Bolton has reportedly heaped considerable praise on the people who defied the WH to testify during the House hearings.
What on earth could the T-words have on him to prevent him from following their example?

After the spineless GOP Senate caucus caves in and acquits, we will have to endure endless victory laps on Fux News by Mango Mussolini, Alan “No Pants” Dershowitz and Jay “Praise Jesus” Sekulow.

I strongly doubt John Bolton will agree to appear in the House. He was okay with showing up in the Senate because it is under GOP control. He’s not okay with having Adam Schiff control his questioning. Not sure that anything will happen with Parnas at this point, in spite of the explosive audio.

It’s more likely that this will simply play out as campaign fodder for the rest of the year, for both parties.

This will be over very quickly tomorrow. And this was expected. I’m thinking Murkowski will also vote against witnesses. Which means the best case would be 49 for witnesses. And there is still time for Collins and Romney to be pressured to change their mind. Plus the GOP will keep working on trying to get Sinema, Manchin or Jones to vote against witnesses so they can say that this was a “bipartisan” vote.

I note that Alexander’s letter ends with a flurry of nonsense. He decries the “inappropriate” action by Pence’s childish spokesman but then ignores the part where the massive coverup happened. Unlike the Watergate situation, where Congressional Republicans recognized that obstructing Congress and lying about what happened were serious offenses, we are now told that it is apparently okay to lie and stonewall if you’re Trump. And this is okay because if we don’t let him do that, then somehow future presidents would be impeached for less.

This is complete Bizarro-world logic. First, the abuse and the obstruction are impeachable on their face. Second, if you don’t think the GOP is salivating to impeach the next Democratic President who has the temerity to get elected, I have a bridge to sell. These guys spent EIGHT YEARS trying to convince everyone it would be good to impeach President Obama. They’ll do exactly the same thing with the next President, and they’ll flip these moral positions back around just as fast as they flipped them to get to their current pretzel.

Collins said she will vote for witnesses BUT Alexander will not. So we will not have witnesses unless an unexpected Republican votes for them, in addition to Murkowski.

Or to put it another way, no witnesses.

I can only hope that the House will immediately get to work hosting John Bolton and Lev Parnas in hearings.

OMG, Sens. Lee and Braun just asked if Biden merits impeachment and Trump lawyer Philbin said yes.

Ack, here are the phone numbers. CALL YOUR SENATORS no matter how red or blue they are.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/2/1629046/-Call-your-senator-Phone-numbers-for-every-office-of-every-U-S-senator

Eyes on Fox, call your senators anyway. Let them know you care. As Indivisible has said, they can always work a little harder for you.

Ruh-Roh. Graham was joined by Alexander and Murkowski (I think not Collins) in asking, assuming Bolton testifies in favor of the House, wouldn’t that still not rise to the level of impeachment so what’s the point of having his testimony?

If a Trump impeachment defense lawyer lies during the Senate trial are there repercussions? I ask because apparently Alan Dershowitz misrepresented the views fellow Harvard Law professor Nikolas Bowie during the trial.

“Harvard professor repeatedly cited by Dershowitz in impeachment trial calls Trump defense a ‘joke’”
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/30/1914989/-Professor-that-Dershowitz-keeps-citing-in-impeachment-trial-calls-Dershowitz-s-argument-a-joke

Whoopsie!

I missed this earlier but apparently Shiff point out DoJ lawyers in a separate case just argued the place to settle subpoenas is NOT the courts because it’s covered by the impeachment process. Trump’s defense is turning into an SNL skit.

On an unrelated note… the return of the stained dress.

“E. Jean Carroll who says Trump raped her seeks his DNA”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/e-jean-carroll-who-says-trump-raped-her-seeks-his-n1126796

Good idea, Ellen, on the phone calls. My senators are both Democrats: Warner and Kaine. Warner is on the public record saying a fair trial requires witnesses. Kaine actually wrote an editorial in USA Today to the same effect. No encouragement required.

I pity folks living in red states. Expect a prerecorded message “Sorry constituents. I’m too busy to come to the phone right now as I’m in the Oval Office kissing Trump’s rosy red butt cheeks and plan on cashing Putin’s fat check.”

Sure is kinda odd that a millionaire lawyer would be whoring himself out without charge.to despots and villains worldwide for filthy lucre, yet put his legacy and, indeed, his very liberty in peril in the service of amoral alleged BILLIONAIRE free and gratis.

Good question from RI senator (not sure which one): Who pays for Rudy Giuliani if Trump isn’t? Schiff: Short answer: we don’t know.

I just called my two Democratic senators. I told them I’m watching the trial, thanked them for their questions and said, “A trial without witnesses is un-American.”

Phone numbers missing, Ellen :)

However, whether or not you think it makes a difference, you should call your senators. Put the pressure on them now. For one, it could make a difference and for another, they should know now that the public is not standing for this assault on democracy.

Here’s phone numbers for all senators. CALL YOURS.

I feel confident that the House will continue investigating Trump regardless of what happens in the Senate and the Democrats may succeed in putting Republicans in a damaging box. But I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach regardless that our system of democracy could be so broken.