Adam Schiff Pushes John Bolton To Testify For Impeachment Probe
During an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff revealed that Democrats would not be going to court to force former national security adviser John Bolton to testify for the impeachment probe into Donald Trump. But Schiff did push Bolton to speak out, suggesting Bolton should have the “courage” to testify as others — such as National Security Council Russia expert Fiona Hill — have.
According to Schiff, if Bolton does not testify, he will have to use his upcoming book to explain to Americans why he didn’t speak out “when it mattered.”
“We’ve certainly been in touch with his lawyer and what we’ve been informed by his lawyer because we invited him and he did not choose to come in and testify… is if we subpoena him, they will sue us in court,” Schiff said.
“Now, he will have to explain one day if he maintains that position why he wanted to wait to put it in a book instead of telling the American people what he knew when it really mattered to the country.”
As The Inquisitr reported, Schiff also stopped by NBC News’ Meet the Press Sunday and spoke about the next steps for the impeachment probe. The 59-year-old said that the path forward begins with a report on the committee’s findings that outlines the decision to file or not file Articles of Impeachment against the president, followed by both private depositions and public testimony.
As the president continues to seek foreign intervention in the upcoming election,
We feel a real sense of urgency.
The fact that Republicans may be derelict in their duty does not relieve us of our obligation to uphold and defend the Constitution. pic.twitter.com/5XtwtmyHoU
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) November 24, 2019
Once the report is completed, it will be submitted to the judiciary committee. Although Schiff says this will likely happen in December, he also suggested that new information could spark more public hearings and depositions, The Guardian reports. As far as impeachment, the judiciary committee will determine if and how the process moves forward.
Should the House approve Articles of Impeachment, the next step is a Senate trial. Although Trump and his camp have expressed their desire to hear Schiff testify in such a trial, Schiff told Tapper that he does not want to. According to Trump’s allies, Schiff met with the whistleblower and helped spark the inquiry into the president. While Schiff denies meeting with the whistleblower and knowing their identity, CNN reported that the whistleblower met with some committee staff before they filed their complaint.
White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said that the administration is preparing for a Senate trial, although they haven’t ruled out the possibility that impeachment will not pass the House.
