What happened Monday?
Donald Trump’s legal team resumed their defense of the president by quickly going on the attack against Joe Biden — and even Barack Obama. Trump attorneys Pam Bondi and Eric Herschmann argued that it was in fact that pair who should be investigated for corruption and abuse of power as part of their handling of Russia and Ukraine policy.
Senators also heard from Kenneth Starr, the former independent counsel who pushed for Bill Clinton’s impeachment, and former Harvard law professor and criminal defense attorney Alan Dershowitz, two outside attorneys added to give Trump some star power and argue against the constitutionality of Democrats’ impeachment case.
The issue that dominated the conversation Monday — John Bolton’s allegations tying the president directly to the Ukraine scandal — was barely addressed by Trump’s team.
But the Senate was consumed by the revelations, which threatened to upend Republican plans for a swift acquittal this week. GOP senators are under rising pressure from Democrats to agree to hear witnesses, including Bolton, and Sen. Mitt Romney suggested it was “increasingly likely” witnesses would be called. But at the end of the day, it was still not clear that a Senate majority exists to do so.
Republicans give Dershowitz a thumbs-up
The closing argument by former Harvard law professor and defense attorney Alan Dershowitz seemed to please Republican senators — and even him a hug from outspoken Trump critic Norm Eisen.
Dershowitz, who wrapped up Monday’s argument on behalf of Trump’s legal team, argued among other things that the claims in former national security adviser John Bolton’s unpublished book — if true — wouldn’t constitute an impeachable defense. Bolton reportedly linked President Donald Trump directly to the freeze in Ukraine aid.
The performance appeared to satisfy Republicans, a number of whom went over to Dershowitz to shake his hand after the Senate adjourned for the night. Eisen — a former White House lawyer in the Obama administration who worked as a part-time House Judiciary Committee counsel — hugged Dershowitz, and the two exchanged what appeared to be pleasantries.
Dershowitz addresses Bolton
Former Harvard law professor and noted criminal defense attorney Alan Dershowitz finally mentioned John Bolton by name late Monday night as he was wrapping up his presentation — marking the day’s only direct reference on the Senate floor to the former national security adviser who has threatened to upend the impeachment trial.
“Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense,” Dershowitz said.
Dershowitz also argued that both of Democrats’ articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — are not legitimate impeachable offenses.
Here are the most noteworthy moments from the sixth day of the trial
> Witness vote set for Friday
< Loeffler takes shot at Romney
> Mulvaney rejects Bolton’s claims
> Trump says he hasn’t seen Bolton manuscript
Read the rest from Politico HERE and follow links below to other Sources:
WSJ_ Trump’s Impeachment Trial—Live Analysis
USA TODAY: Attention turns to the Bidens, and other highlights from the Senate Trump impeachment trial
Bretbart: Impeachment Trial: Team Trump Continues Opening Arguments
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