Trump impeachment trial: Senators seek answers on John Bolton, Ukraine aid timing and the president’s motives

To vote against hearing from Bolton, who vowed he was willing to testify if subpoenaed, goes against the Senate’s obligation to act as an “impartial juror” in the trial, Schiff argued.

The House managers say that they have already made a compelling case for removing Trump. But they have also pushed throughout the process for new witnesses and documents to be brought into the Senate, arguing Wednesday that the trial itself would be incomplete without testimony from key witnesses such as Bolton.

“If you have any lingering questions about direct evidence … there is a way to shed additional light on it,” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., told the Senate on Wednesday. “You can subpoena Ambassador Bolton and ask him that question directly.”

The White House refused to hand over any documents and pressured potential witnesses not to comply with the House during its impeachment probe.

But some of the witnesses who did comply described Bolton as being concerned about the president’s Ukraine dealings. Ex-White House official Fiona Hill told the House that Bolton was so disturbed by the efforts to get Ukraine to announce investigations that he called it a “drug deal.”

And on Sunday, The New York Times reported Bolton’s claim in his upcoming memoir that Trump himself told Bolton he was tying a military aid package to Ukraine with the probes he sought.

After Schiff answered Schumer’s question, another senator simply asked Trump’s lawyers for a response, prompting chuckles from the chamber.

Philbin took to the podium, arguing that it was the House’s role, not the Senate’s, to coerce Bolton’s testimony.

“They didn’t even try to get his testimony,” Philbin claimed, even though the House did ask Bolton to testify in its inquiry. Bolton refused to voluntarily appear before the House at that time; he was not subpoenaed.

Philbin argued that the House’s rush-job would set a bad precedent for the Senate should have to deal with future impeachments.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/29/trump-impeachment-trial-senate-questions-defense-and-house-managers.html