Ahead of second day of the president's impeachment defense presentation, Republican and Democratic senators offered very different reactions to a bombshell New York Times report that ex-National Security Advisor John Bolton has written in a manuscript that President Donald Trump told him that he froze aid to Ukraine over demands for investigations into Democrats, including former Vice President and 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden.

At separate press conferences on Monday, Republicans said nothing has changed, but Democrats called the new information "stunning."

Republican Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said the weekend reporting, "really doesn't change anything." Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said, "the facts of the case remain the same."

Before the GOP members spoke, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York alleged that if the Senate Republicans are "not going to vote to call Mr. Bolton and Mr. [Mick] Mulvaney, they would be part of a coverup."

"We're all staring a White House coverup in the face," Schumer said, flanked by Democratic SenatorsTammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Ben Cardin of Maryland. "This is stunning."

Schumer said Bolton's allegation "essentially confirms" the first impeachment article of abuse of power against the president.

Asked if he would support a subpoena to get John Bolton's manuscript, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham reportedly told reporters Monday, "I want to know what's in the manuscript, yeah, I think that's important." Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) also indicated they would consider voting to hear from witnesses.

Share:
More In Politics
IRS Refunds Are Down 9 Percent From Last Year
Tax payers are getting less bang for their buck in 2023. The IRS said the government has so far issued $172 billion in refunds. That's down 9 percent from a year ago, and the average refund is down from roughly $3,2000 to $2,900. However, the overall number of people to get refunds is up 3 percent.
Kansas OKs Bill That Penalizes Doctors for Some Abortions
Doctors accused of not providing enough care to infants delivered alive during certain kinds of abortion procedures in Kansas could face lawsuits and criminal charges under a bill that won final approval Tuesday in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature.
EPA Estimates 9.2M Lead Pipes Carry Water Into Homes
Some 9.2 million lead pipes carry water into homes across the U.S., with more in Florida than any other state, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency survey that will dictate how billions of dollars to find and replace those pipes are spent.
Liberals Win Control of Wisconsin Supreme Court
The incoming majority is expected to rule on a challenge to the state's 1849 abortion ban. The current court, under a 4-3 conservative majority, came within one vote of overturning President Joe Biden’s win in the state in 2020.
Load More