uschools/iStock(WASHINGTON) — As White House lawyers prepare for their second day defending President Donald Trump in his Senate impeachment trial Monday, questions raised by a reported draft manuscript of a forthcoming book by former National Security Adviser John Bolton have given Democrats new hope in their call for new witnesses to testify.
According to an unpublished version of Bolton’s book reported by the New York Times on Sunday, President Trump told him he wanted to continue holding nearly $400 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped investigate Democrats including former Vice President Joe Biden.
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, one of four GOP moderates Democrats have targeted in hopes of getting their support for witnesses, said Monday it’s “important” senators hear Bolton’s account to make an “impartial judgment.”
“It’s pretty fair to say that John Bolton has a relevant testimony to provide to those of us who are sitting in impartial justice,” Romney said.
Romney would not say which Republicans he had spoken with about Bolton’s testimony, but added that it’s “increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton.”
He said he can’t speculate on what impact Bolton’s testimony would have on a final decision of whether to acquit the president but said that “it’s relevant and therefore, I’d like to hear it.”
Bolton has not contested the accuracy of the New York Times’ report and had no comment to reporters as he left his house Monday. But President Trump denied it in tweets early Monday morning.
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. “If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book,” Trump tweeted.
He also falsely claimed that “The Democrat controlled House never even asked John Bolton to testify. It is up to them, not up to the Senate!” In fact, in October House investigators did ask him to testify but did not subpoena him.
Democrats are renewing calls for Bolton’s testimony before the Senate with the president’s defense team starting their first day of opening arguments Saturday denying Trump ever made a direct link between U.S. financial support to Ukraine and investigations.
“There was simply no evidence anywhere that President Trump ever linked security assistance to any investigations,” White House deputy counsel Mike Purpura argued Saturday. “Most of the Democrats’ witnesses have never spoken to the president at all. Let alone about Ukraine security assistance.”
Lead impeachment manager Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff has maintained evidence brought forth so far by Democrats proves the president linked the aid to security assistance even without Bolton’s testimony although he noted that it’s still necessary because Republicans have yet to be persuaded.
“Now the veneer has been torn off and the American people can see the president is clearly trying to hide the truth here,” Schiff told CNN Monday.
“This the test for the senators. They have taken an oath to be impartial. They have just learned there’s a key witness going to the heart of the allegations. The question they have to answer is do they want to hear the truth?” Schiff said.
A copy of Bolton’s draft manuscript was submitted to the National Security Council Dec. 30, a standard practice for former White House officials in the review of potentially sensitive information.
National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot confirmed in a statement Monday morning that Bolton’s manuscript had been submitted to the NSC for review. No White House personnel outside NSC have reviewed the manuscript,” he said. It was unclear whether any other White House officials were told about the manuscript and what it contained.
“It is clear, regrettably, from The New York Times article published today that the prepublication review process has been corrupted and that information has been disclosed by persons other than those properly involved in reviewing the manuscript,” Bolton’s attorney Charles Cooper said in a statement to ABC News.
Here is how the day is unfolding. Please refresh for updates.
1:06 p.m. Prayer for Kobe Bryant as trial resumes
Senate Chaplain Barry Black, in his opening prayer, references the deaths of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash over the weekend, saying it serves as a reminder of our limited time on Earth.
“As this impeachment process unfolds, give our senators the desire to make the most of our time on Earth,” he says.
On a lighter note, the chaplain and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also recognize Chief Justice John Roberts’ 65th birthday as the proceedings get underway.
1:05 p.m. Sources: Trump legal team preparing legal fight to block witnesses
As the second day of opening arguments from Trump’s legal team gets underway in the Senate, senior level White House sources tell ABC News the president’s lawyers are preparing for the possibility of witnesses in the impeachment trial.
Sources say the legal team is preparing an aggressive, drawn out legal fight to block the testimony of potential witnesses.
11:58 a.m. Trump says he hasn’t seen Bolton manuscript, calls allegations ‘false’
President Trump says this morning that the allegations in the Bolton manuscript are “false,” and says he hasn’t seen the manuscript.
Asked in the Oval Office, “What about the allegations in the Bolton manuscript?” Trump replies, “False,” then scoffs and mouths “false” again.
He makes the comment before a meeting in the Oval Office with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Earlier, before entering the Oval Office for that meeting, Trump told reporters outside the West Wing that he had not seen the manuscript.
11:46 a.m. Republican Graham suggests he could now be open to witnesses
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham suggests he could now be open to witnesses provided it’s done in a “balanced way” — possibly to include votes on Hunter and Joe Biden.
“If we’re going to add to the record, then we’re going to go to Hunter Biden, Joe Biden and all these people,” Graham tells ABC News’ Devin Dwyer Monday morning.
When asked whether this means he’s changed his position on calling the Bidens — he says he has not — that he still opposes calling them for the sake of calling them — but says it might be reasonable to include them in votes if the Senate moves to votes on witnesses.
As to whether he has any reason to doubt Bolton, Graham says he’s withholding judgment until he sees more. “I’m not going to make a commitment about something I don’t know about.” He says he might be interested in subpoenaing the manuscript.
At the same time, other Republicans dismiss the Bolton allegations.
There is “nothing new here,” says Sen. John Barrasso, a member of the Senate GOP leadership from Wyoming.
“It really doesn’t change anything, in terms of the process. We knew that the discussion of witnesses would be here soon … What it’s done is taken an already hot topic and added some fuel to the fire,” says GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana.
11:15 a.m. Schumer calls Bolton report ‘stunning’
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calls the Bolton revelations “stunning,” saying they “go to the heart” of the case against the president.
“Ambassador Bolton essentially confirms the president committed the offense charged in the first article of impeachment.” Schumer tells reporters.
The Senate’s Democratic Leader repeats his accusation that the White House had engaged in a “cover-up” in order to subvert the impeachment investigation and Senate trial.
“Anyone who says the House case lacks eyewitnesses and then votes to prevent eye witnesses from testifying is talking out of both sides of their mouth,” Schumer adds.
He asks, given the Bolton developments: “How can Senate Republicans not vote to call that witness?”
10:54 a.m. GOP’s Collins says Bolton revelations ‘strengthen case for witnesses’
GOP Sen. Susan Collins, another key Republican moderate, issues a statement on Twitter shortly after Romney speaks, saying, “The reports about John Bolton’s book strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a numbers of conversations among my colleagues.”
“From the beginning, I’ve said that in fairness to both parities the decision on whether or not to call witnesses be made after both the House managers and the President’s attorneys have had the opportunity to present their cases.
“I’ve always said that I was likely to vote to call witnesses, just as did in the 199 Clinton trial,” she says.
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