His strategy harmonizes with plans from other GOP senators.
If the Senate decides to consider new impeachment trial witnesses and documents next week, Sen. Josh Hawley plans to try and force votes on everyone from Adam Schiff to Joe Biden.
The Missouri Republican is preparing to file subpoena requests for witnesses and documents that Democrats and Republicans alike won’t want to vote on. Hawley’s strategy harmonizes with plans from GOP Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky to force votes to hear from Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son who was on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
Their tactics are intended to convince a handful of senators to sink a vote next week to consider new evidence in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Trump’s attempt to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens is at the heart of the impeachment case against the president.
If the witness vote succeeds, Hawley aims to force votes on subpoenas for House Intelligence Chairman Schiff (D-Calif.), Vice President Biden, Hunter Biden, Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, the still-unnamed whistleblower who reported Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president and a reported acquaintance of the whistleblower’s.
White House counsel Pat Cipollone hinted at a Schiff subpoena during testimony before the Senate on Saturday by noting he didn’t appear before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on impeachment.
Democrats already forced votes to subpoena acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, former national security adviser John Bolton, and documents related to the administration’s decision-making on aid to Ukraine earlier this week, all of which failed on party lines. Democrats say that the Bidens aren’t relevant to the investigation.
Hawley would also seek communications among the whistleblower, Schiff and his staff, transcripts of Atkinson’s congressional testimony, communications between the House impeachment managers and Democratic presidential candidates as well as documents related to Biden’s drive to oust former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin. Shokin was deeply unpopular with Western officials, who viewed him as corrupt.
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If the Senate decides to consider new impeachment trial witnesses and documents next week, Sen. Josh Hawley plans to try and force votes on everyone from Adam Schiff to Joe Bidenhttps://t.co/5OyhWndbRE
— POLITICO (@politico) January 26, 2020
This is what pure contempt for the Constitution looks like. https://t.co/PoG6Big0wO
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 26, 2020
You are the bravest most principled senator ever. Thank you for your heroism and straight dealing. https://t.co/8LnAv1Qx3g
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) January 26, 2020
The 2024 nominee is still going to be Don Jr. https://t.co/9vBnBGWxXS
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 26, 2020
Also, do it. https://t.co/9vBnBGWxXS
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 26, 2020
This is a really fearsome threat, @HawleyMO. Why don't you help turn it into an *actual possibility* by voting at the outset to hear new witnesses and evidence?
Then the Senate can have the votes on the Bidens that *you* claim to want.
But you won't do that, will you. https://t.co/FMUQH2pUTz
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) January 26, 2020
But don't call the voters buying this line rubes, that would be insulting https://t.co/CjNS1fE9Wq
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 27, 2020
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