January 6 impeachment news | CNN Politics

The latest on President Trump’s impeachment

Veronica Rocha Meg Wagner
By Veronica Rocha, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN
Updated 8:10 PM EST, Mon January 6, 2020
US National Security Advisor John Bolton answers journalists questions after his meeting with Belarus President in Minsk on August 29, 2019.
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Bolton: I would testify in impeachment trial if subpoenaed
1:56 • Source: CNN
US National Security Advisor John Bolton answers journalists questions after his meeting with Belarus President in Minsk on August 29, 2019.
1:56

Where things stand now

  • The latest: Former White House national security adviser John Bolton said he is willing to testify in the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Trump.
  • Why this matters: Democratic leaders have pushed to allow witnesses in the Senate trial.
  • Impasse over impeachment articles continues: The House passed two articles of impeachment against Trump last month, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to formally introduce them to the Senate, so a trial has not yet been set.
  • Sign up for CNN’s Impeachment Watch newsletter here.

Our live coverage has ended, but you can scroll through the posts to read more.

Updates

(19)

Republican senator says Bolton "seems awfully anxious to testify"

From CNN's Jeff Zeleny
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, suggested he was suspicious of John Bolton’s letter today, volunteering to testify under subpoena.

The senator added that “most rational people would want to avoid getting pulled into the middle of this sequel to Pulp Fiction.”

As he went to an evening vote on the Senate floor, Kennedy repeated his suspicions about Bolton’s timing. But he offered no evidence or explanation for his suspicions.

He said he didn’t expect Bolton would ever testify, even if enough votes turned up to subpoena him.

What senators are saying about Bolton's announcement

From CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Ted Barrett

Senators are reacting today to former national security adviser John Bolton’s announcement that he’s willing to testify in the Senate impeachment trial if he’s subpoenaed.

Here’s what they said:

  • Democratic Sen. Chris Coons: “If you’re not interested in hearing from national security adviser Bolton, you are not interested in getting to the bottom of what actually happened. So my hope is that on a bipartisan basis, we will welcome this late but important testimony.”
  • Republican Sen. John Thune: “If it was supposed to be, I think they would have done it in the House. To me, they could have subpoenaed him. They didn’t. Seems to be the record the Senate is being asked to pass judgment on is the record the House put together in the articles. And that’s what I think this exercise in the Senate ought to be about.”
  • Republican Sen. Susan Collins: “There are a number of witnesses that may well be appropriate for the Stage 3 of which he would certainly be one. Of course it’s always possible that the President would exert executive privilege to try to block that testimony. We just don’t know what would happen. But it’s very difficult to decide that until we go through the first two stages and look at all of the witnesses that each side would like to have if we get to that stage.”
  • Republican Sen. Martha McSally on a subpoena for Bolton: “We will work through it.”
  • Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said he does not want Bolton to testify. He added, “No, I’m ready to go. If they wanted to call Bolton, they should have called Bolton.” 

Podcast: John Bolton has something to say on impeachment

John Bolton shocked the world today.

The former national security adviser, who reportedly described the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure Ukraine as a “drug deal,” announced that he was willing to testify at the upcoming Senate trial if he’s subpoenaed.

CNN political director David Chalian dives into the latest headlines with CNN senior writer Zach Wolf and CNN political commentator Alice Stewart in today’s episode of “The Daily DC: Impeachment Watch” podcast.

Listen here.

Schiff on possible Bolton subpoena: "We are not taking anything off the table"

From CNN's Manu Raju

Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of House Intelligence Committee, was asked today if he would subpoena former national security adviser John Bolton to come before his committee.

Here’s what he said:

Asked if he had any word on when the articles of impeachment will he sent over, Schiff said, “I don’t have anything on that.”

More on this: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to formally send the two impeachment articles to the Senate after the House passed them last month.

Until the House formally sends the articles, McConnell has said the trial will not start.

Schumer says there will be votes on witnesses

From CNN's Clare Foran
Senate TV

In remarks on the Senate floor, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said that if any Republican senator is not in favor of subpoenaing the four witnesses Democrats have called for, including John Bolton, they would make it clear “they are participating in a cover up.” 

“A few hours ago, the momentum for uncovering the truth in the Senate gathered even more momentum,” Schumer said. “One of the key witnesses I’ve asked for Mr. John Bolton, former national security adviser to President Trump, correctly acknowledged that he needs to comply with a senate subpoena for testimony if issued.”  

