https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/mcconnell-would-force-deal-on-witnesses-if-pushed/
[NB: I say, no deal now. I would have made this deal a few days ago when it seemed to be the only way to get Bolton in. But now that it is inevitable that they are going to have to bring in Bolton, it's obvious that McConnell and Graham and others are trying to salvage something out of it for their side. Plus, a "one for one" deal will be used as a reason not to bring in anyone else, no matter what Bolton says. The thing to do now is to have a vote on each witness, up or down, and force Repubs into voting one way or the other on each.
Having said that, here's why the Dems shouldn't be afraid of bringing in Hunter Biden if it comes to that: yes, it's an irrelevant distraction on impeachment -- but Lindsey F. Graham is going to subpoena him anyway in the Judiciary Committee. If there's a problem for Hunter (and Joe) it's going to come out one way or another -- and if it's a problem, better to find out now, before a nomination choice has to be made.]
A desperate last-ditch ploy from the Repubs to keep Bolton from testifying
https://www.thedailybeast.com/worried-democratic-operatives-scramble-to-fund-a-network-to-take-down-bernie-sanders
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) . . . proposed Tuesday that Bolton’s manuscript be given to the senators in a classified setting for individual review. He also urged Bolton to speak out publicly about his experiences — just not in the Senate. “I think getting that information first-hand would be really important for us,” Lankford said, per the Oklahoman. “My encouragement would be: If John Bolton’s got something to say, there’s plenty of microphones all over the country that he should step forward and start talking about it right now.”
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914613/-Lindsey-Graham-supports-scheme-to-review-Bolton-manuscript-in-secret-prevent-witnesses-at-trial
The idea of a secret review of the manuscript offers Republicans several attractive options. First, they can emerge from the classified setting to declare that there’s no there there, no matter what’s actually contained in the text. Second, they can condemn Bolton’s text as a money grab . . . Finally, Bolton’s manuscript can be cherry-picked for both complimentary statements about Trump and derogatory comments about Democrats. . . . But most of all, expect Graham and other Republicans to claim that, after reviewing the manuscript, they find no reason for Bolton to answer any more questions. Especially when Trump is going to fight Bolton’s appearance.
[NB: This can't work. How do they argue against questioning him under oath? In what way are reading a book manuscript or public interviews -- if Bolton even agreed to do them -- a substitute for formal testimony?]
Trump's own lawyer nixes it: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-bolton-book-impeachment-trial_n_5e3087eec5b6cd99e784da8d
“You can’t impeach the president on an unsourced allegation,” Jay Sekulow, one of Trump’s personal lawyers, told senators on Tuesday, calling the manuscript of the upcoming book “inadmissible.” . . . By calling into question the veracity of Bolton’s account during the trial, however, Trump’s lawyers may be bolstering the case for calling him to testify. . .
Bolton's book title comes from "Hamilton" -- The Room Where It Happened. Here's another line from "Hamilton" -- You don't have the votes, you don't have the votes
https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/mcconnell-doesnt-have-the-votes-to-block-witnesses/
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) privately told his caucus that he does not have the votes to block new witnesses or documents at President Trump’s impeachment trial, the Wall Street Journal reports. . . .
More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/senate-republicans-see-bolton-bombshells-and-contemplate-doing-nothing
[NB: The wording here is so revealing: McConnell is seeking votes to BLOCK witnesses.]
WH threatens senators: don't even BOTHER asking for witnesses -- because we'll just say No
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/28/trump-bolton-impeachment-senate-107988
More from Bolton's book
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/01/bolton-book-barr-trump-personal-favors-autocrats-china-turkey-president-xi-jinping-erdogan.html
Bolton and Barr . . . both expressed concern about Trump’s behavior when dealing with autocrats, particularly Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Xi Jinping of China. Bolton said he told Barr that Trump’s behavior amounted to “effectively granting personal favors” to the leaders. Bolton said Barr responded that Trump appeared to make promises to interfere with independent DOJ investigations into Turkish and Chinese companies at the behest of the two leaders. . . .
