Bickering over impeachment resolution begins

Posted by Anonymous on October 31, 2019

On Politics

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Wednesday, October 30

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., listens while speaking with reporters after a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ORG XMIT: DCAB116

Bickering over impeachment resolution begins

It was another day of arguments and interviews.

Things move quickly in the world of the impeachment inquiry. OnPolitics readers, here's what happened today:

We've started arguing over the impeachment resolution

Democrats and Republicans got their first chance to face-off on impeachment Wednesday as they bickered over a resolution outlining procedures for the inquiry as it moves forward to its next phase, which will be in public.

•	The 13-member House Rules Committee met today to weigh a number of proposed GOP changes to the eight-page resolution.
•	They argued over subpoena powers for Republicans, due-process rights for the president, how impeachment has been handled historically and plans for public hearings in the House Intelligence Committee.

Two more officials were interviewed

Catherine Croft and Christopher Anderson appeared today before the House Oversight, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees. Both worked under former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker, who has emerged as a key witness in the impeachment investigation. They did not make any public comments after their interviews. but we do have their full opening statements. Check out the highlights:

•	Croft says a lobbyist told her Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch should be fired.
•	Croft was unaware of a hold on aid to Ukraine until a July 18 video conference with the Office of Management and Budget, where she was informed a hold was placed on security assistance to Ukraine, stemming from an order "at the direction of the President."
•	Anderson will say that former National Security Adviser John Bolton said Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, who took part in a pressure campaign in Ukraine, "could be an obstacle to increased White House engagement."

But wait, there's more

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised the previous witnesses today, tweeting, "We've learned so much about Trump's months-long campaign to pressure Ukraine because military veterans & his own national security aides stood up to tell the truth. They put their country ahead of everything else. It's not too late for Republicans in Congress to do the same."

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said Tuesday that his close involvement in Ukraine issues would not cause him to recuse himself from a Senate impeachment trial of Trump. He also said he would participate in the impeachment inquiry if needed. "That would be up to the House" if it wants to hear from him, Johnson said. "I wouldn't resist. I'm always happy to tell the truth."

- That's all for OnPolitics today. See you all back here tomorrow.