counting on the fact that any bad optics will be long forgotten by election day, and only the vague memory that the president was acquitted remains in most voters' minds. And they'll be right.
4
#Let him speak !
9
"President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine to benefit himself politically, and against the strenuous objections of his top aides and both parties in Congress."
Dear GOP:
These are the facts. By now, we all know they're true. Even you know these fact are true. You just don't want to admit it. You can use reverse logic all you want, tell us right is left and down is up, but it won't make a difference. You can tell us to disbelieve our own eyes and ears, but we've already seen and heard the evidence and found it compelling. Meanwhile, you've so far been unable to come with a single scrap of evidence with which to contradict it. Rehashing discredited conspiracy theories invented by Putin about Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and Ukraine, in no way counts as providing verifiable evidence, by the way. If it were, Alice in Wonderland and Grimm Fairy Tales would be considered works of historical research rather than fantasy literature for children. It would seem your only "defense" is that you don't want to believe the evidence, and have decided to simply ignore it. I don't think that "defense" will stand up in any court, unless it's run by kangaroos.
10
Ukraine aid was not held up or denied. So how is preferring to delay Ukraine aid, but not actually implementing that preference, wrong?
Trump is allowed to express a preference, which in this case was not implemented. Ukraine got every hryvnya that Congress intended.
In fact the money was disbursed by the OMB. If someone has a beef with the scheduling of the disbursement of that free money complain to the OMB.
Ukraine, on the other hand, was grateful for what they received and when they received it.
3
Trump released the aid after he was caught.
4
You have said this same thing for years. Your credibility on pronouncements such as this headline are at 0.
1
Get outta here! Who would've thought.
The NYT hanging on to the words of John Bolton.
Can't imagine the NYT finding "it's refreshing to hear..." actually anything from Bolton a few months back.
1
Trading Bolton for anyone is a bad mistake for Democrats. If Republicans want to subpoena Biden they can, but Democrats should not give anyone up, especially their front-runner.
Let Republican Senators take the hit alone for whatever they do. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't. Trump and the Republican Party have shown who they regard as the biggest threat to Trump's and all the down ticket Republicans' re-election.
Trump was impeached for trying to gash Biden's boat just after Biden launched his candidacy.
If Democrats give Biden up they will blow a great chance to flip the Senate this time around. Not mentioning the disrespect and lack of loyalty they will show to Biden.
3
Bolton can't waive a privilege held by the Executive. I expect a little more from the Editorial Board of the NY Times.
2
@GriswoldPlankman
It is not any kind of "privilege" that helps our worst enemy -- Russia -- wage a war that has already caused so many thousands of deaths & that directly threatens our NATO allies.
Russia benefitted directly from Trump's decision to hold back aid. The audio recording released from Trump's private meeting with dangerous sycophants on April 30, 2018, clearly reveals that Trump understood that only US military/security assistance was preventing Russia from overrunning Ukraine -- as Putin has repeatedly declared he seeks to do.
In an early interview after the war in Eastern Ukraine began, Putin boasted that Russia "would be in Kiev in two weeks." This is documented not only by Russian media, but also by Western media services such as the BBC, RFE/RL, etc.
I hope you all understand, GriswoldPlankman, that Putin escalating in Ukraine -- taking Kiev -- would necessarily launch a new, vast, costly, bloody war on the European continent.
Trump may be on Putin's side today, but it is not the Trump kids who would be fighting to enact, or oppose, this sinister agenda.
History shows, again & again, that only a few deft moves on the geopolitical chessboard stand between peace & prosperity & their polar opposite: bloody war & total anarchy.
That Trump resists heeding the advice of experts, that he berates top US generals as "dopes & babies," that he instead listens to Russian propaganda & propagates it further ought to chill you to the bone.
It is dangerous.
4
That Bolton sure knows how to sell a book!
2
Republicans look ridiculous, reframing Giuliani as a human ‘hand grenade’ to being just a minor, a ‘colorful person.’
5
Bolton has a book of his opinions.
That's all he has. And, he's trying to sell it.
The MSM is eating this up like it was gospel.
1
@Randy L. So put Bolton under oath
1
Putin wakes up everyday in a really Good Mood.
5
Trump denies Bolton's assertions. So let's get Bolton under oath and see what he says. That is how to resolve this. Will Republican Senators go for this? Ha ha ha. They have no desire to actually examine facts. They just want to execute their blatant partisan cover-up of Trump's crimes, and the sooner the better, so they can get on with their abuse of our democracy./
11
God forbid they should hear from witnesses at a trial.
I hope these Trump-supporting Senators will hang their heads in shame for years to come.
9
The Senate should subpoena President Zelensky and ask him outright how he views this Gordian Knot situation.
His answer could ease the path to a timely conclusion of what should happen in the Senate.
1
Bolton's a far right ideologue, right to Attila the Hun. And I'm so far to the left I make a complete circle.
But he's a patriot, a profile in courage, my new hero.
4
Everyone knows the President is lying. Trump has spoken probably no more than twenty truthful words since getting sworn in. Compared to other Presidents, simply horrific.
Nobody believes Trump except Republicans who also know that Trump lies constantly. The key difference here is all Republicans _choose_ to ignore his lies.
The general Public cannot ignore Trumps lies because to do so would puts us in great peril.
Putin, of course, loves Trumps lying constantly. It keeps Democrats and his enemies off base, unmoored.
So another day passes and Trump tweets another one hundred lies.
Another day in this Administration.
5
Dear Republicans,
Go ahead. Investigate Hunter Biden. Call hearings. Summon the National Guard, FBI, and Rudy Giuliani. Have Bill Bar personally depose him. Investigate until Ken Starr himself questions the legitimacy of the investigation.
Just not as a part of this impeachment and removal trial. Stop with the hypocrisy. Stop with the obvious red herring. Hunter Biden has ZERO knowledge of how, when, where or from who Trump solicited a bribe, threatened an ally, and cheapened the office of the president to score cheap political points.
You can use your majority in the last election to cover up corruption, but no one is fooled.
8
The more the administration and the
president ‘s legal team lies to cover up his unlawful actions and undermine our nation’s security, they give more power to Putin. These so called republican “legislators”, and the president’s legal team expose the weakness of their arguments daily. I doubt senators probably will have the courage to break with McConnell. They will do whatever is expedient to end this sham trial in the hopes that no more truths can undermine their reign of corruption. Truth has a way of coming to light.
They can’t keep the people they should be representing in the dark forever.
2
It’s unlikely that this will deter the Republican Senate from confirming Trump as our first dictator.
5
This is exactly the wrong message to send. It basically tells wavering moderates, including those in the Senate, that for the New York Times, this isn't about learning about a serious error in the president's judgment -- it's about embarrassing the other party and engaging in political oneupsmanship. A message of, "See? You're wrong and we knew it and now you have to admit it" doesn't help create a climate that focuses on improving government oversight, rather than scoring political points. For reasonable and conscientious politicians, like those the Democrats ostensibly hope to persuade, this isn't a welcome message from the newspaper of record.
1
One would think that Republican Senators would be as curious as the rest of the country is about what Amb. Bolton would say under oath.
Ostriches can stick their head in the sand to avoid painful reality.
Who knew that the Republicans were ostriches?
4
I want Mr Trump in the well if the Senate testifying under oath. I’m sure only he can be the best witness ever, and will refute every and any allegation against the “perfect call” and his “perfect” administration. Waiting for him to eagerly volunteer....
3
Is the US Senate stupid enough to buy into Dershowitz's argument supporting presidential extortion of foreign nations to produce fake charges against politicians like themselves? It appears that it is. I don't see a bottom under American political naivete.
2
Except that Romney seems to be clear that he’d expect the Republicans to be able to call their own witness (yet aren’t all the Senators meant to be impartial jurors?) for each Democrat witness. What an outrage that Republicans want to call the Bidens—merely furthering Trump’s illegal scheme for which he is literal being tried!—as well as the whistleblower and SCHIFF!?!?
1
If I see the frustrated face of Bolton in fotos I’m not sure if he is objective. However when Bolton appears as a witness then Hinter Biden should also appear.
What if the vote by Senators to call new witnesses and then to acquit or convict were secret?
2
The Senate must call the Bidens to testify because they will diclose to the American people why they withheld aid to the Ukraine and explain why they obstructed congressional investigation into their decision.
This just goes to show how odd the world can turn. When Mitt Romney was running against President Obama I felt like he was the devil, now I see him as one of the only great, moral people in the GOP and wish he was president!
3
Somewhere tonight a handful of Republican Senators are having a conference call discussing cutting their boy Donald loose, realizing they can no longer cover for him and have any hope of re-election.
Somewhere tonight Mike Pence is on his knees beseeching his God to "Please let me be POTUS! Please"
Somewhere tonight Donald Trump is raging at anyone and everyone within a hundred feet of him. That he hasn't sent out a dozen angry threatening Tweets is what's surprising;.
