My latest in PJ Media:
Revenge, the saying goes, is a dish best served cold, but John Bolton’s strike back at President Trump after being fired as National Security Adviser is the hottest thing in the news today. According to a report in The New York Times, Trump told Bolton “that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens.” Nor is this simply the Times trying to rally the dispirited pro-impeachment troops for one last charge in their multiply discredited impeachment case: Fox News reported that “Bolton’s representatives made clear he was not denying the Times’ claim concerning the Ukraine aid holdup and the possible investigation of the Bidens.
Predictably, Democrat leaders are crowing today, and howling for the President’s head on a pike. The Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer (D-NYSSR) tweeted: “The @NYTimes report suggests multiple top Trump Admin officials knew the facts and deliberately misled Congress and the American people. A massive White House cover-up.” Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Shifty) agreed, tweeting: “We already have strong and direct evidence that Trump withheld military aid to demand political investigations. Bolton further corroborates it.”
President Trump, however, denied Bolton’s charge, tweeting: “I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”
Trump has a point. Bolton’s book containing his allegation went up for preorder at Amazon last night, just as news of his charge was released. While few might have been interested in the self-serving memoirs of a failed advocate of endless and pointless wars, now Bolton is virtually assured of a massive bestseller. What’s more, if his charges sway weak establishment Republicans such as Mitt Romney, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski to announce their intention to vote to convict, other establishment Republicans could follow their lead, and Trump could become the first President in American history to be both impeached and convicted and removed from office.
It’s still a long shot, even with Bolton’s charge, but the central question is: Why would John Bolton even want to open the door to that possibility? Does his hatred for Trump burn so intensely that he would rather see him and the Republican Party discredited and destroyed over claims that are dubious at best, and the Democrats assured of unchallenged hegemony for the foreseeable future, rather than see the President continue in office?
There is much more. Read the rest here.
Wellington says
Well, we shall see, but even if Trump said he didn’t want to release the aid, the fact of the matter is that he did within the specified time period. As Rush Limbaugh just opined today, he doesn’t want to go to the dentist but he does nonetheless. Wanting not to do something is not a crime nor an impeachable offense, especially if one ends up doing what one does not want to do. This would be my approach respecting any legal argument.
Westman says
It is ironic that the Democrats, trying to undo an election out of fear that a confident President might start a war that ruins their economic and social orgy, latch on to the angry writing of the one person who was fired for insisting to go war with Iran. Bolton would welcome war at any cost to the US.
Crazed Democrats, trying to remove a President who has the US best interests a heart when they should be planning for a virus that likely escaped from a Wuhan private-military Bio-lab. Significant early cases are now found to have originated far from the fish and meat market. China is still covering up the actual infection numbers – when have 11 million people ever been quarantined, backed up by military force?
Wellington says
Damn good point, Westman, about the irony involved.
Just Venting says
11 Million? It seems like every time I go to recheck for the latest corona updates (not with lime and salt, either), the numbers keep growing. Last check was close to 50 million in quarantine and 18 or more cities.
Sounds like:
1. The door to the barn was closed after the whole herd escaped.
2. Chaos
Based upon what the MSM is saying (and who knows how accurate that is?), we should know in about two weeks just how bad this will truly get.
william carr says
It is not for you to criticise China;s efforts to control the virus. China is not USA to start with it has about 4 times more people. Nor is it helpful to put out conspiracy theories. I am sure you will print a retraction when the true cause is found (if ever it is)? No I thought not.
Terry Gain says
I agree. Bolton and the Democrats want to impeach President Trump for a thought crime. This is however very embarrassing for the stalwart Republicans who have fought the case on the basis that President Trump did not attempt to tie release of aid to investigations. I agreed with Andy McCarthy all along that there was nothing wrong with asking for the investigations and the case should have been fought on that basis.
In my 42 years in practice I often observed that clients who lie to their lawyers are really stupid.
At a minimum, it now seems that the trial may be delayed to hear witnesses. What effect the impeachment will have on this November’s election is now more uncertain.
Wellington says
Agreed, Terry. Always best, a la McCarthy, to admit the worst case scenario if even the worst case scenario still exculpates you—all part of arguing in the alternative and all that which I’m sure you’re quite familiar with.
