Impeachment Probe to John Bolton: You're Up

The former Trump adviser is invited to testify
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 30, 2019 6:00 PM CDT
Impeachment Probe to John Bolton: You're Up
In this July 8, 2019, file photo, national security adviser John Bolton speaks at the Christians United for Israel's annual summit, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Calling John Bolton: You're wanted in the House impeachment probe. Yes, the AP reports that Democratic House investigators have asked the former national security adviser to testify next Thursday. Bolton would be the heaviest hitter in the inquiry so far if he does. He's also a key player in the Ukraine drama, having reportedly urged US officials to voice their concerns over President Trump's "quid pro quo" with Ukraine. According to leaked testimony, he also called alleged Ukraine fixer Rudy Giuliani "a hand grenade" and his plans to pressure Ukraine into investigating Democrats "a drug deal." Bolton hasn't been subpoenaed but might be if he doesn't show, per House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel. In other news:

  • The probe also invited John Eisenberg, the National Security Council lawyer, and his deputy Michael Ellis to testify Monday. But with the White House urging officials to say no—and Bolton's ex-deputy, Charles Kupperman, already ignoring a congressional subpoena—it seems unlikely they'll appear, per CNN.
  • In Wednesday testimony, State Dept. officials echoed the notion that Trump relied on Giuliani to run his Ukraine policy. They also said Trump took a surprisingly dark view of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and blocked US officials from criticizing Russia, per the Washington Post.
  • Foreign Service officer Catherine Croft testified that lobbyist and former GOP lawmaker Robert Livingston told her the US ambassador to Ukraine should be fired, per Politico. "He characterized Ambassador [Marie] Yovanovitch as an 'Obama holdover' and associated with George Soros," she testified. "It was not clear to me at the time—or now—at whose direction or at whose expense Mr. Livingston was seeking the removal of Ambassador Yovanovitch."
(More Trump impeachment stories.)

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