What happens when you refuse to attend a party to which you were not invited? John Bolton has made the rounds the last few days on various news outlets, including an appearance this morning on ABCs Good Morning America, where he threw some cold water on the idea of cooperating with congressional subpoenas. “Let’s see what they decide to do,” Bolton told George Stephanopoulos. “The primary way we rein presidents in is not through impeachment — it’s through elections.”
As it turns out, they’re not terribly interested in hearing from Bolton. House Judiciary chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) told Jake Tapper on yesterday’s State of the Union that Bolton’s testimony no longer has any practical use for House Democrats. With an election coming up, it would “be a waste of time and effort”:
“No, we’re not interested in Bolton’s testimony,” House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler tells @jaketapper. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/cNTpkBD5jy
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 21, 2020
TAPPER: I want to turn to the latest from former National Security Adviser John Bolton coming out in his book that I think comes out on Tuesday. Bolton accused Democrats, House Democrats, of committing — quote — “impeachment malpractice” by not broadening your impeachment investigation beyond the Ukraine controversy to include other episodes he describes as potential high crimes and misdemeanors involving the president with China, involving the president with Turkey. What do you make of that charge?
NADLER: Well, the fact is, the president could’ve been impeached on other grounds, too, such as obstruction of justice in the Russia investigation. We chose to try to keep it simple. But — and Bolton, who has, as we now know, evidence that he could have offered and refused to offer, is certainly no one to talk.
…
TAPPER: Are you planning on calling Bolton to testify about this new information he has? He suggests in his book that President Trump…
NADLER: I’m sorry. Am I planning to what?
TAPPER: To call John Bolton to testify?
NADLER: I’m sorry. Am I planning to what? (CROSSTALK)
TAPPER: And Bolton — are you planning on calling John Bolton to testify before your committee?
NADLER: Oh. No, we’re not interested in Bolton’s testimony. …
Apparently, House Democrats did learn one thing from their impeachment effort five months ago. “We know the Republicans in the Senate will not entertain an impeachment in any event,” Nadler lamented. That would make any testimony by Bolton “at this point, be a waste of time and effort.” It was equally a waste of time and effort back in January, and the election was close enough at that point to make their complaints the platform for their party’s campaign against Trump, too.
At any rate, Bolton’s not exactly helping out with the election effort, either. This morning, he also said that his biggest worry is that voters might re-elect Trump:
John Bolton tells @GStephanopoulos his biggest fear about Pres. Trump being re-elected is “his policy-making is so incoherent, so unfocused … that mistakes are being made that will have grave consequences for the national security of the United States.” https://t.co/zpjlpYU7OO pic.twitter.com/Cfot0chMIy
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 22, 2020
Bolton’s so worried about that possibility that he plans not to vote for Joe Biden. Er, what?
The spokeswoman for John Bolton said Sunday that the former national security adviser will not be voting for either President Donald Trump or the presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in this year’s election.
“He will not be voting for Biden or Trump,” Sarah Tinsley, Bolton’s spokeswoman, told CNN after the Daily Telegraph reported earlier Sunday evening that Bolton, a lifelong Republican, said he would vote for Biden over his former boss.
So it appears that Bolton believes voters have a choice between two bumblers on national security. If that’s the case, then why not vote to keep Biden out of the way when it comes to the judiciary?
