WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Donald Trump’s Senate defense on Monday was overshadowed by new information that could impact the future of the impeachment trial.
According to the New York Times, a draft of former national security adviser John Bolton’s upcoming book says the president told him he didn’t want to release aid to Ukraine without an investigation into the Bidens.
Members of President Trumps’ congressional legal team, Georgia Congressman Doug Collins and North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows say they aren’t worried.
“Do not get distracted by the shiny objects of saying we need witnesses or Bolton’s new manuscript or anything else,” Collins (R-GA) said.
“What we have is a report of a manuscript that no one’s read that is selectively leaked to the New York Times that ultimately do not change the facts of what we’re talking about here today,” Rep. Meadows (R-NC) added.
In light of the news, a few Senate Republicans now say they may vote with Democrats to call new witnesses, including Bolton.
Democratic Senator Doug Jones of Alabama is pushing to make that happen.
“You know when you have witnesses who have first information and knowledge and they’ve got documents, one way or the other I think you have to hear from those witnesses,” Jones said.
President Trump is denying Bolton’s account.
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to the investigation into Democrats, including the Bidens,” the president tweeted. “If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”
Democrats need at least four Republicans to vote with them for new testimony.
The president’s defense is expected to wrap by Tuesday.