The lawyers need to also testify under oath.This is terribly inconvenient for Republican senators who are frantically searching for ways to vote against hearing from Trump’s former national security adviser and any others who can shed fresh light on Trump’s corrupt conduct.
[...]
[N]ow we have Bolton prepared to testify that Trump himself directly confirmed to him [what Ambassador Sondland testified to in the House hearings], wrecking the “hearsay” defense [against Sondland's testimony]. If Bolton were lying, you’d think Trump would want him to testify under oath, since Bolton’s account is set to appear in a book. Unless the game is to prevent his testimony to the Senate before the vote on Trump’s fate.
[...]
Bolton’s lawyer says he provided the manuscript to the White House on Dec. 30, 2019, for classification review — nearly a month ago.
Importantly, the Times reports that the manuscript might have given Trump’s lawyers a preview of what Bolton would testify.
[...]
Ned Price, a National Security Council official from 2014 to 2017, told me that internal declassification processes in such cases suggest it’s likely Trump’s legal team did indeed access Bolton’s manuscript.
Bolton’s lawyer submitted it to the Records Management Directorate in the White House. Price pointed out that the White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, is leading Trump’s impeachment defense, which likely means Cipollone did get his hands on it.
WaPo
More obstruction of Congress.It also intensified concerns among some of his advisers that they needed to block Mr. Bolton from testifying, according to two people familiar with their concerns.
Trump’s lawyers have claimed at his trial that “not a single witness” has “testified” to “any connection” between the aid and the investigations. This weasel language is telling: If it’s true that no witness has testified to this, it’s precisely because Trump blocked witnesses who could testify to it, such as Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
We now know Bolton actually would testify to this.
[...]
[T]here is no longer any denying that any GOP senator who goes along with this is willfully and knowingly carrying Trump’s coverup to completion.
When it comes to hearing new witnesses and evidence, GOP senators have no arguments left. And no one is obliged to pretend there’s a shred of legitimacy to whatever excuses they do offer.
More obstruction...
They can do something about that.
Or have your chance to defend yourself at trial?
...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.
UPDATE:
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