More: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914608/-Most-information-leaks-out-showing-Bolton-s-book-skewers-Trump-on-his-fondness-for-dictators
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914628/-Bolton-book-highlights-another-action-from-Trump-that-demands-investigation
Here come the all-out attacks on Bolton
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/wh-accuses-bolton-of-selling-out-potential-national-security-with-bombshell-book
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham . . . “Here’s a man who purports to care about the national security of this country,” Grisham said after the Times’ report came out. “And to leave the White House and immediately go write a book, it’s really disappointing.” . . . “How much does it cost to sell out potential national security in your country?” Grisham asked.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-john-bolton-book-revelations-backstabber_n_5e30d9a4c5b6cd99e7855e47
Rudy Giuliani Goes After John Bolton For Book Revelations: ‘He’s A Backstabber’
[NB: Isn't this an acknowledgment that the revelations are true?]
In Fox World: https://crooksandliars.com/2020/01/who-knew-john-bolton-was-tool-radical-left
Who Knew John Bolton Was A 'Tool' For The Radical Left And Deep State?
The mystery deepens: who had access to Bolton's book? Who leaked it?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914589/-Bolton-s-team-denies-leaking-his-book-contends-White-House-made-copies-of-book
Yes, she did
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/28/joe-biden-joni-ernst-iowa-107503
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Monday evening said Sen. Joni Ernst had “spilled the beans” after the Iowa Republican gleefully suggested that the Senate impeachment debate surrounding the former vice president could hinder his performance in her state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses next week. . . .
In other investigation news . . .
The "Spaghetti Against the Wall" Defense
https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/trumps-spaghetti-against-the-wall-defense/
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914595/-Poppycock-pettifogging-and-foul-calumny-Trump-s-team-tries-it-all-in-Senate-trial
More: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914591/-Tuesday-in-impeachment-Trump-s-defense-team-closes-out-opening-argumentsBut it’s generally expected that they won’t use all their time. This makes sense: Since they’re not spending meaningful time on the facts or evidence, every hour of defense arguments is another hour of repetition of the same lies and conspiracy theories and spurious constitutional claims . . .
https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/trumps-spaghetti-against-the-wall-defense/
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914595/-Poppycock-pettifogging-and-foul-calumny-Trump-s-team-tries-it-all-in-Senate-trial
More: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914591/-Tuesday-in-impeachment-Trump-s-defense-team-closes-out-opening-argumentsBut it’s generally expected that they won’t use all their time. This makes sense: Since they’re not spending meaningful time on the facts or evidence, every hour of defense arguments is another hour of repetition of the same lies and conspiracy theories and spurious constitutional claims . . .
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/facing-daunting-facts-trump-lawyer-pushes-even-if-true-defense
Facing daunting facts, Trump lawyer pushes ‘even if true’ defense . . . In a way, reaching this point was probably inevitable. The initial defense from Trump and his allies was that the president did not do what he was accused of doing. But as the mountain of uncontested documentary evidence grew, and the facts pointed in an incriminating direction, the original line proved untenable. It had to be replaced with a defense that accommodated the truth. Which, naturally, led to the “even if true” defense – a line that effectively says that even if Trump is guilty of what he’s been accused of, it simply doesn’t matter. . . .
The final wrap-up from the defense
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914620/-Impeachment-trial-opening-arguments-come-to-a-close-Live-coverage-1
Philbin “wouldn’t presume to elaborate” on Dershowitz’s presentation on abuse of power … then goes on to elaborate on Dershowitz’s presentation on abuse of power. Which makes it seem that the faith in Dershowitz’s evening ramble through name-checking founders wasn’t viewed as all that effective. . . .
That's all folks! https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914621/-Impeachment-trial-opening-arguments-come-to-a-close-Live-coverage-2
Alan Dershowitz is a fraud
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/a-few-thoughts-of-a-critical-nature-on-the-self-regarding-buffoon-alan-dershowitz
Who's paying for Trump's defense lawyers? Trump? Don't make me laugh!
