There are a few accounts on Twitter that you should absolutely follow if you want actual news about the Impeachment Trial and any other political events or happenings, and Byron York is one of them. He is, in this editor’s humble opinion, one of the best to follow in general.
For example, his take on the Senate calling witnesses during the impeachment trial … or not:
Senate GOP doesn't want witnesses. But what if they have to have them? Growing sense that House Dems have opened door wide for calling Hunter Biden. 'Not only relevant, now critical,' says GOP senator. Also: What about whistleblower? https://t.co/ySpuF497u5
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
From the Washington Examiner:
Another GOP senator, Josh Hawley, told Fox News’s Special Report, “If we call witnesses, I think the House has made it very clear, we’re going to have to call Hunter Biden and probably Joe Biden.”
“Hunter Biden is not only relevant, he is now critical,” Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said. “That was a very odd strategic decision from the House managers.”
And Democrats do NOT want them calling Hunter.
None of that means Republicans would love to call Hunter Biden or his father. They’d rather there be no witnesses at all. As all the Biden talk was happening, another GOP senator said, “At the end of this, we will move to summary judgment. I don’t think we will have witnesses.” But Thursday’s developments do mean there is increasing Republican consensus on the Biden option.
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This could real interesting real fast …
Link: In witness debate, growing GOP focus on Hunter Biden; some press for whistleblower. https://t.co/T3crduVSWA
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
Why WOULDN’T they want to talk to the whistleblower? If for no other reason than to watch Schiff’s eyes bug out of his beady little head more than usual.
And then came the ‘disagreement’ from a few trolls:
Okay, Byron, explain to me the logic of why Hunter Biden and the whistleblower even matter to the underlying charges. Why is it not simply a distraction to make the trial about something other than Trump?
— Sir Humphrey (@bdquinn) January 24, 2020
Since he asked so nicely.
1) Because HBiden goes to validity of Trump's Ukraine concerns. Why do you think Ds have said over and over that HBiden allegation is baseless? 2) Because Senate cannot pass judgment on case whose origins are shrouded in mystery. https://t.co/xjCWMmFg6v https://t.co/aOAzgrsIjV
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
Because House Democrats haven’t been able to prove a damn thing?
Just spitballin’.
That said, most Senate Republicans do *not* want witnesses. But thinking among them is that, if they must, Democrats have opened the Hunter Biden door. https://t.co/NlOwDQ0Yqy https://t.co/3Tm58IDzet
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
Most of them just want to vote and get it over with … like most Americans.
But “Trumps Ukraine concerns” were not valid. He chose to believe Giuliani over his own State Dept, and was thus sold an assbackwards concocted reason for Burisma and Shokin’s firing. And his supporters suspend logic for passion and choose to believe the BS too.
— Travis (@travton) January 24, 2020
Notice they don’t just attack Trump, they always attack his supporters as well.
That’s important as we move forward with this impeachment debacle.
Trump defense team will argue otherwise. Like Dems, will have three unanswered days. Thinking at moment is that GOP senators will reject witnesses. HBiden/whistleblower talk is contingency plan. https://t.co/Sn0qEnuM0phttps://t.co/9D3bcDLXWX
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
It’s their insurance plan.
And c’mon, we know how much Democrats love their insurance plans. Ahem.
Back for Clinton there was a revulsion to taking testimony from Lewinsky.
— Ted Pomeroy (@PomeroyTed) January 24, 2020
Sure, but …
Clinton trial featured excerpts of video testimony from Jordan, Blumenthal, Lewinsky. All had testified earlier to Starr after legal wrangling, grand jury subpoenas — the kind of thing House did not engage in this time. https://t.co/ObyUVJTq0zhttps://t.co/KHu9c3em3J
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
Not this time.
Correct. There has been lots of witness testimony in the Democrats' impeachment presentation. Many video segments. https://t.co/o7pflvYzjn https://t.co/QOPUIZTQ2Z
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 24, 2020
Senate Republicans hold all the cards, folks.
Sorry, not sorry.
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