And tonight, millions of us are hoping this national nightmare comes to an end. That the pathological liar Trump is convicted, and removed from office. That America gets on her feet again after being dragged through the mud by this con man.
5
This is a fake trial just like that fake FBI investigation during the Kavanaugh confirmation. The GOP got away with it then and they think they can wash, rinse and repeat.
...and that's the way it will be when DJT is acquitted. He will have escaped any punishment and will go onto to commit God Knows What.
I hope the Country is seeing this and the majority will say 'enough'!
5
Anybody notice that this might be another instance of Nancy Pelosi’s genius? One wonders if she knew when Bolton’s manuscript was going to be delivered (and leaked) and thus delayed the trial until she knew when the additional evidence would come out.
1
Remarkably fortuitous timing. Of course the NYT won't say where it go the draft, but if it is Bolton, that would seem entirely in character and raise considerable concerns about the assertions. He made it quite clear that he was not impressed when Trump dumped him (to the relief and delight of the rest of the world).
1
Isn't it about time that people, particularly those republicans that are afraid of trumps wrath, realize that trump is a perpetual liar? No one can believe anything he says because he has spewed so many lies out of his mouth. Trump can say that he never said that to Bolton because trump may be so mentally impaired that he doesn't know what he is saying or doing. What a dangerous man to be in the WH.
1
We already know who is lying and who is telling the truth.
1
I am surprised at the ease in which the New York Times was able to get into the Republican Senators head with one leak reportedly from John Bolton's yet to be released book. This is "Dirty Tricks" by a Media house that has abandoned Journalism for Activism.
Republican Senators, stay the course, stick together, the Dems are only trying to let you do their job for them. They were in too much of a hurry to hand out pens to call John Bolton Don't do their job for them; if they wanted witnesses they should have called them regardless of court delay.
There will be many more leaks by the New York Times allegedly from John Bolton's book.
Republican Senators, be strong, stay the course, no more witnesses.
1
Was anyone surprised when the Trump defenders made Trump's impeachment about Obama?
Was anyone surprised that Dershowitz, who defended Jeffrey Epstein after being his guest on quite a few occasions, also defended a fellow Epstein party-goer, Donald Trump?
"Not an impeachable offense?"
Donald Trump made Epstein's prosecutor who sweetened up Epstein's prison term with lots of time at his private office (under police protection) where JE could continue to receive visits from his very young female friends Secretary of Labor.
As Secretary, Acosta was only forced out after a massive outcry & plenty of news coverage.
Alan Dershowitz's attempts to defend indefensible acts look & sound increasingly unconvincing. It makes one question his judgment on everything else, frankly.
It does not take a degree in Kremlinology to understand that weakening Ukraine would be yet another massive favor for Putin & Russia.
Trump solicited help from Russia in 2016. He used that help. Once in the Oval, he used US diplomats & also Giuliani to commandeer -- hijack -- the Ukrainian legal system in order to launch a malicious prosecution of Joe Biden & Hunter Biden via a completely bogus accusation from the extreme right-wing of the GOP.
That is wrong, corrupt & indeed criminal on so many levels, it makes the GOP defense of T a joke.
Trump took his initial act of soliciting & profiting from Russia's 'active measures' & then added new layers of corruption & profiteering to that disastrous move.
4
Blindsided ? About what Trump did ? No, the Republican senators always knew he did it. They are angry that Bolton´s book is upsetting their Faustian balancing of what the ever-Trumpers want ("Shut this Democrat witch-hunt down!") and what some Republican and independent voters think ("Maybe we SHOULD hear from a first-hand witness".)
3
What I can't square is Dersh & Cip yesterday saying DJT's Ukraine actions weren't impeachable acts vs. repeated efforts by DJT's
advisers to dissuade POTUS from withholding aid. So, what was wrong before is right...now? Anyhow, the 'cat's been tossed amongst the pigeons now' with Bolton's disclosure, even if not called to testify.
3
This is ridiculous. Trump should testify. Clinton testified.
3
The facts are simple. Trump released the aid without any quid pro quo from Zelensky. They met at the UN. Ukraine didn't even realize the aid was on hold until the Politico story. That's all you need to know. Period.
1
@JGaltTX
Ukraine knew in July. Read the testimony of DoD witness Ms. Cooper.
Russians certainly knew long before Politico. And if Russians knew, of course Ukrainians knew. They are all over each other, being, after all, closely related, often intermarried, and in a state of war (therefore, deploying spycraft to the hilt to gain an edge).
If the GOP seeks to yoke its own fate to Trump's, you are doing a great job of self-harming.
Put up a credible defense, stop lying -- or take your lumps.
3
I never cared much for Bolton and his aggressive beliefs against our enemies. But, I never ever thought of him as anything but a Patriotic American. He always had our country's safety first. Maybe a little too much for some people.
3
I'm confused. If Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell are insisting that calling John Bolton to testify would only delay Donald Trump's inevitable acquittal, then why are they so scared? I'll tell you why! Because if enough weight gets put behind this pendulum, it's going to swing Dear 'Ol Donald right out of the White House, and very likely right into prison, where he's always belonged. And they know it! If you listen closely, you can almost hear the sweat running down the back of Moscow Mitch's neck at this very moment. And, frankly, I could be happier.
4
The deeper reason they are so scared is that it’s not just Trump: when the whole story comes out it is likely to implicate many of the top men in this administration. It sounds as if most of them knew what was going on, and with Trump unwilling to budge on his “drug deal,” they just hoped to shuttle it through before anyone knew what was happening.
But then, when word got out, they tried to find a legal rationale that made the withholding of the aid legal. More coverup.
If the witnesses start testifying, starting with Bolton, the whole house of cards may come down. That’s what they are really scared of since the documents and emails (let alone the witness testimony) will show that indeed, everyone was in the loop.
It’s like Watergate. All the Presidents Men knew what was going on and they all played different roles, either abetting or covering up. That is the story that will eventually emerge, whether we hear witnesses and get documents in the trial or not.
If they let anyone testify, the can of worms is opened..... that’s what the big fear is and why the hold his so tight on letting witnesses or documents come forward.
If it implicates Pence (note his letter of innocence last night) will we have a President Pelosi?
3
Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
1
@Bonnie
Except for the fact that Trump WAS investigated for the last three years.
Sweeping the Biden’s actions under the rug is a big part of the problem here for the Left.
Dershowitz was a nightmare for the unhinged Left last night as well.
Let’s get this acquittal over with so we can watch the Democratic primaries go off the rails.
The White House has had Bolton's book for a month! They haven't told GOP Senators about this blindside. Astonishing!
Once again, Trump lies and conceals, and throws everyone under the bus.
5
Shaking the apple tree to find the ones with the Trump brand are rotten to the core.
2
According yesterday’s New York Times. article, the draft manuscript of John Bolton book says “President 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.” Suspiciously, the article contained no direct quotes, so we don’t know exactly what Trump allegedly said to Bolton.
But what Trump said to Bolton doesn’t much matter. What matters is what Trump and U.S. diplomats said to President Zelensky and his aides.
Trump may have wanted to continue the freeze until Ukraine issued criminal indictments against Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, but he ended the freeze on Sept. 11, shortly after the alleged conversation with Bolton in late August. In a letter accepted into evidence, Senator Ron Johnson said he and Vice President Mike Pence persuaded Trump to end the freeze after they returned from a meeting with Zelensky in Moscow.
1
Really?
A guy out to sell a book says something scandalous to goose his sales and the Left is crossing fingers that it destroys Trump? It's the Left's only hope now.
Precious.
Trump's defense slaughtered the Democrats' non-arguments for impeachment.
Thanks for playing.
Trump 2020
2
"Surprise Mr. President" is the kind of sarcasm in that headline that can take a very serious situation and make it into an American tragedy. There is nothing cute or funny here.
3
As was pointed out in a NYT article several days ago, Chief Justice Roberts has the authority to directly summon witnesses without the need for four Republicon Senators to "defect".
If he does, he will be upholding his oath to defend the Constitution and America.
He should at least try to make this a real trail and not a sham.
3
How soon before the GOP labels Bolton as an "enemy of the people"? After all, there is no loyalty among thieves.
3
Trump, who has told more lies than Pinocchio, accuses Bolton, his hand-picked, Conservative Republican, been in the business for years and years of not telling the truth. Who do we believe?
3
Unless Bolton has proof, there is no way the tell if he is truthful it a disgruntled liar. He has a reputation for talking foolishly. it has been mentioned many times in the press.
1
The GOP leaders are angry because their profoundly immoral Trump has been found out to be a liar and a traitor. Mr Bolton is a hero and i hope he kicks Trump all the way to Florida and soon. Never mind waiting for the Nov 2020. Good riddance .