James Lincoln says
Terry Gain,
Excellent points.
Fox News contributor Dan Bongino put together a pretty good takedown of the leak from John Bolton’s book draft. The link is below.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/dan-bongino-john-bolton-book-trump-ukraine-bidens
Terry Gain says
Thanks James. The aid was released without Trump telling or directing anyone to tell Ukraine that the aid would not be released unless the investigations were initiated. Case closed.
gravenimage says
Leftists have been trying to impeach Trump since before he took office.
Bezelel says
” there was nothing wrong with asking for the investigations ” Exactly, However there was something wrong with sending pallets of cash to Iran to ransom hostages.
mortimer says
Good points by Wellington. Foot-dragging is a normal way for governments and political parties to behave and waiting for the last minute is not ‘obstruction’ per se.
I think destroying evidence … such as hard drives … that would be ‘obstruction’ … no?
Can’t the president use leverage to negotiate? I believe he can, otherwise, no president would negotiate anything.
Though I am not an expert in constitutional law, I think this is a case of the House trying to encroach on the constitutional powers of the presidency and subjugate the president to the House.
eduardo odraude says
According to some lawyers (Dershowitz, for example), even if there was a quid pro quo, that is not an impeachable offense.
Tony Naim says
It is true what one said: if you need a friend in Washington, get a dog.
American politics is beginning to look so much like Christian-Lebanese politics. Self destructive, self serving and stupid. It seems Bolton hates Trump more than the Mullahs. Nothing will serve them more than the democrats winning the White House.
I hope President Trump will prevail over this backstabbing episode.
There is no question in my mind or in my heart he will get my vote in November.
revereridesagain says
Very disappointed in Bolton, from whom I would have expected better.
dsinc says
Same here.
Westman says
“American politics is beginning to look so much like Christian-Lebanese politics.”
And well on its way to Bananna-Republic politics. Congress has a lower rating than lawyers and a serious case of spectrophobia. Our best people do not run for congress anymore – it’s the narcissistic aspirers who want to rule instead of serve who weather the elections. Power is their addiction, a disease soon caught, even if initially disease-free, when entering office. Without term limits congress will always be filled with corruption and rags-to-riches outcome for congressmen.
James Lincoln says
Westman says,
Jan 27, 2020 at 2:13 pm
“Our best people do not run for congress anymore…”
That is true, and that’s why were stuck with the likes of AOC, Tlaib, and Omar.
Sue Sherrill says
Do we KNOW this is true or might it be another DEEP STATE leak meant to cloud the water?
Terry Gain says
If it weren’t true Bolton would have denied it.
Roland says
I don’t think that Bolton hates Trump. He is too professional for that and generally agrees with Trump’s direction. He probably suspected how his Trump experience would turn out. Reasonable people can disagree about the proper US role in Afghanistan, which is a hideout for Islamic terrorists. While nation-building there seems like a hopelessly expensive and bloody project, do we need to go in there once in a while and “now the lawn”?
Roland says
i.e. “mow the lawn”.
Palladini says
DemocRats want Trump gone, because they Know they nobody in the DemocRat ranks who can beat Trump in the next election, but at the same time, I see of DemocRat voters aying that person that represents them is not going to next time around.
vlparker says
Thoughts are not crimes, nor are thoughts discussed with advisors. The aid was delivered on time with no quid pro quo. In a sane world, that would be the end of the story. The same RINO morons strike again.
And isn’t it funny that neither Romney, Collins nor Murkowski seem to be the least bit interested in Biden’s crimes or in Obama’s? Remember, in that video where Biden admitted that he pressured Ukraine to fire the prosecutor or the aid would be withheld? He was told that he’s not in charge of the aid, that Obama was. And Biden said, “Call him”. Obama and Biden are the ones who should be called to testify.
revereridesagain says
+1
Obvious, but can’t be repeated too often.
mortimer says
Guess Who Was In Charge Of Reviewing Bolton’s Leaked Book At The NSC? by Tyler Durden Mon, 01/27/2020 – 13:39
The identical twin brother of Democratic impeachment witness Alexander Vindman, Yevgeny Vindman, is reportedly in charge of reviewing all publications by current and former officials at the National Security Council (NSC), according to Breitbart News, which would include the recently leaked manuscript of former National Security adviser John Bolton.
