In impeachment news,
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John Bolton wants to play the hero without defying the Right, and the House is having none of it.
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House Intel continues to release transcripts of depositions.
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Twitter sides with the rabid Right.
John Bolton really, really wants to testify.
At least, his lawyer says so in a letter to the Counsel for the House committees in charge of the impeachment inquiry. Bolton’s lawyer says that the former Trump National Security Advisor has details of many meetings and conversations to share with the committee, but will not do so unless compelled by a Court.
Bolton is a far Right winger who holds a rather expansive view of executive power, but he is still an institutionalist. He objected to what he called Trump’s ‘drug deal’ with Ukraine because of some level of reverence for the institutions of our government, not out of political loyalties. No one really knows what Bolton may be able to testify to, but it’s a safe bet that if it were anything positive about Trump, 45 would readily waive any privilege and allow him to testify.
As we pointed out before, the House has asserted its rightful role under the Constitution as the only body with the sole power of impeachment, and has refused to subject it to a branch of government that has no say in it, the judiciary. Bolton’s lawyer is flabbergasted at that proposition. It appears that Bolton wants to play hero by testifying, but wants the cover of a court order so that he wouldn’t be out of favor in right wing circles. House Democrats, it seems, are not interested in accommodating him.
More transcripts released.
No wonder Democrats are in no mood to play footsie with Bolton’s fragile ego, given the mountain of damning evidence they have already gathered, all of it pointing to Trump extorting the government of Ukraine over Congressionally approved funds. The House Intelligence Committee has released more transcripts of depositions taken for the impeachment inquiry.
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Col. Alexander Vindman, Iraq veteran, Purple Heart Recipient and member of the White House National Security Council staff:
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Full transcript of testimony
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Dr. Fiona Hill, also of the NSC, who served as Vindman’s supervisor and a Ukraine policy expert:
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Full transcript of testimony
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George Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Twitter backs Trump again in allowing exposure of alleged whistleblower.
Facebook and YouTube are moving to block the spread of the name and photo of the alleged whistleblower outed by right wing media. Twitter, however, is allowing both, despite warnings that the disclosure puts the alleged whistleblower and their family at physical danger.
Everyone was all excited when Twitter banned political ads, but it appears that Twitter remains committed to siding with Donald Trump and endangering the lives and physical safety of his targets.