The New York Times is reporting that John Bolton’s book will implicate el Presidente as tying military aid to Ukraine to investigating the Bidens.
Breaking News: President Trump said he wanted to keep aid to Ukraine frozen until its officials helped him with investigations into Democrats, John Bolton wrote in an unpublished manuscript of a new book https://t.co/J1tJ5oPZAY
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 26, 2020
Here we go:
President Trump told his national security adviser in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens, according to an unpublished manuscript by the former adviser, John R. Bolton.
The president’s statement as described by Mr. Bolton could undercut a key element of his impeachment defense: that the holdup in aid was separate from Mr. Trump’s requests that Ukraine announce investigations into his perceived enemies, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son Hunter Biden, who had worked for a Ukrainian energy firm while his father was in office.
Mr. Bolton’s explosive account of the matter at the center of Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial, the third in American history, was included in drafts of a manuscript he has circulated in recent weeks to close associates. He also sent a draft to the White House for a standard review process for some current and former administration officials who write books.
Multiple people described Mr. Bolton’s account of the Ukraine affair.
I can see people are crapping on this because it’s from the New York Times, but it kinda fits with what we’ve heard out of Bolton, right? There’s that quote about Giuliani’s “drug deal,” which also could be complete bunk.
Anyway the Dems are POUNCING on this report to demand Bolton’s testimony for the trial:
JUST IN: House manager Rep. Schiff reacts to this new NYTimes report:
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 27, 2020
"If the trial is to be fair, Senators must insist that Mr. Bolton be called as a witness, and provide his notes and other documents." https://t.co/wkwThoemlN
Amb. Bolton reportedly heard directly from Trump that aid for Ukraine was tied to political investigations.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 27, 2020
The refusal of the Senate to call for him, other relevant witnesses, and documents is now even more indefensible.
The choice is clear: our Constitution, or a cover-up. https://t.co/HBW82ObvOl
Update – here’s Schumer’s tweet:
John Bolton has the evidence.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 26, 2020
It’s up to four Senate Republicans to ensure that John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney, and the others with direct knowledge of President Trump’s actions testify in the Senate trial.https://t.co/JbazBaYdRU
So we shall see if this report is true, and what comes out of it.
UPDATE!!
This is very interesting. Bolton’s spokesperson isn’t denying the report, but implying that if there was any leak from the book, it would have to come from the White House?! Or maybe the NSC, which doesn’t really like Trump:
New from John Bolton aide Sarah Tinsley: “Several weeks ago, the ambassador sent a hard copy of his draft manuscript to the White House for prepublication review by the National Security Council. The ambassador has not passed that manuscript to anyone else for review. Period.”
— Geoff Bennett (@GeoffRBennett) January 27, 2020
I dunno. What do you make of that? Is that a roundabout way of denying the report? If so, why not just deny it? Honestly, I’m not sure what to make of Bolton since his exit from the administration…
UPDATE!!
And now a statement from Bolton’s lawyer:
BREAKING: Statement from Bolton's lawyer Chuck Cooper. Story TK. pic.twitter.com/u3JOV7l5dD
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) January 27, 2020
Curioser and curiouser.