The report describes the reviews as a “standard process that allows the NSC to review book manuscripts, op-eds, or any other material for any classified material to be eliminated before publication.”
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman famously testified against President Trump during House impeachment hearings in November, where he admitted to violating the chain of command when he reported his concerns over a July 25 phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky.
Nunes: Did you know that financial records show a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma, routed more than $ 3 million to American accounts tied to Hunter Biden?
Vindman, whose job was to handle Ukraine policy: “I’m not aware of this fact.” pic.twitter.com/6yFbWkufmH
— Nate Madden (@NateOnTheHill) November 19, 2019
Breitbart notes that the Vindman brothers have offices across from each other at the NSC, and that the Wall Street Journal describes Vindman as “an NSC lawyer handling ethics issues.” Alexander Vindman, meanwhile, has said that his brother was the “lead ethics official” at the agency.
Meanwhile, looks like people are already distancing themselves from Bolton’s claims that President Trump explicitly linked Ukraine aid with an investigation into the Bidens.
And now contradicted by Mick Mulvaney. https://t.co/1dhuCQ8UHZ
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) January 27, 2020
Gamzu says
If the above is true, don’t blame Bolton for the timing of the leak, blame Vindman’s brother. He’s probably been sitting on this for weeks.
mortimer says
Robert Spencer avers: “SELL-OUT”. I agree. This is PERFECT TIMING for a book, isn’t it?
Message to Bolton: TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN.
cornelius says
Friends, I’m a supporter of the President and oppose this witch hunt of an impeachment, But isn’t it possible that John Bolton is telling the truth? It doesn’t at all mean that Trump has committed an impeachable offense….but are we right to disparage Bolton and call him a liar?
vlparker says
That’s hardly the point. If Bolton is a true conservative and believes in the Constitution, individual liberty and free markets, which the Democrats are hell bent on destroying, then he would be doing everything in his power to destroy the Democrats. He has shown his true colors here, that he is another self-serving deep state elitist hack who doesn’t give a damn about the founding principles of this country.
cornelius says
In other words, the truth be damned.
vlparker says
What planet are you living on? The Dems want to eliminate our borders. They want to disarm the populace. They want to put people in jail for criticizing islam. They want to legalize infanticide. They want to eliminate freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to assemble peaceably. They are a bunch of socialists/communists who want to fundamentally transform the country into a multicultural paradise, better known as a police state.
No, I don’t care if Bolton is telling the truth because it is irrelevant. Biden confessed on video to committing bribery and he laughed about it. Trump has every right to investigate him. I would argue he has a duty to investigate him. If he told a little white lie to protect himself from this sham investigation by the totally corrupt Democrat Party I really don’t care. Western Civilization is hanging by a thread, being attacked in the US and in Europe by the left and by islam, and you’re worried about what might be a little white lie. The left needs to be utterly defeated. Sheesh. Wake up.
eduardo odraude says
cornelius, I think Bolton may have been telling the truth as he interpreted it. It’s not impossible that he simply wanted to tell the truth. But even if Bolton’s claim is accurate, what Trump did is not an impeachable offense. To ask another nation for a corruption investigation into the opposition party in the US is something I think several Democratic senators have already done, but no one ever suggested they be impeached. I think the fact is that the Dem leaders simply hate Trump as a sort of radical conservative, a talk-radio president. Their hatred of him profoundly warps and destroys their objectivity with respect to the law. I think they are also very frightened of him because he is an incredibly talented and energetic demagogue. Fortunately, his demagoguery seems to be combined with competence and with serving conservative goals and greatly strengthening the US economy. But I can see why they might be afraid of him. He weaves an extraordinary spell and does so with more energy than ought to be available to one person, a spell powerful enough to transform the nation and get him seemingly ever closer to landslide re-election. He also does not play by established rules of decorum, he doesn’t pay respect or genuflect to the establishment in exchange for its protection; he indicates all the time that in a way he doesn’t care about what the establishment expects, he’s not following the current nicey-nice rules of decorum and pc, he’s following his own rules, and he’s saying that anyone who doesn’t like it can go jump. I think his modus operandi is to intentionally take on the world in a way, not just be another obedient good little boy who says all the right things.
