Former National Security Adviser to Trump, John Bolton, who had a bizarre exit from the Trump administration last month “did not appear before the Democratic-led congressional impeachment inquiry” today said lawmakers.
Not surprisingly, chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff, said Bolton’s failure to show was “deeply regrettable.” Schiff then urged other witnesses to “do their duty and show up.”
Bolton has a legitimate reason to wait and not show up, thanks to former deputy national security adviser, Charles Kupperman. Kupperman was subpoena’d to appear before the committee but reportedly told by the Trump administration not to testify. Therefore Kupperman “asked a court to rule on whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honor the Trump administration’s order not to testify” reports Reuters.
Specifically, Kupperman “filed a lawsuit in a federal court on Friday naming Trump and House Democrats as defendants seeking ‘a declaratory judgment from this Court as to whether he is lawfully obliged to comply with a subpoena issued by the House Defendants demanding his testimony.”
Both Kupperman and Bolton are expected to provide testimony about Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, and specifically a phone call on July 25th between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Representative Mark Meadows (R-NC) expressed frustration of the impeachment probe and echoed sentiments of the Trump administration and many Republicans. Meadows told reporters, “It’s not an investigation. I think the real key here is, this is not an investigation. These are a few depositions designed to get an outcome that was predetermined.”
Continue Reading: Reuters