Great job also goes to the NYT’s for keeping the pressure on these bad men in office.
3
What we urgently need today is MAMGA, Make America Morally Great Again. We cannot rely on Republican Congressmen, this not what their Party built for. For the American Evangelicals, this is the only thing God has called you for. By calling for all witnesses in order to get a fair impeachment trial is the chance to see who your real master is. The young generation are all watching now.
4
Irony at its most delicious —
If Trump, who prides himself as being a non-reader, is taken down by a book.
Just delicious!
3
Do you know when you are in a really deep trouble?
When you put all your faith and hopes into an unseen, unverified, unsubstantiated, unpublished claim from a book draft from an closest aid to your enemy.
That’s why the liberal media outlets have paid so much attention to the coming Bolton book. They are aware there is no real evidence in the House impeachment claims.
Jon Bolton’s claim is theirs Hail Mary salvation.
The problem is even if it were true, a free speech is not an impeachable high crime.
Trump just shared his thoughts with his adviser for the honest feedback. It’s just a part of process to come up with the best solution. Brainstorming session is not an impeachable offense.
The Democrats are now in the neckdeep sewage liquid. They forgot that the burden of proof was on them and that Trump team only needs to create a reasonable doubt like “the president wanted to verify whether the ex-vice-president broke any anti-bribery laws while in the office".
Why so late in the game?
Remember that Trump was forced to play a defense for a couple of years due to Mueller investigation.
If he wanted the Democrats to taste their own medicine and experience how it feels to be investigated, then again desire for revenge is just human emotion.
The emotions are not an impeachable offense.
It’ is a kind of repetitive statement– not an impeachable crime…
1
Why (oh, WHY) can't Bolton be "allowed" to Testify, under Oath, about 100% of what he knew about Ukraine ??
Why are the US Senate, AND Trump's Lawyers, repeatedly restricting very valid evidence in this Case ???
What does Trump have to hide ????
America is far better than the endless string of lies that Trump presents to our Nation. Impeach him, now.
2
When you are trying to preserve minority rule, the facts don’t matter.
1
In a late-night tweet, Mr. Trump angrily denied Mr. Bolton’s allegations.
I don't know about you but that certainly settles the matter in my mind. I mean it is not like the Washington Post has documented over 16,000 lies by the current 'President'
Sorry 'Mr. President'.............you have no credibility......NONE.
4
Hopefully they get the 4 or more needed votes to get witnesses and documents. If only 3 votes, I will wish folks were not so quick to jettison senator Al Franken. I understand many regret that decision now, but those will need to own it.
1
How does the NYT know Bolton is telling the truth. I don't remember any nice words written by the times regarding bolton. Let's wait and see.
2
@Julia Because every single witness who testified under oath in the House hearings confirms what Bolton is saying. The call memo, the texts, Trump and Mulvaney's own words, the orignial complaint and even some Trump's lawyers also confirm what Bolton has alledged.
2
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens”
Who shall we believe? You see, when you lie you are a liar and therefore not to be believed. Troubling conundrum.
1
I never said in front of Lev Parnas what you heard me saying on that recording of me saying about taking out the Ambassador.
That recording of me saying that is all Fake News
4
Gee, remember when hair was on fire about Bolton even being PART of any presidential cabinet? My how the goal posts have changed, and changed, and changed. Republicans have been instrumental in that. Now, Bolton is the savior of democracy...? I'll believe it when I see it. Kenneth Starr was pointing out that this is a "trial." Garsh, Ken, really? I hadn't noticed because this administration--with the Senate's blessing--keeps obstructing justice. Republican senators have been signaling that their minds were made up before the House even began inquiries.
428
@BornInDaEB Of course the Senate made up their mind .Adam Schiff is the worst lier, We knew what he evidence was and it was weak.Why impeach the President 9 months from election?
There's a fallacy in here: the narrative isn't about whether Bolton is a savior or a villain, it's about whether he has critical information to share.
One can be both a villain and a source of useful testimony -- without that, the Mafia would still rule New York.
20
@BornInDaEB
AG William Barr disputes Bolton's account with him. Bolton's credibility, even under oath, is an issue for me. However, we should hear from him, under oath, since his sworn testimony will be closer to whatever the truth is, than the version accounted in his forthcoming book.
7
I'm leaving the Republican Party after 25 years because of this. It is astonishing and sickening to believe that there are not at least four senators who will stand up and do the right thing. The party who once vehemently insisted - repeatedly! - that "character counts" cannot now be counted on for character. Farewell to thee, GOP.
3671
@Pablo Why do people cling to mistakes for so long? Daniel is not unique in that regard--we have all done it.
It's hard to decide that our past beliefs were wrong--humans aren't wired that way. We listen to family and friends--most of whom remain convinced of our former beliefs. We listen to news sources and belong to organizations that reinforce those beliefs.
Often we have built our lives and our status in communities on those beliefs.
So it's a big lift to abandon beliefs that are wrong (look at all the doctors still clinging to low-fat diet advice).
We should celebrate those that allow reason to overcome those obstacles. We should hope that, when the time comes, we will have the strength to do the same.
233
@Daniel Thank you. I've heard the same thing from several of my friends who were lifelong Repbulicans.
318
@Daniel
"Character counts"
I think it's become more of "cartoon characters count" based on the behavior of Republicans these past few decades.
173
The "win at all costs" mentality in American politics has cost us dearly. It's going to take a miracle to get people out of their trenches, declare a truce, and find some sort of middle ground. The content of this piece is good, but the inflammatory headline reflects a failure of judgment. Pouring gasoline on the fire won't help.
1
What if Trump had told Zelensky, "If you want the $391 million, you're going to have to give 10% of it to my reelection campaign"?
There is no difference what-so-ever between that, and what President Trump actually did. He withheld Congressionally approved military aid, from a strategic ally, in order to extract a personal political favor for himself. Not the country. Himself. This is as clear a case of extortion as you can get.
Donald Trump is corrupt. He broke the law. And he need to go. Period.
Now, if and when he is removed from office, and his immunity from prosecution has gone with it, I would hope that every State Attorney that has any criminal or civil case pending against him, would begin to pursue those charges, as quickly and as vigorously possible, and to the fullest extent of the law.
And the reason for this is clear. If Donald Trump is not removed from office, and subsequently prosecuted for every single one of his myriad other crimes, then we, as a society will be sending a very clear message to future office holders.
And that message will be, "Self-serving corruption, committed by the highest office holder in the land, will not be prosecuted at any level, because we, as a society, have decided that the President of the United States, stands above the law. The law that you, and I, and everyone else in this country, is bound to obey".
Perhaps if we had put Nixon in jail, where he belonged, we wouldn't be in the colossal mess we find ourselves in now.
5
Let's just be clear, John Bolton is not a democrat, he is not "deep state." He is a lifelong Republican who had a closer view of the real Donald Trump (not just the version for public show) than any senator in that room. In fact, Trump just said the reason that Bolton should not testify is because Bolton was privy to Trump's private thoughts. It's absolutely a travesty the lengths these senators go through to try convince voters (and, perhaps, themselves) that anyone who reveals something ugly about Donald Trump must be lying. They should change their mascot from an elephant to an ostrich with its head in the sand.
1
The level of partisanship shown here by a major party is for a European astonishing - how can such a big group of representatives go down such a willful path? I try to think of other democratic, Western countries where this could happen - but not even in the nationalistic and populist parties in Eastern Europe I think this could unfold. You would rather have to look further south, to Turkey, to find such blindfolded behavior of a legislative body.
392
@Erik: "The level of partisanship shown here by a major party is for a European astonishing - how can such a big group of representatives go down such a willful path?"
Do you honestly believe it's just Republicans that do this? You need to follow American politics more closely.
1
@hm1342 Oh, I think Erik from Sweden has followed American politics very closely indeed, hm1342 from North Carolina.
It is you who need to brush up on American political history. Who was it who led the nation through the previous agonizing process of impeachment?
And for what reason (well, what excuse, anyway)?
Anyone who thinks the Republicans were on the "other side" of Clinton's impeachment from where they're dug in hard today on Trump's needs to brush up, as well, on critical thinking.
Frankly, I have always appreciated hearing a European point of view when our country is going through political turmoil.
And everyone who is even marginally qualified to understand the august responsibilities of voters, when choosing a president in the U.S., will immediately understand Europeans' vested interests in American politics.
Europeans follow our politics for reasons that will be obvious to anyone who remembers the history of the 20th century.
Would that all American voters were so well informed and so politically sophisticated as our European friends and allies.
30
@Erik Or northeast, Erik - the good, old Mother Russia.