Terry Gain says
As President Trump’s NSA Bolton had an ethical obligation to keep the President’s thoughts to himself. This book should not have been released during the Presidency of Donald Trump, and most definitely not during is impeachment. Bolton knows better and it is very disappointing and upsetting to see him cashing in instead of serving his country and the President who reposed confidence in him.
IslamKills says
Hi Idiots! This is your doing, not Muslim’s doing. Go ahead and spin it anyway you want. Go ahead and quote a sura or hadith. Next you will blame Muslims for your disgusting cities and homeless problems.
gravenimage says
The mendaciously named “IslamKills”–he is actually an ugly Muslim apologist–is again being dishonest here. Of course, no one is saying that Bolton is Muslim, or acting in the name of Islam–the issue is that President Trump, with all of his shortcomings, is still the best defense the West has now against Jihad.
Not, of course, that “IslamKills” *wants* a defense against Jihad.
Note that “IslamKills’s” sneering goes beyond the issue of presidential impeachment–he is here pretending that Jihad and Shari’ah are not real issues, but just attempts to blame Muslims for the problems of the West. Try again, creep…
Wellington says
Whatever problems exist in the West, IslamKills, they pale in comparison to the gigantic mental and actual prison which is the Islamic sphere of mankind. And while we’re at it, please note that all the technological trappings that exist in the Islamic world are of Western creation—phones, cellphones, computers, trains, cars, airplanes, modern agricultural techniques aplenty, refrigeration, air-conditioning, modern weaponry, television, extracting oil from the ground—ah, yes indeed, a long list.
What has the Islamic world contributed to mankind over the past half millennium or more? Let’s see here, a dearth of freedom, an incapacity to apologize for wrongdoings like black slavery, enslavement of women under the false guise of respecting them, the massive inability to deal with criticism of Islam without resorting to violence, et al. Islam is the “perfect” recipe for the closing of the mind, the stultification of the spirit, and the risible dealings with the body (e.g., the way Muslims must wipe their ass).
Islam is the worst religion of all time. It is also a giant leach. It sickens me and, oh, btw, there is no Allah, the Koran is disgusting and your Model Man has the characteristics of a brutal, narcissistic psychopath. In short, Islam sucks.
Take it from here, doofus, and shove it where the Sun (per Islamthink it sets in a “muddy pool”) never shines. Enough for now.
gravenimage says
+1
Demsci says
“Not Muslim’s doing? Well, Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are badmouthing Trump and cheerleading his prosecutors all the time!
What’s with the name “Islamkills”? Is Islam bad for health, for the practitioner? Like in “Smokingkills”?
John says
It is bad for all who come into contact with it.
John says
Nobody was even mentioning Muslims, so are you feeling left out that you are making such a silly comment? Nobody cares about Islam or Muslims for that matter, unless of course they become violent again. Just clean up your the cities and homeless problem in Pakistan or Bangladesh, or do you really think Islamic countries don’t have any problems?
E T says
So tell me please just what was he supposed to have said. First day for taking orders, does that mean anything to anyone? I hope all the democrats in the world bought into this and ordered Bolton’s book. HA HA HA. What did P T say about suckers?
tgusa says
Leftist US media/political class on John Bolton; We were against him before we were for him. Wondering what the left is thinking? That depends on what day it is.
Just Venting says
To find out the who, what, where, why, and how regarding the Bolton leak, follow the money. A forensic review of his finances, detailing how much went from A to B, or C, or D, etc., when, from where and to where, why, and how this was done. Unfortunately, unless the IRS thinks he is evading taxes, or the FBI thinks he is money laundering, such a study will not happen.
However, if we find out that Mr. B bought a ranchette on Martha’s Vineyard, or a cozy hideaway on Maui, we can probably make some fairly accurate guesses.
