Thoughts on John Bolton’s Offer to Testify

Playbook: “The House never subpoenaed Bolton, and if he is willing to testify in front of the Senate, what would be the reason he would not comply with a new House subpoena? Does this affect the House’s timing of sending of impeachment articles to the Senate?”

“So let’s break down how this could play out: Getting a witness to testify in the Senate would require 51 votes on the floor, meaning four Republicans would have to join with every Democrat to compel Bolton to testify. We can hypothesize about who those four might be, but there are far too many variables at this point.”

“But, consider this: If it’s clear that there are four Republicans, Senate leadership can work to cut a deal for Bolton’s testimony that would circumscribe when and where he might testify, how the material is released and in what form it is released. And the White House could also weigh in to try to enjoin his testimony, leading to a protracted legal battle.”