7
Remember the picture of the three Monkeys "See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil"? This pretty much serves up a picture of the Republican Senate. They do not want to acknowledge the Truth about the President. He is the personification of evil and they are too unfortunately. If we cannot depend on our Leaders to uphold the Constitution and the Law what can we mere mortals do?
Roberts needs to demand that witnesses and documents are brought forward in this sham of a Trial. If Roberts wants us to believe that the Supreme Court truly is not Political, here is his big chance to prove it.
2
I would love to capture the expressions on the faces of Republican senators listening to Bolton explain why he called the Trump-Zelensky "perfect" phone conversation a drug deal. No wonder Trump and McConnell will resort to any measure to block a Bolton testimony. Only the guilty attempt to silence witnesses.
@nzierler: "Only the guilty attempt to silence witnesses."
Then please explain the Democrats' behavior in restricting Republicans during the "bunker" testimony. What were Democrats afraid of?
"It’s just possible that common sense and reality have a shot at prying open the doors to the Senate chamber after all."
Are you kidding me? Trump is a criminal and the republicans are amoral accomplices to the crimes. And through a historical mistake or miscalculation, the founders made the president above the law. Some republicans might put on a show like Jeff Flake did and fain concern for the rule of law but in the end Romney and Collins and Murkowski and which ever other gangster the media refers to as moderates, will all cower and vote to acquit. If there was a tape of Trump confessing to the crime the republicans would just say "no he didn't" and since they hold all the cards no justice would be served. The only thing the Democrats will accomplish is an historical record which is worthwhile.
1
One idea touted today in the trial by the defense was 'to let the people decide' in the vote next November. The major problem with that is that the Constitution doesn't suggest that as a remedy for High Crimes and Misdemeanors...it outlines a clear and specific process to determine such a situation. And one other thing that gets to me is the Republican idea that Americans are not interested in this...don't have time for this..what an insult to the intelligence and character of the American people. And lastly I am amazed and amused by the defense's description of a thoughtful, deliberate President pursuing the duties of his office while in the background Donald Trump is Twittering away... mocking and threatening.
4
It was maddening to see Mitt Romney seem to "wonder" about what to do, maybe, sort of, when asked about witnesses.
Our own Senator Cory Gardner is a total ghost.
It has devalued the institution of the US Senate to some sort of omerta fraternity- it is just sickening to watch these guys.
And Trump- just get him out of there - it is beyond embarrassing.
3
Until yesterday, I had still held out some hope for the GOP. After the release of information from the last couple of days and the response from them today of obfiscation, deception and lies, I will be registering as a Democrat. My Republicans have lost all moral compass to the extent that there is no way for them to find their way back to the truth. Shame on them! I will never vote for a Republican again.
5
It is widely known that Mitt Romney is a big fan of John Bolton.
He particularly shares Bolton's disdain for Russia and Putin.
And of course Mitt would also like a third try in 2020, as he gently nudges fellow Republican senators. Bolton knows that, and he also knows Trump is deranged and utterly unfit to be president.
Bernie Sanders, however, would/will demolish Mitt, as he would/will Trump.
[Alas, Mitt would be content with being a part of saving some semblance of the Republican Party as his legacy.]
1
How many Senators can Trump punish and belittle if enough of them vote for witnesses? Dealing with a bully always takes as many of the bullied and witnesses to make a stand.
1
"Who’s telling the truth about Ukraine?"
Certainly not Trump.
After the thousands of lies Trump has told as president, many of which he has repeated despite their obvious falsity, nothing Trump says can be believed.
Have you no sense of shame Republicans? Is there any shred of decency remaining in the Republican Party. Is there no one remaining in their party with a scrap of integrity?
Someone of stature needs to call on Trump to resign. I know he won't but why has no one in either party started a drumbeat on resignation?
The guy who seemed like a mindless carnival barker all along, has been proven over and over an over again to be far worse. Yet they do nothing.
On second thought, maybe it's better this way. Maybe Trump will take them all down with him and 2020 will be the reckoning for Republicans they should have gotten in 2016.
3
Even more upsetting than the corruption of the Constitution and absence of good governance is that the GOP doesn't seem to care anymore that we all know they're lying. It's utterly shameless.
3
To the Republicans - Senators and voters - still supporting Trump: consider how serious Trump’s crime must be if someone like Bolton, no liberal or friend of the Democrats, decided to intervene at the 11th hour as he did.
As Republicans you have promoted yourselves as the party of national security and defense, between Reagan and the Bushes. Trump talks big with ‘America First’, but instead you are giving the store away to our greatest enemies, while settling for crumbs like an expensive, ineffectual ‘wall’. All in fear of Trump and losing his base.
2
Seeing how united the GoP is in it's unpatriotism, indifference to nation and support for such extreme characters as trump and giuliani is hardly surprising, although no less disgusting. They spent all of President Obama's presidency stolidly impeding any kind of progress and continue to do so with any bill the House sends the Senate. What is the point of having these useless individuals in Congress? Will people get out and vote to send them back to where they came from? Or is this what the American majority wants now - an abusive, mindless dotard as president and a coterie of ineffective supporters? The world burns and American citizens slide further into poverty while these jokers in DC play their daft little games.
1
Don’t think for a minute the “moderate republicans” will vote to include witnesses. The GOP is actively and openly covering up the whole affair for all to see. They don’t even bother to pretend otherwise. It’s incredible that Trump supporters are so brainwashed that nothing can shake any sense into them.
When the republicans vote not to include witnesses the great American Experiment will end. Republican greed and the stupidity of the populace will have won over justice and rationality. It is quite distressing to actually be alive to witness the collapse of the United States.
It won’t be much longer until this polarized nation fractures into smaller countries. But now I think that’s for the best. The United States has become a rogue empire and doesn’t deserve to exist.
1
Trump tweeted about it the Bolton thing today, therefore he has effectively given up his Executive Privilege. It’s gone. It’s public speech and admissible evidence. Trump is so arrogant he doesn’t even know that he just turned himself in, accused himself and admitted guilt all at once. If he gets re-elected Trump will be the first President in history to be impeach himself twice!
This is the straw that broke camel's back for me. I did not vote for Trump in 2016, but over last 3 years I somehow found myself drifting to Trump. Especially after Muller debacle; and with positive unemployment and stock market. I have been a NYT reader and I know "both sides" politics.
Now it is very clear to me that Trump has blindsided Republican Senators and acted in his personal capacity to undermine his political opponent. He has now lied to Senators who are standing up for him and to all Americans. How can he with straight face lie when fellow senators have in good faith been behind him all along?
Trump is a Liar!
3
Why not let the Bidens testify? Trump's lawyers are already dragging them into the proceedings. Let them come speak for themselves.
If the Bidens refuse, Republicans can say `hey, we were down with having witnesses, but the Dems wanted their list only.'
And having the Bidens might cause more Americans to tune in, and then they just might see just how ridiculous the GOP position is.
Bolton has the biggest nothing burger ever in his new book. Even if everything leaked about Trump in the book is true, there is no impeachable event. This sham should be ended and voters can decide in November if they would like another 4 great years with Trump as President. My prediction is that Trump wins in a landslide election, Republicans keep the Senate, and Republicans narrowly take back the House.
The Republicans took the wrong tac. They should be arguing now whether to censure or impeach based on the evidence they have available. In this way, they could have avoided being sycophantic liars and retained Trump in power, if they voted to censure. It was the middle ground, and reasonable judgement and institutional integrity would not now be taking such a severe beating.
Everything is going on behind the scenes.
In the book, Bolton is making Barr and Pompeo look like fine, upstanding citizens. The old school Republicans are coalescing and getting ready to dump Trump and Giuliani. They were never going to let Trump into their elite, old money club in the first place. Trump has outlived his usefulness to them. They get Trump to resign, push Pence to the side, and nominate Romney in 2020, which is why Romney was looking gleeful tonight when he said he would vote for witnesses.
The fix is in. Trump and his merry men are out, hoist by their own petard in the grandest medieval style.
1
I'm having a difficult time sorting this out. Please help me.
Exactly one of two people is telling the truth.
One of them, while not someone I find agreeable or with whom I have many (any?) agreements on policy , has been, as best I can tell, a fairly honest man his entire life.
The other has been a pathological liar his entire adult life, lying when it suits him, lying when it helps him, lying when it helps someone he wants to help, lying because he enjoys how is stirs up his supporters, lying day-in-and-day-out about matters small, large, and everything in-between; repeating lies even after being confronted with unimpeachable (hahaha!) evidence.
Which one should I believe now? Please help me decide.
I give up.This is the nth declaration by the editorial board about how Trump is demonstrably crooked. Clearly we have a very corrupt senate and it appears nothing will be done. The third estate doesn't appear to be a match for this kind of evil.