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914639/-Who-s-paying-for-Trump-s-impeachment-defense-Republican-donors-yet-again
The next phase is questions to the lawyers from the Senators, alternating Dem and Repub, answers limited to 5 minutes. This phase will take two days
https://www.thedailybeast.com/20-tough-questions-senate-democrats-need-to-ask-donald-trumps-lawyers
20 Tough Questions Senate Democrats Need to Ask Donald Trump’s Lawyers
More questions: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/questions-trump-impeachment-trial-108238
Lindsey F. Graham is nothing if not "flexible." Just four days ago he was saying that he would oppose a subpoena for Hunter Biden. Now he is calling for subpoenas for BOTH Bidens, and the whistleblower, and a DNC staffer that nobody has ever heard of
Before: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/479779-lindsey-graham-will-oppose-subpoena-of-hunter-biden
Now: https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/graham-says-there-are-51-votes-to-call-bidens-whistleblower/
Wow
https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/feinstein-may-vote-to-acquit-trump/
“Just after President Trump’s defense lawyers ended arguments in their Senate trial Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) became the first Democrat to suggest that she could vote to acquit him, despite serious concerns about his character,” the Los Angeles Times reports. Said Feinstein: “Nine months left to go, the people should judge. We are a republic, we are based on the will of the people — the people should judge. That was my view and it still is my view.”
Three more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/28/trio-democratic-senators-consider-acquit-trump-108130
In other news . . .
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/01/28/a-story-that-shows-how-this-white-house-rolls-488170
Trump just isn't into sharing credit . . . or modesty . . . or honesty
"It’s amazing what I’ve done, the most of any President in the first three years (by far) . . ."
Trump releases his Middle East Peace Plan -- what he calls "The Deal of the Century"
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21100068/trump-peace-plan-israel-palestine-netanyahu-gantz
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21100068/trump-peace-plan-israel-palestine-netanyahu-gantz
It’s likely dead on arrival. . . . [I]t essentially ignores all of the Palestinians’ desires, as the plan was drafted with no input from the Palestinian side. It’s pretty hard to make a historic deal when one side isn’t part of the negotiations. . . .It’s a moment that crystallizes just how far the US has gone to align itself with Israel’s right wing under Trump, and how little the president has cared about actually crafting a serious, feasible peace deal. Here are some of the key points, as outlined by the White House:
- The Vision provides for a demilitarized Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel, with Israel retaining security responsibility west of the Jordan River.
- Over time, the Palestinians will work with United States and Israel to assume more security responsibility as Israel reduces its security footprint.
- Neither Palestinians nor Israelis will be uprooted from their homes.
- Israel has agreed to a four-year land freeze to secure the possibility of a two-state solution.
- Jerusalem will stay united and remain the capital of Israel, while the capital of the State of Palestine will be Al-Quds and include areas of East Jerusalem
- Palestinian refugees will be given a choice to live within the future State of Palestine, integrate into the countries where they currently live, or resettle in a third country.
The president added this could be "the last opportunity" for a Palestinian state. His explanation was that he had put together a strong team "who love the United States and they love Israel." . . . Netanyahu is looking for a green light to use Trump's plan as a basis to immediately annex parts of the West Bank.
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21112558/kushner-peace-plan-israel-palestine-settlements-cnn-jazeera
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21112558/kushner-peace-plan-israel-palestine-settlements-cnn-jazeera
Jared Kushner, architect of Trump’s Middle East peace plan, still doesn’t get it
[NB: The Boy Genius comes up with another sure winner.]
Analysis: https://www.vox.com/world/2020/1/28/21111890/trump-israel-palestine-peace-plan-deal-century-apartheid
[NB: The Boy Genius comes up with another sure winner.]
