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| Trump impeachment: defense team cites debunked conspiracy theory – live | Trump impeachment: defense team cites debunked conspiracy theory – live |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Pam Bondi attacks Joe Biden as impeachment trial resumes with opening arguments for defense | Pam Bondi attacks Joe Biden as impeachment trial resumes with opening arguments for defense |
| As Donald Trump’s defense team wrapped up for the night, the New York Times revealed more excerpts from John Bolton’s unpublished book. | |
| The former national security advisor reportedly told Attorney General William Barr last year that he was concerned the president was granting personal favors to Turkey and China. | |
| From the Times: | |
| Alan Dershowitz broached a topic that members of Trump’s defense team have largely avoided: John Bolton. | Alan Dershowitz broached a topic that members of Trump’s defense team have largely avoided: John Bolton. |
| “Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense,” Derschowitz said, referring to reports that Bolton, a former national security adviser, had written a book in which he recounts that Trump told him in an August 2019 meeting that he did not want to send aid to Ukraine until that country delivered material relating to Joe Biden and to supporters of Hillary Clinton. | “Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense,” Derschowitz said, referring to reports that Bolton, a former national security adviser, had written a book in which he recounts that Trump told him in an August 2019 meeting that he did not want to send aid to Ukraine until that country delivered material relating to Joe Biden and to supporters of Hillary Clinton. |
| Until now, Trump’s legal team didn’t mention Bolton, though they attacked Democrats for failing to present a witness with a first-hand account of Trump’s thinking on Ukraine, The Guardian’s Tom McCarthy reported. | Until now, Trump’s legal team didn’t mention Bolton, though they attacked Democrats for failing to present a witness with a first-hand account of Trump’s thinking on Ukraine, The Guardian’s Tom McCarthy reported. |
| Arguing that abuse of power allegations are a “political weapon”, Alan Dershowitz claimed that George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, James Polk, Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Barack Obama could all have been impeached by the standard. | Arguing that abuse of power allegations are a “political weapon”, Alan Dershowitz claimed that George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, James Polk, Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Barack Obama could all have been impeached by the standard. |
| “Lincoln had dueling motives”, Dershowitz added, noting that Abraham Lincoln was not so different than Donald Trump in that he wanted to advance his political career. | “Lincoln had dueling motives”, Dershowitz added, noting that Abraham Lincoln was not so different than Donald Trump in that he wanted to advance his political career. |
| In his constitutional argument against impeachment, Alan Dershowitz is arguing that nothing short of a “serious crime” is ground for impeachment. The House’s articles of impeachment against DonaldTrump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress,— are “outside the scope of impeachment”, he said. It’s only, for example, “if a President committed extortion”, Dershowitz said, he could be impeached for it. It’s with nothing here that Congress’ abuse of power article lays out what could be described as an extortion scheme. | In his constitutional argument against impeachment, Alan Dershowitz is arguing that nothing short of a “serious crime” is ground for impeachment. The House’s articles of impeachment against DonaldTrump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress,— are “outside the scope of impeachment”, he said. It’s only, for example, “if a President committed extortion”, Dershowitz said, he could be impeached for it. It’s with nothing here that Congress’ abuse of power article lays out what could be described as an extortion scheme. |
| Dershowitz’s argument here contradicts the consensus of most legal scholars and lawmakers. Both the Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton impeachment arguments hinged on “abuse of power” charges. | Dershowitz’s argument here contradicts the consensus of most legal scholars and lawmakers. Both the Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton impeachment arguments hinged on “abuse of power” charges. |
| Alan Dershowitz has taken the floor | Alan Dershowitz has taken the floor |
| Dershowitz began by noting he voted for Hilliary Clinton. “I would be making the same argument if Hillary Clinton, for whom I voted, stood accused of these same violations,” he said. “I am here today because I love my country and our constitution.” | Dershowitz began by noting he voted for Hilliary Clinton. “I would be making the same argument if Hillary Clinton, for whom I voted, stood accused of these same violations,” he said. “I am here today because I love my country and our constitution.” |