For whether I am a slave or a freeman to depend on what John Bolton knows, or says, is a rather pathetic position to be in. I rebel against it. My freedom cannot depend on a man like Bolton. A man like Bolton has always looked like a presumptuous fool trying hard to be the only 'smart guy' in the room. But he has now run upon Trump and Trumps stupidity that overwhelms Bolton's stupidity, by at least one order of magnitude. So my freedom is tied to who is he biggest fool in Washington? I don't concur. My freedom is still a function of how much I am willing to do to keep my freedom. And it is a lot more than Trump would care to try and overcome. I'm not presuming to threaten the president and the U.S. army. But I will not go gently into the goodnight of slave-hood. I am quite willing to re-fight the Civil war and slaughter who needs slaughtered. But force is not the answer, either. Lets simply say we will not accept Trump being given another pass and that if the republicans give him the pass we believe they shouldn't we will vote against them and their philosophy for the next 5 elections. Putin can con Trump, Trump can con the Republicans, none of them can con us to give up our freedom. There will be a price to pay. And I, for one, will ask the people to charge the toll, the full price, for our freedom.
1
Trump has so dragged us all into his very own special edition of a Twilight Zone refraction of obfuscation, lies and deception, that it's hard to know what to make of anything anymore. Will the Bolton Bombshell make any more of a difference than predecessor bombshells like the Mueller report. Some of us get our hopes up that this president might at last face justice and then the latest bombshell peters into a boomlet and finally a bust. It's really a tiresome roller coaster ride.
Unfortunately Truth doesn't matter to the GOP politician or their voters. Trump exposes the true soul of the GOP, while their voters reveal, why cult figures appear through out human history as a plague bent on destroying civil society.
When American wakes up from our nightmare, we must never forget that these nefarious cult figures where born out of a network of misinformation, propaganda, incitements, etc. To insure that this never happens, democracies must protect themselves from these networks and today it is Murdoch's faux news.
When 65% of the GOP voter, trust Murdoch's hate for profit racket of misinformation, it is he and his minions that are the cancer of our Jeffersonian democracy. We must make laws to punish these propagandists of untruths.
1
This business about a Biden for Bolton exchange is just another page out of the Sen. Susan Collins et al both sides/what aboutism/false equivalency playbook camouflaged as phony bipartisanship.
There is no evidence that Vice President or his son engaged in any wrongdoing. Therefore, they are not relevant to the proceedings. Republicans just want another whack at smearing Biden, and what better way to stay in the good graces of their leader?
Democrats, don't fall for it.
why hasn't the everyday Dem line against trump been "he's a liar, you cannot believe anything he says"? This story and trump's denial is another brick in the construction of guilt. State and repeat--"he's a pathological liar and that is not acceptable anywhere, much less in the highest office in the land".
This is all about reproductive choice.
The Republicans will stop at NOTHING to stack the Supreme Court in their favour. They have been looking to strip a woman's right to choose for decades.
And it's now within their reach!
GOP argue that Trump did nothing wrong but Bidens did a lot of wrong. Like I just stepped off the boat.
Seems that the Republican Senators are caught between a very large rock and a very hard place.
The see no evil, hear no evil , convict no evil approach is problematic. They may choose to support Trump for political reasons, and trade off credibility that they will have to wear like a dead chook around their necks for years.
Folks please stow the outrage. From the day of his inauguration Trump's focus was on his re election. He had little interest in being POTUS he only cared about being validated via a re election. I want to believe had Mattis or Kelly survived they might have been able to talk some sense into him regarding this whole foreign aid issue, i.e. its illegal to withhold aid and not tell Congress. But he gets rid of people who tell him what he does not want to hear. John Bolton has done his damage, he does not need to testify. Trump will be acquitted and those outraged will have a chance to deny him his dream in November.
The Republicans in Congress and the Senate can't see, or maybe don't care, how they are behaving just like Soviet Party apparatchiks. I suppose that they're gambling that Fox News, another Soviet-style system similar to Vremya, will secure their reelections.
This impeachment trial reminds me of the HBO miniseries "Chernobyl," when, after the explosion, one of the nuclear physicists tells the Party officials that the dosimeter is above 200 roentgen and that there is graphite from the reactor core on the ground outside. The Soviet Party officials response to the physicist? Your dosimeter is faulty and you didn't see graphite.
That's pretty much what Trump and Senate Republicans are saying to the Press: Your dosimeter is faulty and you didn't see graphite.
As Professor Valery Legasov so appropriately asks in the beginning and end of the mini-series:
What is the cost of lies?
3
it's already a well established fact that trump lies every time he opens his mouth.
who is telling the truth is not in doubt.
i hope his mouthpieces, who seem to be in never neverland as well, were paid up front.
trump has a well known rep for stiffing everybody including his lawyers.
1
At this point, I don’t care if Mitt is positioning himself to be the savior of the Republicans. He has got his finger resolutely pointed into the wind and raised his flag up the flagpole to see who will salute. This may be the tipping point where Republicans get some “courage”. Most Republicans followed Trump only because he could help them keep their jobs; they will leave him for the same reason.
At this point, the Republicans in the senate are truly lost. If they don't call Bolton to testify under oath, it is even more obvious that they are doing everything possible to keep the truth of Trump's guilt from getting out. If they do call him and he testifies under oath that Trump is lying, then how do they justify voting for acquittal?
Okay, your move ...
1
As a Democrat, I'd like to know more about Hunter Biden--it's ridiculous to tie it to the impeachment because Biden has no personal knowledge of the Trump criminal activity. But I'd still like to hear Bidens explain this. Maybe having Hunter testify as a gift to Republicans would be worth it.
1
@Terry Lowman
You shouldn't want Hunter Biden - you should ask for Joe Biden and Barack Obama instead.
Maybe Americans of all stripes who you mention are beginning to see through the Republican claptrap and tall tales after all. Maybe after enough repetition and opportunities to present the evidence, the Democrats' messages are breaking through: Trump is a historically corrupt person, and a historically bad president. His foreign debts diminish his ability to represent American freedom and democracy at the global level and serve the country. He expects the country to serve his interests. Such vanity combined with such vindictiveness has created a president who is no leader.
1
A small detail, but one that speaks loudly to me: I listened to the Parnas tape, and was disgusted, but not surprised that Trump did not even know the US ambassador’s name, but still wanted her ‘out’. He knew nothing about her, but was willing to take the word of someone at the dinner that she was corrupt. What kind of leader would do that? I expect a president to be intelligent enough to weigh evidence before making a judgment, but Trump has never done that. It’s all bluster and bravado, trying to show that he is a tough guy. In his words, “Get him out!”
1
Remember that it was a Republican-appointed Supreme Court majority that gave George Bush the presidency; that Robert Muller was a dedicated Republican and so is John Bolton. All these people are still dedicated to the basic principles that have been at the heart of Republicanism.
They are not Trump Republicans and probably believe that Trump is an aberration. But they also know that at this moment in time, the destruction of Trump would mean the destruction of their Republican party—some cancers are inoperable and have to be treated by other, less evasive means.
Everyone involved—Mulvaney, Pompeo, McConnell, etc,--could sink Trump, but to do so would destroy the party and they won’t do it.
Bolton’s testimony will like Muller’s report—titillating but not a killer.
Let's hear from Trump himself under oath. A lie detector won't help since Trump does not seem to know truth from lies or right from wrong. Let's get the big guy himself, the center of it all, to testify under oath.
DEMOCRACY DIES IN LIES.
The answer if the Republicans nullify the Constitution
And bear allegiance to Trump and American Evangelicals deny the truth is simple-DICTATORSHIP.
The once great American dream and Democracy is gone. The nation enters the graveyard of history and will never return.
1
I'm very nervous that the future viability of our Democracy might come down to what John Bolton may or may not say in testimony. This is the same Bolton who was OK with Bush and Cheney's lies about Saddam and WMD, right?
The Cover Up has been exposed - Time to give up the Charade Senators, and start calling witnesses.
By many accounts, Bolton an honorable and credible man who is willing to testify under oath.
Trump is a serial liar who is unwilling to testify under oath for fear of being charged with perjury. He prefers to spread his lies and conspiracy theories on Twitter, Fox and Friends and MAGA rallies, where there is little to no consequence for the deception.
Integrity matters. Truth matters. Senators, it is time to let the truth be told !
1
We are about to find out whether there are four honest Republican Senators in the country, or not.
1
The Defense lawyers say there is significant evidence that the Bidens are corrupt. Yet they do not sure any specific evidence! Where are their depositions? What is the specific accusation? It is well established that Joe Biden did not ask for a prosecutor to be fired because he was going after his son. Ukrainians can be bribed to say otherwise, but the records from the time are clear that this prosecutor was corrupt.
Citing one case of corruption which happens to involve your political rival is not proof of generally going after corruption. Stating there was no quid pro quo is not proof that there wasn't. The President is lying.
I'm still keeping my expectations low. I don't trust these Republicans as far as I can throw them.
