BREAKING: Rep. ENGEL reveals that BOLTON called him in September and told him to look into the Marie Yovanovitch ouster.
The committees had already started an investigation into Ukraine matters, but Bolton appears to have supported their effort. >>>
The committees had already started an investigation into Ukraine matters, but Bolton appears to have supported their effort. >>>
FIRST QUESTION: From Collins/Murkowski/Romney wondering what to do if Trump sought a personal benefit but *also* had an anti-corruption motive in asking Ukraine to investigate Biden.
Trump's attorneys say House case requires that personal benefit is *only* motive.
Trump's attorneys say House case requires that personal benefit is *only* motive.
SCHIFF makes clear that he's going to use his answers today to hammer on Republicans to call Bolton if they havce any doubt about the case.
"Don't wait for the book," he implores them.
"Don't wait for the book," he implores them.
FOLLOW THE Q&A: Here's our running list of the questions, the answers and why they matter.
w/ @AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn
politico.com/news/2020/01/2…
w/ @AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn
politico.com/news/2020/01/2…
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn Kind of a wild one from Dershowitz: He says a president ,aking policy actions to benefit his reelection would be totally fine — bc the president views his reelection as in the public interest.
None of the president's allies ahve made this argument so far. politico.com/news/2020/01/2…
None of the president's allies ahve made this argument so far. politico.com/news/2020/01/2…
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn This is a good point here. The maximum extrapolation of Dershowitz's argument could lead to this:
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn Trump lawyers say calling witnesses would stop Seante business for weeks or months.
But during Clinton trial, depositions happened off the floor and Senate business continued. For example: congress.gov/congressional-…
But during Clinton trial, depositions happened off the floor and Senate business continued. For example: congress.gov/congressional-…
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn In fact, the Senate recessed the court of impeachment for days at a time while witnesses were handled by the attorneys and a small subset of senators.
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn Under the president's legal theory (via Dershowitz), if Trump said to Zelensky: "Please investigate Joe Biden purely to hurt him so I can get reelected," that would permissible.
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn PHILBIN deflects when asked by Collins and Murkowski if Trump ever mentioned Hunter or Joe Biden prior to April 2019. He says he can't point to anywhere in the House's record and isn't allowed to look outside it.
Except that his team just did that in referencing public reports.
Except that his team just did that in referencing public reports.
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn And Schiff just rebutted this, noting that the president's team is more than welcome to call witnesses who can speak to this and supplement the record — they don't need senators to simply guess or infer.
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn SCHIFF delivered his most forceful response to claims that he or his staff worked with the whistleblower or had anything to do with his complaint.
“The conspiracy theory…that the whistleblower colluded with the Intel Committee staff…is a complete and total fiction,” he said.
“The conspiracy theory…that the whistleblower colluded with the Intel Committee staff…is a complete and total fiction,” he said.
@AndrewDesiderio @dsamuelsohn Schiff added that some of his staff feared for their safety because of attacks on the committee.
"It really grieves me to see them smeared," he said.
"It really grieves me to see them smeared," he said.
