'GAME OVER,' Trump declares, as old Bolton, Schiff videos surface amid Senate impeachment trial By Gregg Re | Fox News Barack Obama questions John Bolton's judgment at Senate confirmation hearing April 11, 2005: Then-Senator Barack Obama questions John Bolton on the first day of his Senate confirmation hearing to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. A string of newly resurfaced video clips of former national security adviser John Bolton spurred President Trump and his supporters Wednesday to highlight what they described as serious credibility questions -- raised by both Democrats and Republicans -- amid the Senate impeachment trial, as the president tweeted, "GAME OVER!" In his tweet, Trump linked to an interview of Bolton in August 2019 where he discusses Ukraine policy. In the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty interview clip, Bolton made no mention of any illicit quid pro quo, and acknowledged, as Republicans have claimed, that combating "corruption" in Ukraine was a "high priority" for the Trump administration. Bolton also called Trump's communications with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "warm and cordial," without mentioning any misconduct. It seemingly contradicted reported assertions in Bolton's forthcoming book that Trump explicitly told him he wanted to tie military aid to Ukraine to an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden. (Zelensky has said his communications with Trump involved no pressure for any investigation.) Separately, Fox News has identified clips of Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., now the lead House impeachment manager, in which he says Bolton had a distinct "lack of credibility" and was prone to "conspiracy theories." This week, Schiff said Bolton needed to testify in the impeachment trial as an important and believable witness. "This is someone who's likely to exaggerate the dangerous impulses of the president toward belligerence, his proclivity to act without thinking, and his love of conspiracy theories," Schiff told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on March 22, 2018, when Trump named Bolton national security adviser. "And I'll, you know, just add one data point to what you were talking about earlier, John Bolton once suggested on Fox News that the Russian hack of the DNC [Democratic National Committee] was a false flag operation that had been conducted by the Obama administration," he said. "So, you add that kind of thinking to [former U.S. attorney] Joe diGenova and you have another big dose of unreality in the White House." Schiff made similar arguments back in May 2005, saying in an interview with CNN's "Crossfire" that Bolton was "more focused on the next job than doing well at the last job" when he was up for nomination as ambassador to the United Nations under then-President George W. Bush. "And particularly given the history, where we've had the politicizing of intelligence over WMD [weapons of mass destruction], why we would pick someone who the very same issue has been raised repeatedly, and that is John Bolton's politicization of the intelligence he got on Cuba and other issues, why we would want someone with that lack of credibility, I can't understand," Schiff had said. 'COUP HAS STARTED,' UKRAINE WHISTLEBLOWER'S ATTORNEY PROMISED IN 2017, VOWING TO IMPEACH AND 'GET RID OF' TRUMP Then-Sen. Barack Obama, in 2005, echoed those arguments, calling Bolton "damaged goods" whose appointment as ambassador means "we will have less credibility and ironically be less equipped to reform the United Nations in the way that it needs to be reformed." Obama separately had said that Bolton "bullies, marginalizes and undermines those who do not agree with him." Other prominent Democrats agreed with him at the time. Bolton himself had admitted in the past that he would be more than willing to lie if he felt it was in the nation's best interest. “If I had to say something I knew was false to protect American national security, I would do it," Bolton said in an interview with Fox Business in 2010. Nevertheless, Democrats' sudden about-face has been drawing some light mockery from even left-of-center commentators. "Democrats are currently begging Mitt Romney to agree with them that John Bolton should swoop to the impeachment trial and save the day, but remember: you're a despicable Trump-loving apologist if you said ahead of time that this entire thing would be a joke," mused journalist Michael Tracey. Whether or not the Senate will vote to call Bolton as a witness -- or whether he will legally be able to testify -- remain open questions. Republicans have suggested that Schiff himself should testify over his inconsistent statements concerning his panel's contacts with the whistleblower at the center of the impeachment probe. Any witness resolution would likely require four Republican defections in the Senate, because in the event of a 50-50 tie, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts is highly likely to abstain rather than assert his debatable power to cast a tie-breaking vote. The witness question will be decided later this week, after the question-and-answer session of the trial wraps up. Republicans, who have a 53-47 majority in the chamber, have suggested to Fox News that they would amend any witness resolution that subpoenas Bolton to also require the appearance of several additional witnesses favorable to the Trump administration -- likely killing support in the Senate for the whole witness package altogether. In the meantime, concerns over Bolton potentially divulging classified information, as well as violating the legal principle of executive privilege, have emerged. On Wednesday, the White House revealed it had told Bolton not to publish his upcoming tell-all book about his time in the Trump administration until classified material is removed from the manuscript. “Under federal law and the nondisclosure agreements your client signed as a condition for gaining access to classified information, the manuscript may not be published or otherwise disclosed without the deletion of this classified information,” Ellen J. Knight, a National Security