All these guys - Bolton, Trump, Pompeo, Pence, Ross, Mnuchin, McConell, Graham etc. are liars. How then do you distinguish that one of them (in this case Bolton) might be saying the truth ? This is now a game of Liars Poker minus the statistics but with plenty of innuendo.
A simpler solution is to simply chuck them all out at the polls. Say NO to all these liars as opposed to just one of them.
1
‘The is far from over and Trump is well aware that the perfect phone call he claims to have made was far from perfect. Our Republic nearly collapsed as a result of this conniving man.
Trump alone is simply not smart enough to do this on his own.The cabal that assisted him in this naked grab for power and fame is simply too long to mention all but I would specifically like to single out three who I believe should head an ANTI founding father list that should be taught to future generations so their legacy will forever be tarnished and prevent this from happening again:Pompeo, McConnell and Pence- all three and whose desire to remain in power at all costs was more important to them than the public they represented.
Pompeo and many others for following blindly Trumps poor judgement simply to stay in power. McConnel for destroying the party of Lincoln by not representing his constituents in Kentucky or the will of the people but pandering to special interests groups who in turn reward him by contributing serious money to his campaign and lastly Mike Pence who used his far right right agenda as a crutch to remain relevant and pander to a man who was hardly religious to begin with. All these men simply wanted power at any cost and cost us it did in terms of collective moral fiber, standing in the world and simple human decency.
How fitting Trump stands to be replaced while still in office by the one thing he most despises- an intelligent woman, in this case Nancy Pelosi
1
He may have goods - but as an advisor to POTUS - he should have done the honourable thing of resigning and going public while he was still an employee.
I hope folks watched today's "Days of Impeachment"
Mr. Dershowitz et al - offered the best law and history classes money could buy.
Actually, they were free.
All made a persuasive case of why the POTUS should not be convicted.
Not for his sake but for the sake of our Republic.
As I have always believed though I am no legal scholar - that a pure partisan witch hunt dressed as shamimpeachment will lead to more congressional excesses.
As Prof Dershowitz proposed "shoe on other foot" rule says that Democrats should think twice before pulling this trigger.
Because unlike Ceasescu killing - this is a circular firing squad.
And as a Republican - I can guarantee that a conviction of this POTUS - when we have the power - the next Democrat will be convicted before his celebrated 100 days are over.
This is an exercise in political futility whether Bolton has goods or not.
But it is an exercise of deadly consequences to our system of government.
The truth is that even while living in his White House of Lies, Trump ('the most powerful man in the world') is deathly afraid of The Truth. One truth revealed will lead to another and another until the walls cave in on his white house of cards. And That's the truth.
1
Donald Trump claimed he could "stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" and not "lose any voters."
You know that's America's real problem: Trumps base, including a majority of the elected Senate.
There's no fix for this stupidity.
1
Trump will even get away with killing someone on Fifth Avenue, which will inevitably come next, since McConnell and his fellow enablers have eyes and ears firmly shut.
1
Gosh! Senator Lindsey Graham actually said that, way back in September? And that's exactly what happened! Someone once said to me: "The truth is like a bar, solid & firm." But what will they do w/this truth? Will it bring the Senate Chamber around to admitting, as Congress has rightfully concluded, that Trump needs to be removed, in that he has acted contrary to his country's interests, which are to insure a free & fair election, and to guarantee, as far as it is able to do so, the security of an ally, Ukraine, in the front-line battle against an aggressor, Russia, always trying to destabilize the West?
There comes a time when one has to admit to oneself "How stupid does the GOP think we are"? And the end soon beckons. And the more spurious arguments the GOP put forth , the more nails in their coffin will follow. Inevitable. Even the most skeptical begin to wonder.
It will come to the point that the GOP will soon have to distance itself from the GOP. How many high-ranking Republicans are untrustworthy fools, according to the GOP? Bolton seems to be one ...
Regardless of whether or not Trump actually intended a quid pro quo to investigate corruption for aid, which Ukrainian officials say he did not, it's not illegal. The Ukraine and the US literally have an agreement obligating such efforts to investigate corruption. Trump actually gave The Ukraine LETHAL weaponry. Well before this occurred. If all you folks were truly concerned about Ukraine, where were you when Obama not only stood idly by and allowed the Russians to invade them, but refused to give them lethal weaponry to defend their Homeland? Even after Obama declared to them that we would defend them?
What Senator Blunt said was essentially what Trump said, "I could walk out on 5th avenue and shoot someone and not lose any votes." There are some Senators who should be in prison instead of in Congress. Blunt, Inhofe, Kennedy, Cruz, and most of all McConnell.
1
A mock trial with no witnesses and fidgeting, dozing senators? My kingdom for a republican statesman! It strikes me how McConnell’s minions have forgotten what distinguishes bad guys from good guys. Bad guys believe the end justifies the means. Good guys believe the means matter just as much. Scorched earth tactics leave you with nothing but barren landscape. Pretty on-the-nose symbolism for Republican morality these days.
The charade that Republicans keep harping on is their transparent defense of lies, corruption and obstruction of justice.
What a shame where we are as a country. Everybody' looking to John Bolton. A man that would like to start wars with N Korea & Iran and lord knows who else. In my mind he is pretty much insane. I mean he was too much for even Trump. Bolton likes the attention, it makes him feel important. He wants to sell his book & he does have in for Trump. But on this he's telling the truth. Trump did it all, and they have said as much. Trump just didn't think it was anything wrong. He now has threatened witness & even Adam Schiff. All the crass & crazy things he's done. And it's all ok with McConnell and company. Great way for a President to conduct himself. And that goes for Pompeo & the whole crew.
I listened some to Congressmen Jefferies & Schiff, and it all made sense & I understood it. I listened to a couple lawyers today, I didn't understand what they were talking about. They were all over the place. None of it made any sense. I turned it off. It was pure nonsense.
1
This whole thing reminds me of the old line delivered by the cheating spouse caught in the act with a lover, “Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?” For a while, cognitive dissonance and power imbalance and financial dependence prevents us from admitting and accepting what we know to be true. “How could our President, whom we love, upon we depend, be so bad?” The Republican Senators are like abused spouses. I hope they wake up soon, believe what they see with their own eyes, and find the courage to leave this nightmare before they take us all down with them.
John Bolton has become the darling of the left and liberals because he is trying to take down President Trump. They had no use for him before and did not agree with his policies. All of that has changed since he has said unflattering things about our president. Once this trial is all over, they will drop their new best friend. That is how they operate.
Is John Bolton can be considered as a turncoat against his former boss in the White House? If I remember correctly only John Dean has betrayed president Nixon during the 1974 Watergate hearings. Nixon finally resigned in August, 1974. Why Bolton is doing this? Promoting his forthcoming book? Isn't this unethical? After all of these publicity, his book could be a best seller. Most decent Americans will not betray their bosses. What Bolton is going to do after this? TV talk show host? Bolton make America looks bad. So many news media in Asia already commenting about this impeachment soap opera. Democracy dies with too much freedom of expressions.
2
Whoever thought we'd see the day when John Bolton would be perceived as The Good Guy?! This is really the shocking measure of U.S. political degeneration.
1
I want to know if Mitch McConnell knew that the White House had a draft of this book. I really do.
1
The President, Pompeo, Mulvaney and his aides all need testify under oath.
Enough with the obstruction and lies.
Bolton has no standing other than as a military industrial complex war gadfly - vis-a-vis not credible. Plus, he’s got a big yap that he can’t control which is exactly why Trump exited Bolton - he couldn’t be trusted to keep his mouth shut. Once again, Trump did the right thing bu ditching Bolton, yet Bolton can’t get his yap under control. Originally a Goldwater protege, Bolton should have gone corporate once Goldwater retired.
1
There’s only one way out of this for the fearful Republicans of the Senate. They must ALL vote unanimously to call additional witnesses. That way no one is left hanging separately.
Donald J. Trump is a TRAITOR to the United States of America and will not defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. He is an enemy of our Constitution and We The People know this, watching a weak defense by Trump's lawyers.
If Senate Republicans do not question Bolton under oath as part of this trial, then they risk re-election in 2020 and beyond. Mitch McConnell has no one to thank for this travesty but his blind allegiance to a corrupt president whp pretends to be an autocrat.
1
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. With friends like John Bolton who needs enemies. President Trump made two mistakes. The first was hiring John Bolton and the second was not firing him sooner.
There's an old joke about how do you tell if a liar is lying. "When he opens his mouth". The same is true for Trump.
Anyone senator who is against the subpoenaing of witnesses and documentary evidence is simply voting in favor of dictatorship ("the president is above the law") and against the rule of law as defined in the U.S. Constitution. The 53 Republican Senators have responsibility to pursue the truth in this impeachment trial, as do the 47 Democrats. Let's stop playing stupid games and get on with it.
