Bolton’s Book Ties Ukraine Aid To Biden Probe. Trump Howls It Isn’t True.

[tomkremer]

President tre45on response is classic.
I did tell Bolton…
Bolton never complained (—- about the thing I didn’t tell him about )…
and Bolton is just out to sell books… ie. he is lying.

Uffda.

[blandsten]

Elizabeth de la Vega (Delavegalaw)

One of the first things that went through my mind when I heard of the assassination was that it was done to keep Bolton’s mouth shut.

[tomkremer]

that and Bolton would look like a fraud and all-star Member of Trumpiandom ( tm ) for not disclosing during the impeachment trial

[steviedee111]

One of the first things that went through my mind when I heard of the assassination was that it was done to keep Bolton’s mouth shut.

I’ll assume Bolton knows a great many things that would damage Trump politically. For Trump to appease him to the point Bolton would strip his book of a few dozen of the most interesting passages suggests Bolton could be persuaded to essentially gut his manuscript of all the details that would help sell it. It would be like Stormy Daniels trying to sell a book that didn’t mention Trump.

[c_stedman]

Posted earlier on another thread:
TPM doesn’t have a story on it yet, other than Josh’s comment that Bolton is a disgrace for not making critical information available to the House impeachment inquiry but making it available to his book, but I’ll bet the Dems are now kicking themselves in the butt for withdrawing their subpoena of Bolton. It never made sense to me that they didn’t immediately reissue their subpoena to him after the SC decision on Kupperman’s testimony. It would not have done any harm for them to do this while waiting for the Senate trial to begin.

[occamscoin]

Just a few days after the WH received Bolton’s book, on 1/3/20, Trump ordered an attack on Iran and the killing of Soleimeini, a dream come true for Bolton. Is it a stretch to think Trump may have been partly motivated by a hope this move would appease Bolton & keep him quiet?

It is a stretch, because imPotus then backed off further action against Iran after Iran’s ballistic missile strikes. Chickenhawk don’t respond to half-measures.

[rickjones]

I’m sure Bolton enjoys seeing his name and “bombshell” in the same sentence in so many reports of this.

I prefer not to have to believe this warmonger over the word of any other person. But, it’s really not that hard in this case. Important to remember is that this just fits in with everything else we know. I guess McConnell will have to give in to Trump’s totally sincere desire for Mulvaney, Pompeo, Blair, Duffie, and Perry to testify if Bolton gets called. But, I still think Republicans are going to refuse any witness testimony or documents and just hope they can ride out the drip, drip of more info coming out over the next 6 months.

[occamscoin]

I’ll bet the Dems are now kicking themselves in the butt for withdrawing their subpoena of Bolton.

Would have made zero difference, except to give the WH another stiffarm win. Bolton said if subpoenaed (by the House) he would not testify without permission of the the WH.

[steviedee111]

but I’ll bet the Dems are now kicking themselves in the butt for withdrawing their subpoena of Bolton.

But, but, Pelosi and Schiff are savvy political geniuses that have prosecuted this entire impeachment flawlessly. Didn’t you get the memo?

[emiliano4]

Around mid-morning, the Gloom Merchants take a coffee break.

And then there might be a different take on this. It’s actually a Big Deal

[c_stedman]

He, also, said that he assumed his testimony would have been covered by the same SC decision on Kupperman. Then he said that if subpoenaed by the Senate he would testify.

[teenlaqueefa]

If news of Kobe’s death weren’t saturating the news right now, it’d be a much bigger deal.

[lizzymom]

So stealing this…

[sharong]

Yes, because even if Trump directly told Bolton he was withholding the aid, we’ll hear that “it wasn’t an abuse of power”.

[emiliano4]

Word.

Maybe that’s why Trump grabbed on to the story immediately.

[castor_troy]

Anyone checked the CollinsConcern™ level today?

Going with the one eyebrow raised, don’t think it’s explosive enough for both.

Bitch.

[gajake]

You’re expecting a peep from Judge Pettifog?

That’s Chief Justice Pettifog! Harrrummph.

[lizzymom]

One of the first things that went through my mind when I heard of the assassination was that it was done to keep Bolton’s mouth shut.

Yup. This fits for this transactional “president”…

Guess he never heard about closing the barn door after the horse has, er, bolted…

[emiliano4]

“Trump howls It Isn’t True”

You mean he would agree with it?

[occamscoin]

he assumed his testimony would have been covered by the same SC decision on Kupperman.

That SC decision would have been rendered in June at the earliest, more likely remanded to a lower court on a technicality to punt it past November. Also, Judge Leon made it pretty clear he was inclined to side with the WH and good with the slow-rolling.

Then he said that if subpoenaed by the Senate he would testify.

One, that subpoena is likely due on the 12th of never, Two, if subpoenaed and does show up, the senate tightly controls the questioning with no direct verbal interaction with the witness, and Judge Pettifog available to throw out inconvenient questions. House subpoena accomplishes what, here?