| He said he was there to “to present a constitutional argument against the impeachment and removal not only of this President but of all and any future presidents who may be charged with the unconstitutional grounds of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress”. | He said he was there to “to present a constitutional argument against the impeachment and removal not only of this President but of all and any future presidents who may be charged with the unconstitutional grounds of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress”. |
| Biden campaign on Trump defense: ‘We didn’t realize that Breitbart was expanding into Ted Talk knockoffs’ | Biden campaign on Trump defense: ‘We didn’t realize that Breitbart was expanding into Ted Talk knockoffs’ |
| Joe Biden’s campaign has responded to allegations by Trump’s defense team that he pushed for the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor to benefit his son. | Joe Biden’s campaign has responded to allegations by Trump’s defense team that he pushed for the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor to benefit his son. |
| The Biden campaign’s rapid-response director Andrew Bates said in a statement to reporters that Trump’s defense was pushing a “conspiracy theory” that “has been conclusively refuted”: | The Biden campaign’s rapid-response director Andrew Bates said in a statement to reporters that Trump’s defense was pushing a “conspiracy theory” that “has been conclusively refuted”: |
| Read up on the Trump defense team: | Read up on the Trump defense team: |
| Alan Dershowitz, the lawyer who defended OJ Simpson, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, film director Roman Polanski, boxer Mike Tyson and former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, is expected to present his opening arguments shortly. | Alan Dershowitz, the lawyer who defended OJ Simpson, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, film director Roman Polanski, boxer Mike Tyson and former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, is expected to present his opening arguments shortly. |
| The Senate trial has reconvened and Robert Ray is delivering his opening arguments right now. | The Senate trial has reconvened and Robert Ray is delivering his opening arguments right now. |
| During the dinner break, Republican senators disparaged Joe Biden, suggesting the Trump defense will and should affect Democratic primary voters and caucus-goers. | During the dinner break, Republican senators disparaged Joe Biden, suggesting the Trump defense will and should affect Democratic primary voters and caucus-goers. |
| Iowa caucuses are this next Monday evening and I’m really interested to see how this discussion today informs and influences the Iowa caucus voters,” said Joni Ernst of Iowa. “Those Democratic caucus-goers — will they be supporting Vice President Biden at this point? Not as certain about that.” | Iowa caucuses are this next Monday evening and I’m really interested to see how this discussion today informs and influences the Iowa caucus voters,” said Joni Ernst of Iowa. “Those Democratic caucus-goers — will they be supporting Vice President Biden at this point? Not as certain about that.” |
| “The four people whose eyes were fully wide open were Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Michael Bennett, and Amy Klobuchar — all leaning forward. I’ve never seen them so attentive as when this discussion was on Joe Biden.” echoed John Barrasso of Wyoming. | “The four people whose eyes were fully wide open were Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Michael Bennett, and Amy Klobuchar — all leaning forward. I’ve never seen them so attentive as when this discussion was on Joe Biden.” echoed John Barrasso of Wyoming. |
| The State Department has removed an NPR reporter from the pool of journalists traveling to Europe and Asia with Mike Pompeo, following the Secretary of State’s public feud with the news organization. | The State Department has removed an NPR reporter from the pool of journalists traveling to Europe and Asia with Mike Pompeo, following the Secretary of State’s public feud with the news organization. |
| In a statement, the State Department Correspondents’ Association president said it seemed as if the State Department was “retaliating against National Public Radio” after a contentious interview with NPR host Marie Louise Kelly. | In a statement, the State Department Correspondents’ Association president said it seemed as if the State Department was “retaliating against National Public Radio” after a contentious interview with NPR host Marie Louise Kelly. |
| Last week, Kelly revealed that Pompeo angrily asked her to find Ukraine on an unmarked map and used expletives in his conversation with her, after she questioned him about Ukraine. | Last week, Kelly revealed that Pompeo angrily asked her to find Ukraine on an unmarked map and used expletives in his conversation with her, after she questioned him about Ukraine. |