1
I have contacted Senators Alexander, Collins, Lee, Murkowsky, Portman and Romney urging them to be patriots and channel the late Senator John McCain and insist that the Senate hear from all relevant witnesses in the trial of the President. Do your duty, follow your oath and protect our democracy.
If you care about the future of our country please do the same.
To not inform senate republicans about the draft book looks like a typical Mitch McConnel strategy: just don't provide the information so nobody in the senate has to worry later of being caught as informed.
1
Why isnt America taking to the streets when their very democracy is at stake? Is the country really that indifferent to what's happening? Not listening carefully enough to Adam Schiffs warning words of 'being lost'? When there is a dark profile looming, with the contours of something quite undemocratically evil . When there is a party , in power, lying, cheating, denying every single truth, only in order to maintain that power and blindly follow their dictatorial leader. When there is a party, sunken so deep, which Senate members are acting so critically close to the lame puppets of the former Sovjet Politburo that the idea alone of having those people back, of having their puppeteer back in the WH is not only a sheer nightmare but a outright extremely dangerous perspective for the nation. For what will he, after acquittal and more revengeful than ever before, do to the democracy he uses for his own good? He will abuse it to the max, just like dictators do and he will try to stay in power longer , just as his role model and master puppeteer Poetin. If not taking it to the streets, I hope at least this trial will wake up enough Americans to make this nightmare go away before it becomes the truth for another 4 or more years. Otherwise indeed the US is lost.
1
The Republicans do NOT care about the rule of law, honor, honesty, our long-term allies, democracy, our country, the environment or the American people.
just an aside, how is it that the most senior judge in the supreme court is allowing his office to be used in this farce of a trial ? Surely silence [ passivity ] means consent to this travesty .Not only is congress being perverted but your own supreme court. what would happen to proceedings if the chief justice spat the dummy and walked out ?
1
Everybody has the goods on Trump. Trump and his "in crowd" have already spilled the beans.
Yet republicans want to turn away because they're frighten of Trump's Tweets.
These senators would never-ever do well in the military where you put you life on the line for your country...for your combat team.
Absolute cowards.
" Caesar's wife must be above suspicion" and so must be all the heads of Governments, including USA. Since there is a lot of doubt whether the President withheld aid to Ukraine or not , the Senate should call all those who are privy to such an information be called and asked to testify under oath so that the Jury can take a final call. Such a procedure, if the President is exonerated, will do a lot of good for the President in his bid to get elected for the second term
While the truth used to be the truth and the law used to be the law in this country, no amount of testimony given by anyone, including Bolton, will convince the lockstep Republicans to stand up for the future of our democracy and against a proven liar and his criminal behavior unless this group of spineless politicians is given bulletproof cover. That's what Bolton just might be able to pull off.
He's the last domino until November.
Meanwhile back at the White House the mouldering trancscript records that are at the heart of this matter remain in top secret lockdown. Let's have an inventory of those records please. I wouldn't want to see any get destroyed. Fair and impartial upholders of justice may actually need to "read the transcript' in order to fufill their solem oath of impartial justice.
1
(Corrected:) "President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine to benefit himself politically..."
Generally this amount is not stated so vaguely; rather, it's generally rounded to $400 million. It's worth being more specific ($400 million) in part because this just happens to be the amount (rounded down from $413 million) Trump inherited from his father, Fred Trump.
So $400 million is a number Trump is used to being able to casually play around with for his own benefit, a power conferred just as a privilege of being Donald J. Trump, just for being Donald J. Trump.
Trump as president is not just an elected government official; he is an emblem of our government and the ethical principles and aspirations it stands for and must promote.
When we scrutinize Trump basically toying with Ukraine's fate, its desperately needed $400 million military aid money as if this were Monopoly game currency to him, as if this were all a game, that's because it in a very real sense is that to Trump. He has lived his life as if were a human scale Monopoly game, because his particular privilege and upbringing trained him to that exact approach to life, bankrolling the arrogance and callousness of trifling with policy & real lives & countries as if they were his entertainments.
Rather than enable this behavior, the impeachment's progress & final conclusion must shock Trump out of it while protecting us & the world from such an obscene & dangerous reality.
3
“In a late-night tweet, Mr. Trump angrily denied Mr. Bolton’s allegations. “I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,” Mr. Trump wrote.” No one believes Trump anymore. He has lost all credibility. His time is over no matter how his Presidency ends.
There are obviously those who served in the White House who are in on the (normally secret) way our policies are shaped who have a vendetta against the President. They will say or do anything that will hurt him, his political party, his Administration in this "impeachment" happening.
And we are sure that same hatred has not motivated them to help our economic and military rival competitor countries so the President's initiatives are blunted?
We spent two years and $35 million in the Mueller investigation trying to prove that a foreign government "helped" the President get elected. Then another year re-purposing our House of Representatives into a continuous "hearings" session throwing hatred at the President and those who elected him.
But not one cent investigating if those who serve us in the government, elected or appointed or hired, have not been helping a foreign government to "prove" the President does not deserve the job???? We're hoping that disloyal cheaters who get rewarded for their attacks on our President are not getting rewarded even more by those countries who want us a second rate power?
Everything about our on going national tragedy is just sad. It's sad we have an incompetent crook as president, and sad we have such fair weather patriots in the Senate. But, what's somehow even sadder (or more frustrating) is watching the totally dysfunctional and unorganized opposition try to take on Trump. I subscribe to the NYT and WaPo. Everyday I get to read a revelatory article in one or both 'exposing' yet another of Trump's lies and predicting his immediate and subsequent downfall. It's not unlike watching a bunch of nerds on the schoolyard getting their lunch money taken every single day by the bully....and doing nothing to actually stop it....just crying for teacher.
Bolton will only add to what is obvious Trump did exactly what he is accused of doing.
Just think if Nancy Pelosi hadn't held off sending the articles over to the Senate while trying to negotiate a fair trial with McConnell. The trial would have been held and Trump acquitted by the Republicans before Bolton's manuscript came to light. Thanks Nancy!
Trump is guilty as charged. In any fair and impartial trial he would be convicted and removed from office along with most of his administration.
He is steeped in corruption as the leader of the most corrupt, authoritarian, and unconstitutional administration in our history. It is truly a White House of horrors abetted by a Republican Party devoid of honor and moral courage. They are all enemies to our Constitution and the ideals of a functioning Democracy!
Here’s a few candidates that are running against the Senate enablers. Please consider making a donation to their campaigns. Let’s get these enablers out of the Senate.
Amy McGrath running against Mitch McConnell
Jaime Harrison running against Lindsay Graham
Mark Kelly running against Martha McSally
Sara Gideon running against Susan Collins
MJ Hegar running against John Cornyn
1
"He [Bolton] says that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo admitted privately to him that he knew there was nothing to the theories regarding Ms. Yovanovitch, whom Mr. Trump fired last spring."
Say it isn't so! I cannot believe that Bible thumping Mike would do anything but tell truth to power.
Oh, what a secular age we live in, where there is no more true religion from Kansas to guide us!
Bolton won't be helpful enough. And I am worried that influential Democrats, like the Board, will mess everything up.
We know where this is headed, and we need to be ready to deal with the outcome. Bolstering the case is helpful, of course. But, in the end, Trump will survive and posture and posture. He will claim vindication, innocence, and bad faith on the part of the Democrats. And he won't shut up for a minute.
The Board has always adopted the worst strategy possible. They take Trump on, contesting every word.
By taking Trump on, the Board acts as if his nonsense needs to be confronted and proven wrong. They always act as if Trump's rambling is worthy of line-by-line discrediting.
By contesting Trump, the Board acts as if it needs to fight him in the trenches. The Board has never taken the view that we are above it all, and we should let Trump wallow in his own swamp.
Nobody with any sense thinks that the Republicans are voting in good faith. Everyone knows that Trump stepped over the line and he's getting a pass. So the best strategy is to let the facts speak for themselves. For once, we should just shut up and let Trump sink himself. Quibbling is self-defeating. When the matter is done with, Democrats should ignore Trump and let him jabber on and on.
From the day of the vote to the day of the election, we should let the evidence speak for itself. Silence will be golden. Lecturing to the people reeks of desperation and is a very bad idea.
1
Excellent Opinion piece. It makes all the essential points. Calling Republican politicians "craven" or "poltroons" would seem to be major understatements. They should be doing the responsible thing as part of their duties as representatives of the people and educate their constituents--apparently with a lot of bravery--rather than caving to fanatics in their base. Their actual choice otherwise continues to be a blot on their records, let along undermine the integrity of the whole system. I keep holding out hope for change because the majority of people who voted never wanted Trump. "It's the voter turnout, stupid" should be the rallying cry. The record turnout for a mid-term election that made significant changes is an example. I'm hoping for the same, in thinking that a widely broadcast evidence of Trump's guilt but Senate Republicans vote to acquit would be a political advertising bonanza for all non-Republican candidates. So, in any persistent malfeasance from Trump and his Republican ilk, VOTE them out, out, out.
