Published 12:39 IST, January 22nd 2020
US Senate rejects proposal for John Bolton's testimony in impeachment trial
US Senate voted along the party lines to reject a proposal from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer which would have issued a subpoena for John Bolton.
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As only the third impeachment trial unfolds in the Senate, the house voted 53-47 along the party lines to reject a proposal from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer which would have issued a subpoena for US President Donald Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton's testimony. Bolton had previously said that he would testify only if subpoenaed in the trail. However, he can still be summoned if the senators decide to issue a subpoena later on in the trial.
According to international reports, Schumer has introduced nine amendments till now to the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed rules. The lawmakers have reportedly also killed the ninth amendment which required a vote of the Senators on any motion to subpoena witnesses and documents. According to the current proposed rules, the Senate has a procedural vote which must be passed before any actual vote on subpoenas for witnesses and documents.
Bolton's role in the trial
The former security advisor who was fired by the US President has been seen as the most important person who has not been heard from in the impeachment investigation into US President's dealings with foreign politicians. He's reportedly the centre figure who had been present in many of the events which remain crucial to the investigation. However, Bolton did not comply with the subpoena to testify in the House investigation.
Bolton has not only criticised the controversial phonecall of US President with his Ukrainian counterpart but has also specifically sparred over Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani for a back-channel operation. Earlier Bolton's attorney Charles Cooper had reportedly said that his client will not voluntarily testify in the court without a subpoena.
The Democrats have accused Trump of abusing his constitutional powers by asking his Ukrainian counterpart to start an investigation against political rival Joe Biden and withholding military assistance in return. The 45th US President has repeatedly said that 'crazy Nancy Pelosi' and 'Do Nothing Democrats' have planned the entire impeachment and also claims to have done nothing wrong. Furthermore, in the first formal response, even Trump's legal team has called the impeachment articles submitted by Democrats as 'constitutionally invalid'.
12:39 IST, January 22nd 2020