Stop Kafirophobia says
I am unsurprised by this. Bolton is a neocon who is frustrated that his attempts to start WWIII were cockblocked by Trump. Bolton has more in common with Hillary’s Democrats than with the GOP.
Geof Barrington says
Bolton has more in common with Killarys Democracts than the GOP
Took the words right out of my mouth !
Battle says
Joy Villa at the Grammys has the better hairstyle. Joy Villa is far more handsome.
And the dress ” Trunp 2020″
The back of the dress “Impeached And Reelected”
Tony Vee says
A good investigator from the DOJ or FBI should be able to ascertain when exactly this little snippet about the $391 million in Aid to Ukraine Story was inserted into Bolton’s Book Drafts. My hunch is that it was very recent just as his entire book idea was a recent push to try to harm President Trump.
Battle says
And the handbag has the Republican Elephant.
John says
If you treat your staff like sh1t you should not be surprised if they give a sh1t about you and just look after their own wellbeing.
Demsci says
Mick Mulvaney once let slip that “Quid pro quo’s happen all the time between countries”. But there is a crucial difference between Quid pro Quo’s between countries and those between countries and PERSONS. It seems quite usual that countries want something in return for favors.
And I think Trump certainly was wanting the Biden investigation for the US, But yes, perhaps Also a little bit for himself. And that he should have been more careful because of “bad image” of asking for investigation of a political rival.
But IMO he did it primarily for the country, not himself. Or so we should think, because we are not mind readers and someone is innocent until proven guilty.
And the Democrats, AND John Bolton too, they rely on OPINIONs rather than facts. And I for one find the idea that Trump or any reasonably sane and experienced president, even if morally bad, would have the very STUPID intention of quid pro quo of AID to Ukraine and their investigation of Biden AND this ONLY for political personal gain and assume that he could credibly threathen that, get the result he wanted, AND get away with it. And not being aware of the enormous risks for such a blackmail to be discovered. I think that is a preposterous idea.
The so-called “Bolton bombshell” Seems to me to be just the umptieth bombshell touted by the Democrats and mainstream media and more of the same as the already known testimonies for the Democratic side.
And wavering Rep senators may force the additional subpoena’s of witnesses, thereby lengthening the impeachment process, but for REMOVAL a 2/3 majority is needed. And that many rep. Senators the Democrats will never get on their side!
Demsci says
The Democrats are, for 3 years now, like Cato the Elder, who at the end of each speech reiterated; “AND I am of the opinion that Carthage should be destroyed”. The refrain of the Democrats (and Mainstream media) is: AND We are of te opinion that Trump must be ….. impeached”.
clayusmcret says
I’m a firm believer that anyone who holds one of these high level jobs and then turns around and writes a tell-all book about their time in the job is just short of a traitor. This goes for those I liked (and later found I was wrong to do so), too. They all sign NDA’s to get these jobs. It comes with the clearances required for the jobs. By writing a tell-all book about their time in the job they’ve broken their oath of non-disclosure, as well as the faith placed in them; given when they got the job in the first place.
Huh!?! says
Agree with other comments here. Bolton is mad and wants to damage Trump. Everything I have read on real news reports about Trump and the Ukraine was that he did not say any of those things. He released the transcripts. I sure hope and pray that Senate Republicans see through this. Judging by turn out at the NJ rally the people of Uncle Sam do.
OK Bolton you have your best seller. Goodie for you.
seabird says
Marine General, John Kelly vouched for Bolton’s integrity and believes he’s telling the truth and Bolton is willing to testify under oath and confirm it.
What’s so hard to believe that Trump used the issuance of hundreds of millions of dollars of Govt. money to obtain a personal advantage for himself (election dirt on an opponent)?
Trump treats people very poorly who work for him and I think Bolton is getting some satisfaction for dismissing and embarrassing him like a caddy or housemaid at one of his hotels.
There’s a good expression I learned while working in film production in LA, “be nice to people on the way up because you’ll probably meet them again on the way down.”
President Trump never learned that.
Mr Spencer believes Bolton “sold out”, which is probably true but he didn’t call him a liar.
Given the choice of choosing which man is lying, I’d have to believe Bolton.
Was it a serious enough “crime” to impeach and remove a President? I don’t think so.