| Fact Check: What Trump’s defense mischaracterized about Barack Obama’s conversation with Moscow | Fact Check: What Trump’s defense mischaracterized about Barack Obama’s conversation with Moscow |
| Trump’s legal team tried to turn the tables, characterizing a conversation between Barack Obama and Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev as “unquestionable quid pro quo”. | Trump’s legal team tried to turn the tables, characterizing a conversation between Barack Obama and Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev as “unquestionable quid pro quo”. |
| The conversation they were referring to was caught on a “hot” microphone during what the two leaders believed was a private moment during a 2012 nuclear summit in South Korea. Obama asked Medvedev to tell incoming Russian president Vladimir Putin to give him time to negotiate contentious issues like missile defense: “This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility,” Obama said. | The conversation they were referring to was caught on a “hot” microphone during what the two leaders believed was a private moment during a 2012 nuclear summit in South Korea. Obama asked Medvedev to tell incoming Russian president Vladimir Putin to give him time to negotiate contentious issues like missile defense: “This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility,” Obama said. |
| The former president wasn’t offering or withholding anything; at the time, Republicans criticized what they saw as a lack of resolve to keep Putin in check. But Obama never offered or withheld anything from the Russians in exchange for a personal favor, as Trump’s legal team tried to claim. | The former president wasn’t offering or withholding anything; at the time, Republicans criticized what they saw as a lack of resolve to keep Putin in check. But Obama never offered or withheld anything from the Russians in exchange for a personal favor, as Trump’s legal team tried to claim. |
| Speaking to reporters during the dinner break, Republican senators steered clear of the Obama allegations. “The point is: that we might have a Republican House and a Democratic president and in that situation, with this becoming a new normal in America, that Democratic president might be impeached,” said Mike Lee, a Republican of Utah. | Speaking to reporters during the dinner break, Republican senators steered clear of the Obama allegations. “The point is: that we might have a Republican House and a Democratic president and in that situation, with this becoming a new normal in America, that Democratic president might be impeached,” said Mike Lee, a Republican of Utah. |
| Speaking to reporters outside the Senate chamber, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said it’s unnecessary to call more witnesses. If any witnesses are to be called, he said, “The most important witness the Senate needs to hear from at this point is Hunter Biden” | Speaking to reporters outside the Senate chamber, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said it’s unnecessary to call more witnesses. If any witnesses are to be called, he said, “The most important witness the Senate needs to hear from at this point is Hunter Biden” |
| Other Republican senators, including John Barrasso of Wyoming and Mike Braun of Indiana, indicated if the Senate does summon witnesses, they would back a “one-for-one” deal where each party got to call one person to testify. | Other Republican senators, including John Barrasso of Wyoming and Mike Braun of Indiana, indicated if the Senate does summon witnesses, they would back a “one-for-one” deal where each party got to call one person to testify. |
| The Senate is now taking a 45-minute dinner break. | The Senate is now taking a 45-minute dinner break. |
| It looks like some have Chick-fil-A on the way. | It looks like some have Chick-fil-A on the way. |
| The Trump defense team has debuted a new tactic. | The Trump defense team has debuted a new tactic. |
| Lawyer Eric Herschmann has accused Barack Obama of soliciting interference in the 2012 election by asking Russia to give him “space” on missile defense. Herschmann characterized a 2012 communication between Obama and former Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev as “unquestionable quid pro quo”. | Lawyer Eric Herschmann has accused Barack Obama of soliciting interference in the 2012 election by asking Russia to give him “space” on missile defense. Herschmann characterized a 2012 communication between Obama and former Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev as “unquestionable quid pro quo”. |
| “It was President Obama, not President Trump, who was weak on Russia,” Herschmann said, arguing that Article 1 of Trump’s impeachment better applied to Obama. | “It was President Obama, not President Trump, who was weak on Russia,” Herschmann said, arguing that Article 1 of Trump’s impeachment better applied to Obama. |