Analysis: https://www.vox.com/world/2020/1/28/21111890/trump-israel-palestine-peace-plan-deal-century-apartheid
Donald Trump’s “peace plan” isn’t a plan for advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. It’s a plan for scuttling them. . . . [read on]
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21083615/trump-peace-plan-map-netanyahu-israel-palestine
https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21083615/trump-peace-plan-map-netanyahu-israel-palestine
But critics slammed the proposal, likening it to a “real estate brochure” — complete with glossy promotional photos from Palestinian aid programs that the Trump administration has cut funding for. . . . [read on]
Did Jared actually produce any of this plan? It appears that it was created by asking Netanyahu to write a draft and then simply releasing it under the White House seal. Which is the whole point, of course. This wasn’t designed to be a serious peace plan; it was designed to be a 2020 campaign document showing how much Trump loves Israel. . . . [read on]
The conditions for Palestinian statehood are almost as long as the cheers from the partisan crowd arrayed at the White House. The Palestinians would have to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, including in its expanded borders, and the Islamist Hamas movement that controls the Gaza Strip would have to be disarmed and Gaza retaken, among many other stipulations. . . . [read on]
The SEAL Trump pardoned has a few words for his former colleagues
The SEAL Trump pardoned has a few words for his former colleagues
Former U.S. Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump after he was convicted for a war crime, posted videos on social media bashing several members of his former platoon as “cowards” . . . The rest of the video played clips of seven SEALs speaking to investigators about Gallagher’s alleged crimes. Each clip was followed by the SEAL’s full name and position. . . .
Is Trump going to violate the Hatch Act (again) by dispatching govt officials -- at taxpayer expense -- to campaign for him?
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/team-trump-eyes-dubious-iowa-road-trip-caucus-members
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/team-trump-eyes-dubious-iowa-road-trip-caucus-members
[NB: Another reason he has eviscerated the FEC.]
Twitter responds to Ken Starr's shameless "Age of Impeachment" whine
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ken-starr-age-of-impeachment-twitter-reaction_n_5e30082bc5b6ce51a4eb4a00
"Does Ken Starr know he is Ken Starr?" [read on]
NPR reporter gets kicked off Sect'y of State Pompeo's plane
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/state-dept-kicks-npr-reporter-off-ukraine-trip-after-pompeos-clash-with-outlet
More: https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21111760/pompeo-state-department-npr-feud
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/28/1914651/-Trump-on-Pompeo-s-swear-filled-rant-to-an-NPR-reporter-I-think-you-did-a-good-job-on-her
Trump on Pompeo's swear-filled rant to an NPR reporter: 'I think you did a good job on her'
The Fox World bubble gets worse
https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/gop-echo-chamber-gets-worse/
Republicans tend to trust Fox News more than any other news source, while Democrats tend to trust a variety of news sources about equally. Their top choice is CNN, closely followed by NBC News, ABC News, CBS News and PBS . . .
Trump ramps up his attacks on Fox
https://www.salon.com/2020/01/28/trump-predicts-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-fox-news-what-the-hell-has-happened/
"Really pathetic how @FoxNews is trying to be so politically correct by loading the airwaves with Democrats like Chris Van Hollen . . ." "Dems wouldn't even give Fox their low ratings debates. So, what the hell has happened to @FoxNews," Trump tweeted. "Only I know! . . ." [read on]
#LeftTheGOP -- a collection of former Republicans. What will they do in the fall election?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ileftthegop-republicans-leave-party_n_5e2f62d2c5b6d34ea103dd04
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ileftthegop-republicans-leave-party_n_5e2f62d2c5b6d34ea103dd04
https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/28/running-sanders-against-trump-would-be-act-of-insanity/
https://www.salon.com/2020/01/28/establishment-democrats-panic-at-possibility-bernie-sanders-could-be-2020-nominee_partner/
https://www.thedailybeast.com/worried-democratic-operatives-scramble-to-fund-a-network-to-take-down-bernie-sanders
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/01/27/the-democrats-bernie-bind-106856
Bonus item: All the people Trump thinks he is smarter than
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