Council (NSC) aide, wrote in a letter to Bolton attorney Charles J. Cooper last week, which was obtained by Fox News. Bolton’s book has disrupted Trump’s impeachment trial. The New York Times reported that Bolton's draft manuscript includes a claim that Trump explicitly linked a hold on military aid to Ukraine to an investigation of Joe and Hunter Biden -- a central part of the case against Trump. The letter from the NSC was transmitted to Bolton’s attorney on Jan 23. The New York Times article about the manuscript came out on Sunday, Jan. 26 -- three days after the letter was transmitted. That indicates that the NSC had already made the determination that there was top secret information in Bolton’s manuscript before anything became public. Earlier in the day, CNN reported that the letter amounted to a threat against Bolton. But sources told Fox News this was not a “threat,” saying the letter merely points out that there is top secret information contained in the manuscript that cannot be released to the public. “Based on our preliminary review, the manuscript appears to contain significant amounts of classified information,” Knight wrote to Bolton’s attorney. The letter goes on to say that the NSC is happy to work with Bolton to get the information into a form that can be published. “The manuscript remains under review in order for us to do our best to assist your client by identifying the classified information within the manuscript, while at the same time ensuring that publication does not harm the national security of the United States,” Knight wrote. She added: “We will do our best to work with you to ensure your client’s ability to tell his story in a manner that protects U.S. national security.” "It is my opinion, based on the law and facts, that additional testimony is unnecessary in this case," Graham said in a statement. “For the sake of argument, one could assume everything attributable to John Bolton is accurate and still the House case would fall well below the standards to remove a president from office." That was the argument advanced by Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz in his primetime defense of the president during the impeachment trial on Monday. Graham continued: “It is clear to me that there is ample evidence for the President to be concerned about conflicts of interest on behalf of Hunter Biden and that Vice President Joe Biden’s failure to take appropriate action was unacceptable. This combination, in my view, undercut America’s message on reforming corruption in Ukraine. There is a mountain of evidence to suggest the Bidens’ behavior was harmful to the United States. The House managers’ claim that the sole reason President Trump temporarily paused the aid was purely personal and political, not public, does not withstand scrutiny."
Conway: Trump critics react like ‘ants on a sugar cube’ to each new development in impeachment trial By Charles Creitz | Fox News Kellyanne Conway: If you disagree with the president's policies, run for president White House counselor Kellyanne Conway criticized the Democrats' impeachment trial of President Trump and said every time a new alleged revelation or purported key figure emerges, the left's attention is suddenly completely drawn to that person. Conway told "The Ingraham Angle" on Wednesday that the most recent 'sugar cube' is former National Security Advisor John Bolton. She said that Lead Impeachment Manager Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has turned to holding up Bolton's purported bombshell of a manuscript for his new book as evidence the ex-Bush ambassador must be called to testify in Trump's trial. "I have not seen the manuscript or seen the book," she said. "I think Adam Schiff and the managers are stuck quoting a book we haven't seen and our lawyers are quoting the Constitution, we win -- and it could be wrapped up by this weekend." "I can't believe how people are like ants on a sugar cube every time there's a new person --or a new bombshell," Conway said. Conway added that resurfaced tape of Bolton praising Trump's relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on August 29, 2019, is "terrific" because it shows the situation in a different light than some critics have tried to portray. "I will be meeting President Zelensky, he and President Trump have spoken twice. The president called to congratulate President Zelensky on his election and on his success in the parliamentary election. They were warm and cordial calls. They were hoping they would be able to meet in Warsaw [and] have a few minutes together," Bolton told Radio Free Europe. Host Laura Ingraham played a video from 2010 of Bolton telling Fox News senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano that he doesn't believe he "knowingly" lied to protect national security. "I don't think so knowingly, but I certainly am able to spin things -- and a good diplomat is able to spin things just like American politicians," he told Napolitano on Fox Business Network. "You would lie in order to preserve the truth?" Napolitano asked. "If I had to say something I knew was false to protect American national security, I would do it," Bolton replied. In response, Conway said of his August 2019 interview that she did not hear Bolton talking about the Bidens or any alleged nefarious activity as referenced by Democrats in Congress.
According to Dershowitz, Trump engaged in quid pro quo, but that's perfectly okay because: All politicians believe that they're the best for their constituents Therefore, Trump believes his re-election is in the country's best interests Therefore, anything he does to win re-election must be, as far as he's concerned, in the country's best interests Thus, he wasn't abusing his power, he was leveraging Ukraine in the country's best interests because harming his political rival helps his re-election which, as demonstrated, is in the country's best interests The mental gymnastics are getting desperate. Dershowitz's logic suggests that murdering one's political rivals isn't an abuse of power, since it advances the President's re-election--which is in the nation's best interests in the mind of the President.
