Deseret News reporter Matthew Brown is in Washington, D.C., and will be publishing updates about the trial throughout the day.
Utah delegation quiet on Bolton revelations, but Rep. John Curtis points back at House Dems
6:20 p.m. MST
Asked to comment on the revelations about President Trump in John Bolton’s forthcoming book and their impact on whether the Senate hears from witnesses in the president’s impeachment trial, Utah Republican Congressman John Curtis said he finds it ironic that House Democrats who insisted on a “speedy impeachment process” now want a “lengthy, thorough trial” with new witnesses.
“While I agree that the Senators should be able to hear first-hand accounts and make their decision based solely on objective facts, I am frustrated that our same wishes were not honored in the House,” he told the Deseret News. “I am hopeful that the Senate trial will bring additional evidence, that the hurried House investigation didn’t allow for ... and put this to bed.”
Sen. Mitt Romney told reporters earlier Monday that the Bolton reports made it more likely the Senate would hear from additional witnesses. Sen. Mike Lee did not respond to a request for comment—along with the rest of the delegation except Rep. Ben McAdams, who simply replied: “no comment.”
Schumer says Trump lawyers are making a case for more witnesses
2:29 p.m. MST
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says the argument Trump defense attorney Ken Starr made that the Senate is a court is the main reason why the chamber needs to hear from new witnesses.
“Who ever heard of a court proceeding without witnesses and documents?” Schumer said to reporters during a break in the impeachment trial. “If we are a court, all the reason we have to hear the evidence.”
The president’s attorneys cautioned later in the trial that calling for additional witnesses will amount to a “redo” of the House impeachment investigation that would set a dangerous precedent for future impeachments.
“Whatever this body accepts will become the new normal,” warned White House attorney Patrick Philbin.
GOP senator attacks Romney, Graham wants Bolton manuscript
12:22 p.m. MST
The Senate’s newest member, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., accused fellow Republican Mitt Romney of pandering to “the left” for wanting to hear from former national security adviser John Bolton in the impeachment trial.
Romney said that Bolton’s testimony is increasingly relevant to the Senate impeachment trial in light of reports that the former National Security Adviser’s forthcoming memoir tells of Trump withholding military aid to Ukraine to convince officials in that country to announce an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter — a question at the crux of the impeachment question.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he wants to read the manuscript. “Let’s see if it’s relevant, and if it is, then I’ll make a decision about Bolton,” he told reporters, according to The Washington Post.
Deaths of Kobe Bryant, daughter mentioned in opening prayer
11:36 a.m. MST
“As millions mourn the deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and those who died with them, we think about life’s brevity, uncertainty and legacy,” Senate Chaplain Barry Black said in his prayer opening the seventh day of the impeachment trial. “Remind us that we all have a limited time on earth to leave the world better than we found it.”
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash Sunday.
Senate wishes chief justice happy birthday
11:20 a.m. MST
Senators and Senate Chaplain Barry Black recognized Chief Justice John Roberts’ 65th birthday today.
Black mentioned it in his opening prayer and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell followed up saying, “I’m sure this is exactly how you planned to celebrate the day.”
Roberts got a round of laughter after he thanked the senators for their wishes and “for not asking the yeas and nays.”
Trump team will take two days, pushing witness vote to Friday
10:09 a.m. MST
President Donald Trump’s defense team will take its allotted two days to present its case to senators sitting as jurors in the impeachment trial against the president.
The latest guidance to senators is that their time to question the prosecution and defense will be Wednesday and Thursday, pushing a vote on whether to hear additional testimony to Friday.
Pressure is mounting for senators to hear from former national security adviser John Bolton while they sit as jurors in the impeachment trial for President Donald Trump.
Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney told reporters Monday that recent reports about Bolton’s discussions with Trump on military aid to Ukraine make it “increasingly apparent that it would be important to hear from John Bolton.
“I, of course, will make a final decision on witnesses after we’ve heard from not only the prosecution, but also the defense.”
Add Collins to senators eager to hear from John Bolton
9:52 a.m. MST
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins joined Utah’s Mitt Romney in saying senators should hear from former national security adviser John Bolton.
Romney says he’s talked to other senators about Bolton, but he’s not saying who
9:20 a.m. MST
Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney says he’s recently talked with other senators about hearing from former national security adviser John Bolton during the Senate impeachment trial but he’s not saying who.
“I’m not going speak for any of the Republican senators, but I have spoken with others who’ve opined upon this as well,” Romney told reporters Monday morning.
The pressure to have Bolton and other top White House aides testify amped up Sunday after reports that Bolton wrote in a new book that President Donald Trump told Bolton that military aid to Ukraine was held up until that country started investigating Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 election.
It would take four Republican senators breaking ranks to secure the majority vote needed to hear from other witnesses during the ongoing Senate trial.
Other GOP senators who have spoken in favor of hearing additional testimony are Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Martha McSally of Arizona and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.
Romney says Bolton revelations make more witnesses ‘increasingly likely’
8:50 a.m. MST
Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney told reporters Monday that it’s “increasingly likely” former national security adviser John Bolton will be called as a witness in the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump.
The New York Times reported Sunday that a leaked transcript of his forthcoming book undercuts a key White House defense that there was no quid pro quo in military aid to Ukraine. Bolton wrote that Trump told him military aid was tied to Ukraine investigating the president political rival Joe Biden.
“I think it’s increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton,” Romney said. “Whether there are other witnesses and documents that’s another matter, but I think John Bolton’s relevance to our decision has become increasingly clear.”
Romney has spoken on Bolton. What about other GOP senators?
8:00 a.m. MST
Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said before the Senate impeachment trial began that he wanted to hear testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton.
A leaked transcript of Bolton’s forthcoming book confirms why his testimony could be relevant. He says Trump told him that aid to Ukraine was tied to that country’s investigations into a political rival. Trump tweeted Sunday that’s not true and Bolton is just trying to sell books.
Romney reiterated Saturday that “it’s very likely” he’ll vote in favor of witnesses later this week. Other GOP senators favoring additional testimony are Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Martha McSally of Arizona and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.
It would take just four of the Republican senators to reach the simple majority needed to subpoena additional witnesses.
Dershowitz: House managers tried, but still no ‘impeachable offenses’
7:30 a.m. MST
High profile attorney Alan Dershowitz commended the House managers for presenting a thorough case. But the former Harvard law professor said the facts still don’t add up to removing President Donald Trump from office.
“Even if the factual allegations are true, which are highly disputed,” he told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace, “they did not allege impeachable offenses.”
Dershowitz is on the Trump defense team which resumes arguing its case Monday at 1 p.m. He is supposed to argue what the framers of the Constitution meant by impeachable offenses. Other constitutional scholars told lawmakers in the House impeachment hearings that Trump’s conduct did meet the threshold of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Trump is accused of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Dems crank up pressure for witnesses after reports on John Bolton book excerpts
7 a.m. MST
Former national security adviser John Bolton hasn’t testified in any of the impeachment proceedings, but what he’s written has Democrats turning up their demands that he should appear in the ongoing Senate impeachment trial.
The New York Times reported that a leaked transcript of the book undercuts a key White House defense that there was no quid pro quo in military aid to Ukraine. Bolton wrote that Trump told him there was.
House managers prosecuting the case in the Senate issued this statement Sunday:
“There is no defensible reason to wait until his book is published, when the information he has to offer is critical to the most important decision senators must now make — whether to convict the president of impeachable offenses.”