1
I was shocked at the information about Mr. Biden presented by Mr. Trump's lawyers. He not only knew about the impropriety of his son's position with Burisma, he repeatedly refused the advice of aides that he denounce it, yelling and intimidating those around him who brought it up into silence. Per the Constitution, for an offence to be impeachable, it has to be actions contrary to the interests of the country. I can see now that it would be IN the interests of the country to find out about the Biden-Burisma issue. I want to know about Joe Biden's role. It is in the national interest, since he is running for office, to know about this matter. It's just not in the Democrat's interest. The Democrats whine that Mr. Trump used wrong channels to investigate the Burisma affair. That he should have opened an official investigation through the Attorney General or some such office. That would have been much worse, publicity wise, for Mr. Biden. But I hope such a forum is set up to look at the Biden-Burisma corruption after this impeachment is done.
2
Well you’ve convinced me. The republicans really are getting nervous.
1. By sticking together, Republican senators are claiming the impeachment process is partisan -- that is, the Democrats are being overtly partisan. They reason that since it's not bipartisan as those of Nixon and Clinton, this proceeding is invalid and destructive. Hogwash.
2. All senators took an oath to uphold the Constitution. They also took an oath to be impartial in the impeachment process. The bloc of Republican senators, by acting in concert, are showing an allegiance to the Republican Party -- or even to Trump -- over both the U.S. Constitution and their duties in the impeachment process. This is a conflict of interest.
Republican senators cannot perform the duties they have sworn to do. They are co-conspirators.
4
If Mr Bolton is not allowed to testify by the GOP majority in the US Senate , then we are lost as a democracy with three equal branches of government.
If Pompeo, Barr and Mulvaney do not appear before the Senate as witnesses, our democracy has lost its efforts to resist the chief executive's power bid.
I am not a left or far left democrat. I am very much a moderate who even supports many of this president's actions. But here, he has overstepped a moral line that he cannot step away from without serious wounds to the American democracy, as well as his own credibility. He'll never admit he did and said the abuses of power and obstruction of congress he has engaged in. However, one look at the long list of abuses he has publicly performed reveal him for what he is. An immoral, woman abusing, bullying, over reaching, bad example of what a president of the United States stands for. He cannot be permitted to get any with this and, despite his many actions I agree with (except for climate and water damage and bizarre fixation on our enemy Russia.
3
The Republicans are thinking only of the moment. Maintaining their gerrymandered districts, holding onto the Senate, and perpetuating their social and financial agendas that only help the few inside their tight-knit club. Lying, twisting the truth, and ignoring the best interests of even those they convince to vote for them is the best method to achieve sustained power to manipulate the judiciary and the executive branch. But, they are not thinking of the long-term. They are not thinking that even their own children will suffer the effects of climate change, a poorly maintained health system, inadequate public schooling, and public welfare. History is not something these few Republicans seem to care about as they commit fraud in the name of conservatism. The Republicans of the past would turn in their graves. I cannot imagine Howard Baker supporting these tactics. Bob Dole (not in a grave), the epitome of the right, hard-nosed, back-room brawler would never have stood in front of the US people and outright lied and mislead to get to his political goal. I may be naive, I admit. I know there have always been politicians who put their own personal needs above their communities, but those numbers were few- at least in the last 100 years. The Republicans helped take down McCarthy. They helped take down Nixon. Once a line was eventually crossed, we could rely on most in government to try and do right. History will look very poorly on McConnell, McCarthy, Trump, and their ilk.
4
Problem is that there is a mountain of evidence that Trump and a lot of other people need to be in jail, however, in this case the bullies win. Not only that Trump will get up and declare himself innocent of all charges, call democrats evildoers (if Sanders wins the nomination he will use the word socialist...) and go on to win another election.
Trump uses the smokescreen of controversy to push through the worst of the worst of his plans. While he is doing that I will be donating to Amy McGrath who is running against Mitch McConnell in the Senate, Jaime Harrison who is running against Lindsey Graham ,and still studying who's running against Nunes so I can donate to them.
I'll be placing my Amy Klobuchar yard sign out this weekend, and I call for an investigation into William Barr that goes back to the Iran Contra days until now. Time to get busy people...
9
You start your editorial with a misrepresentation in the second sentence. "Republican senators claimed that it was perfectly reasonble to put a United States president on trial without hearing from any witnesses...". The House managers presented loads of testimony from "witnesses" who appeared before them prior to voting on impeachment. That testimony presumably was sufficient for the House to vote or they would not have transmitted the articles without more. The Senate leadership has indicated that it would consider additional witnesses during their process, if needed. But don't insinuate that the Senate is voting without hearing from anyone.
1
Are juries told what witnesses would say or do they get evaluate a witness for themselves? Your comment shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the impeachment process. The House determines if there is proof to believe an impeachable offense has been committed and the Senate determines guilt and remedy. This is comparable to a grand jury and trial jury. Trial juries see proof and witnesses. A trial without it is absurd.
4
@TN Skeptic
An impeachment is not an absolute analog of a criminal jury trial. The Senate has stopped all business to consider these articles. By all means, if the senators feel they need to question witnesses who have already testified, they can do that. I personally believe that many of the witnesses Schiff and Nadler brought would not do well under further cross examination. However, what you have is the House demanding that the Senate do its bidding, and call witnesses who the House chose not to call in order to build their "iron-clad" case. And furthermore, they insist that the Senate may not call other witnesses (Hunter?) who might undermine their case.
Outstanding editorial. Thank you. Right matters and truth matters. America needs and deserves a fair trial. Senators, stop dithering and day-dreaming and do your deliberative duty that you have sworn under oath to perform. Bring on the witnesses and the documentary evidence. You can play it right or play it safe. Play it right. With respect, you too, Mr. Chief Justice.
7
All Congressional subpoenas, for both witnesses and documents, should be honored by the President, whether the Senate votes to convict him or not. Trump's doctrine of "absolute privilege" must be obliterated if we are to maintain the checks and balances in our Constitution.
4
John Bolton's word is not "the goods." He's not a well liked person to begin with and that's good for Trump. Next, Ukraine isn't well liked and that's also good for Trump. I think many if not most Americans would rather our tax dollars not be spent there. Finally, Trump's performance as president will matter. The economy has been doing very well and overall many Americans are happier today than they were in the summer of 2016. In the end, all of this is going to boil down to a matter of opinion if the preponderance of the evidence warrants forcing Trump from office. I doubt it will.
2
The economy is not doing well. The budget deficit is now one trillion, ballooning to that amount after Trump borrowed, over several years, much more than that amount and gave it to the rich. All but the wealthiest will have to pay that back. Meanwhile, economic growth is roughly two percent. The only bright spot is employment. There are lots of jobs. You can even work three of them.
13
We all knew that there would be repercussions stemming from having a delusional, reality challenged president. The US president has immense power and since Trump operates in his own imaginary world of conspiracy theories and wild conjecture, things were bound to go wrong.
Now is when you would hope that the rest of the government is sane and responsible enough to call a halt to this disastrous period in our country. But unfortunately all we have are traitorous Republicans spinning lie after lie to justify acquitting Trump.
It is difficult to see how the US escapes our current nightmare and goes back to being a functional democracy.
4
Bolton’s book is another event in the sequence that began with the whistleblower’s account of a single Trump phone call, which has the historical significance of the guard at the Watergate noticing and reporting that the door latches had been taped. One must consider how many other unethical and perhaps illegal transactions Trump has committed in the past three years that will come to light in the coming months. Secondly, how much longer will McConnell and Republicans work to cover up Trump’s destructive behavior. Republicans will pay a huge price for their blind support in November.
25
Trump will not be removed from office. The Senate is dominated by Republicans and therefore Trump will not be convicted by the necessary 2/3 majority of senators. The trial may, however, emphasize the evidence and result in Trump's defeat in the November 2020 election.
19
With gerrymandering, prevention of voting rights and their likely complicity in Russian interference we don’t have a chance.
1
@Dave Steffe A shame that "Trump's defeat" could not come from the Democrats putting their amazing Best and Brightest as candidates instead of the lightweights on that pathetic "debate" stage.
1
@Dave Steffe - well then, this is a partisan political exercise to defeat a sitting President in a coming election.
1
We also thought Mueller had the goods too. We also think we are going to find four good Republicans to require witnesses to be called.I wouldn't bet my house on a Republican having the spine to bring down Trump.It is going to come down to the old fashioned way of giving Trump a pink slip at the ballot box. Bolton has never got this must attention in his life.
13