Schumer also said, “Make no mistake there will be votes on whether to call each of the four witnesses we proposed and subpoena the documents we identified. Under the rules of the senate trial the minority will be able to offer motions subject to a majority vote.” 

“My colleagues on the other side of the aisle, your constituents and the voice of history is watching,” Schumer said.

Romney says "of course" he’d like to hear testimony from Bolton

From CNN's Manu Raju

Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, told CNN “of course” he would like to hear from President Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton.

Asked if he would vote to subpoena Bolton, Romney stopped short and said he first would want to know what the process is. But he added that he would like to hear from Bolton, who announced earlier today that he would be willing to testify in the Senate impeachment trial if subpoenaed.

Schumer: "McConnell's view is 'Alice in Wonderland' — first the trial, then the evidence"

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized a suggestion from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that the Senate should begin the impeachment trial now, and consider procedural questions later.

“McConnell’s view is ‘Alice in Wonderland’ — first the trial, then the evidence,” Schumer said on the Senate floor today.

Schumer said that evidence should inform the trial, not the other way around.

The back and forth between the two leaders from each party followed a statement earlier today from John Bolton in which the former national security adviser said he would be willing to testify at a Senate impeachment trial if subpoenaed.

Schumer also called on President Trump “join us in asking for the witnesses to come forward.”

Schumer added that any “acquittal will not carry much weight” if Trump and McConnell continue to oppose allowing witnesses and documents to be presented in a trial.

Watch more:

McConnell: Let's start the trial now, and discuss witnesses later
Senate TV

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate should begin the impeachment trial now, and consider procedural questions, like whether to have witnesses at trial, later.

The House has not yet sent over the articles of impeachment it approved last month to the Senate. Democrats have demanded for witnesses, which created a stalemate over the looming trial.

Today, McConnell pointed to the 1999 impeachment trial of Bill Clinton, saying senators began the trial with only “basic parameters” and left the question of witnesses until later.

Watch:

Trump on dealing with impeachment amid Iran crisis: "It's so sad for our country"

From CNN's Allie Malloy

President Trump criticized impeachment in an interview with Rush Limbaugh today, saying that while his administration deals with Iran he has to “spend time on this stuff.’

“It’s so sad for our country,” Trump told Limbaugh. “We’re fighting with Iran, we’re fighting will all of these different places, and in many cases doing great, making trade deals and doing so good- but I have to spend, and my team has to spend time on this stuff.”

Asked what he thought was behind Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to withhold sending the articles of impeachment, Trump responded, “Well — I think what they’re trying to do is effect the election, illegally but that’s what they’re trying to do. The reason they’re not sending them is because they’re — they are a joke. They are not crimes. There’s nothing there.”

Trump continued to slam impeachment, saying, “This was not what they had in mind. As they call them, the Founders, right? They keep saying the founders, founders. But the founders didn’t have this in mind?” Trump laughed, adding “I’ve never heard the word founders so much in my life.”

“Even the impeachment hoax, you take a look at that, and they have nothing. They have nothing. With one of the biggest investigations in history they found nothing. Think of it.,” Trump said.  

At one point during the interview, Trump remarked, “Even I was very impressed with how clean I am, Rush.” To which Limbaugh replied, “You may be cleaner than any previous president that we can think of.”

GOP senator explains why he'd vote against a Bolton subpoena

From CNN's Manu Raju
Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images

Sen. Marco Rubio, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN he would not vote for a subpoena of former White House national security adviser John Bolton because he said that it was the House of Representative’s job to get his testimony.

What this is about: Bolton said today that he is willing to testify — if he is subpoenaed — in the Senate’s impeachment trial.

The House sought his testimony but ultimately never subpoenaed Bolton, and Democrats withdrew their subpoena for his former deputy after it was challenged in court, as Democrats wanted to move forward with their impeachment probe and not wait for the court’s decision.

Bolton is potentially a crucial witness, as he had firsthand knowledge of many of the events that formed the House’s impeachment of the President over his dealings with Ukraine.

Republican senator introduces resolution to dismiss impeachment articles

From CNN's Clare Foran
Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Sen. Josh Hawley’s office announced today that the Missouri Republican has “introduced a resolution to update Senate rules to allow a motion to dismiss articles of impeachment for lack of prosecution” in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s withholding of the articles of impeachment from the Senate.