ALL THE WITNESSES: Ok we all agree. This is what happened. REPUBLICANS: None of you were in the room! BOLTON: *raises hand* Well I was in the... REPUBLICANS: Who asked you?! Shut up! You’re a liberal pawn! BOLTON: Um... I’m actually I’m a lifelong Republican and I was literally Trump’s national security advi... REPUBLICANS: Shut your mustache! Somebody bring back the first national security advisor. FLYNN: *in orange jumpsuit* Hey sorry guys I’m in jail lol. REPUBLICANS: What? Why? FLYNN: For lying to the FBI about the Russia investigation. REPUBLICANS: Well what idiot told you to do that?! FLYNN: The Pres... REPUBLICANS: Shut up! No one believes either of you! KELLY: *raises hand* I believe them. And I was Trump’s Chief of sta... REPUBLICANS: Shut up! Let’s talk to the current chief of staff. Who is he? MULVANEY: *raises hand* It’s me. Sort of. Well, I'm the act... REPUBLICANS: Shit. Never mind. PARNAS: *raises hand* I was also in the room. In fact, here’s a cell phone video of the President saying that... REPUBLICANS: Wait what?! How in hell did you sneak a cell phone into a meeting with the President? PARNAS: It was easy I just walked right in and... REPUBLICANS: Shut up! You’re a criminal! PARNAS: Correct. So I just walked right into... TRUMP: I don’t know him. PARNAS: And here’s 500 pictures of me with the President because we’re besties. REPUBLICANS: Wait... What idiot introduced you to the President?? PARNAS: His personal lawyer. REPUBLICANS: Cohen?? COHEN: *also in orange jumpsuit* Hey no sorry guys I’m in jail too. Oops. REPUBLICANS: Why? COHEN: For campaign finance violations. REPUBLICANS: Whose campaign? COHEN: The Pres... REPUBLICANS: Shut up! Who was the campaign chair?? MANAFORT: *also in orange jumpsuit* Yeah. Me. Also in jail. Heyyyy. REPUBLICANS: IS EVERYBODY IN JAIL?!? PARNAS: It was Giuliani. YOVANOVITCH: Giuliani! That’s the guy who had me fired from my job! REPUBLICANS: Who are you?? YOVANOVITCH: I was the ambassador to Ukraine. REPUBLICANS: Wait, you had her fired? Do you work for the government?? GIULIANI: Nope. But I figured no one really follows any rules around here so... REPUBLICANS: Well who is the ambassador to the European Union?? SONDLAND: *raises hand* It's me. I was also in the roo... REPUBLICANS: F@$&!!! PUTIN: *rubs his bare chest*
The fact this is All truthful is the best thing ever. Good god we have the dumbest president ever. The worst ever.
It might be that in August of 2019 Bolten and his lawyer were still undecided on the legality of revealing any government secrets about the Presidential-Ukraine quid pro quo.
Minstrel took the words off my keypad. By Dershowitz logic, Watergate was not impeachable because Nixon did it to get re-elected. Ironically, Nixon would have won the election without cheating, unlike Trump.
Trump lawyer said he was right to withhold aid, because ever since he announced candidacy he was concerned about using tax dollars responsibly. Like for his golf outings. He is so fiscally responsible that the debt is the highest in history. In the past boom times debt and deficit declined, but tax cuts for the rich are more important. Senator Alexander said House managers proved their case but illegal acts not impeachable.
So sez Trump: "For a guy who couldn’t get approved for the Ambassador to the U.N. years ago, couldn’t get approved for anything since, 'begged' me for a non Senate [sic] approved job, which I gave him despite many saying 'Don’t do it, sir,' takes the job, mistakenly says 'Libyan Model' on T.V., and ... many more mistakes of judgement [sic], gets fired because frankly, if I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now, and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes a nasty & untrue book," Trump tweeted. "All Classified National Security. Who would do this?"
Even more parts of Bolton's book are surfacing...Pat Cipollone who is Trump's White House Council and part of Trump's defense team was present at meeting where Trump was discussing Ukraine scheme...he's not only trying to conceal Trump's knowledge but is also trying to conceal his own knowledge. Also, Bolton claims that Trump directed him to help with Ukraine scheme in EARLY MAY...can't make this shit up.
And with this the GoP has officially chosen party over everything just like everyone assumed they would. Gotta say I really love seeing the Presidents Lawyers essentially argue fascism in Trumps defense. Heres to hoping everyone who didn't want witnesses gets voted out next time they are up for election and that the Turtle gets voted out so maybe the House and Senate can actually get something done.
