Vulnerable Senate Republicans “Sidestep” Questions on Fair Hearing Standards to Toe “McConnell Line”

Bolton’s Willingness to Testify Puts “Pressure” on GOP Incumbents Who “Dodged Questions,” “Would Not Say,” “Refused to Weigh In”

Vulnerable Senate Republicans sidestepped questions on whether they would support hearing from former White House national security advisor John Bolton in an embarrassing series of dodges that revealed incumbents were toeing the “McConnell line” on impeachment. Despite the fact that Americans of all political affiliations — including bipartisan majorities and two out of three Republicans — want a fair hearing, Republicans refuse to commit to securing witnesses and other evidence and are now rejecting testimony from individuals with direct knowledge of the president’s conduct. 

Particularly in the spotlight are vulnerable Republican Senators Cory Gardner — who was featured on the Denver Post front page yesterday for ducking the press — and Susan Collins, who has refused to adhere to the same standard she set in 1999. Learn more about how Senator Collins changed her tune on impeachment at whatchangedsusan.com.

Here are the highlights of how GOP Senators crumbled when asked simple, direct questions on hearing all the facts: 

• Unelected Senator Martha McSally, who “literally went around the Capitol, around parked cars” last time she tried to avoid answering questions about whether it’s appropriate to ask a foreign government to interfere in American elections:

• Senator Cory Gardner, who just yesterday earned front-page coverage for his months of ducking press and trying to avoid basic questions about the president’s conduct:

• 9News’ Kyle Clark: “Obviously, we would prefer to ask elected officials our questions directly, but Senator Gardner does not respond to our questions, so we figured that you should probably just hear any time he makes a rare comment about impeachment.”

• Senator Joni Ernst waffled on whether Bolton should testify — but she’s not even pretending she wants a fair trial, and already signed on to a partisan push to dismiss impeachment before the facts are heard.

• Senator Susan Collins, who in 1999 called for witnesses and a fair hearing and now “doesn’t sound like she’s going to do anything” to ensure a fair impeachment trial (what changed?):

• Spineless Senator Thom Tillis, who “long ago laid his political future at the feet of the president,” “suggested that he doesn’t want to hear from Bolton unless the House has struck a deal with the former national security adviser first. It was unclear what type of scenario would satisfy that requirement, as the House has already voted to impeach Trump.”

• Los Angeles Times: John Bolton’s surprise offer to testify in Trump impeachment trial puts pressure on GOP
  • Former national security advisor John Bolton said Monday he would testify in President Trump’s impeachment trial if the Senate issued him a subpoena, putting new and potentially intense pressure on Senate Republicans to open the trial further than they had planned.

• CNN: Senate GOP swing votes sidestep questions about Bolton testimony
  • On Monday, Republicans who are expected to face tough battles this year to hold on to their Senate seats, including Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Martha McSally of Arizona, would not respond directly when asked if they’d support a subpoena for Bolton. Senators who have broken with Trump at times, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, who could face a tough race in her state this fall, said it was too early to say whether the Senate should issue a subpoena for Bolton
  • McSally dodged questions on whether she would support a Bolton subpoena, saying, “We will work through it.”
  • Gardner responded by attempting to turn the subject toward House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

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