Ten Senate Republicans are co-sponsoring the resolution, including Sens. Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, Joni Ernst and Jim Inhofe.

Remember: As CNN’s Phil Mattingly noted this morning, any resolution that would require the chamber to go around the standing impeachment rules is not going to be pursued by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Bolton announcement unlikely to affect McConnell strategy, sources say

From CNN's Manu Raju and Phil Mattingly

The news that John Bolton is willing to testify is unlikely to change Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s strategy over President Trump’s impeachment trial, according to multiple GOP sources familiar with the matter.

McConnell has rejected Democratic demands to require that the ground rules of the trial should include testimony of Bolton and three other witnesses, along with documents withheld by the White House. He says such decisions about witnesses and documents should be made after opening arguments, though Democrats fear that’s an attempt to prevent any witnesses from testifying at all.

Several GOP sources familiar with the matter say that Bolton’s announcement will not sway McConnell. “Not at all,” one source said.

McConnell plans to reiterate his view to Senate Republicans during a closed-door lunch on Tuesday, a source said.

Ultimately, issuing a subpoena for Bolton would require 51 votes in the Senate, meaning at least four Republicans would have to join 47 Democrats.

Pelosi on Bolton announcement: "The Senate cannot be complicit in the President's cover-up"

From CNN's Haley Byrd

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded on Twitter to John Bolton’s statement that he is prepared to testify in the Senate — if subpoenaed. 

“The Senate cannot be complicit in the President’s cover-up,” she wrote. 

Schiff calls on Senate to let Bolton testify

House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff tweeted the Senate must allow John Bolton to testify at the upcoming impeachment trial.

Bolton, President Trump’s former national security adviser, announced earlier today that he is willing to do so if he is subpoenaed.

McConnell will speak about impeachment today on the Senate floor

From CNN Ted Barrett

Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will speak about impeachment at 3 p.m. ET on the Senate floor, according to an aide.

The aide would not say if he would comment on John Bolton’s announcement that he is willing to testify — if he is subpoenaed.

Two Senate GOP aides downplay Bolton announcement

From CNN's Betsy Klein

Two Senate Republican aides are downplaying the significance of John Bolton’s announcement that he’s willing to testify in the Senate impeachment trial if he’s subpoenaed.

Another speculated Bolton is trying to drum up sales for his forthcoming book.

Giuliani on Bolton's decision to testify: "I don't know what he would say"

From CNN's Mike Warren

President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is reacting to former national security adviser John Bolton’s announcement that he’s willing to testify at the Senate impeachment trial if subpoenaed.

“I don’t know what he would say,” Giuliani said when asked about any concerns about Bolton testifying. 

Giuliani, who spoke to CNN at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, said everything he did was known by the State Department

On testimony that Bolton had been critical of him, Giuliani said, “He never said anything to me. Maybe he’s a bit passive aggressive.”

Giuliani is in town meeting with clients and does not currently have plans to meet with the President this week, he said.

Bolton called McConnell (but not the White House) before announcing he'd testify

From CNN's Kylie Atwood

Former White House national security adviser John Bolton left a message with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell before he put out this statement, in order to give him a heads up that it was coming, a source familiar tells CNN. 

The White House was not informed that this statement was coming. 

This comes after Bolton was both surprised and curious that he had not been subpoenaed by the House, the source said. There had been mounting criticism that he wanted to hold off on sharing what he knew about the withholding of aid to Ukraine for his book. 

It is unclear what specifically triggered him to put out this statement right now. 

It is also unclear what Bolton will do if the White House tries to block hist testimony, or parts of it, the source said, but the statement speaks for itself in that he is prepared to provide testimony.  

Bolton says he's willing to testify at Senate impeachment trial

Former White House national security adviser John Bolton says he is willing to testify — if he is subpoenaed — in the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Trump.

Bolton issued a statement after the courts did not rule whether he would be compelled to testify during the House’s impeachment proceedings. The House never subpoenaed Bolton and Democrats withdrew their subpoena for his former deputy after it was challenged in court — as Democrats wanted to move forward with their impeachment probe and not wait for the court’s decision.

What this could mean: Bolton’s statement is likely to put new pressures from Democrats on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow witnesses in the Senate trial, which Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic House leaders have pushed for.

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