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Contrarian Take: We already know what @AmbJohnBolton is likely to say. Other witnesses who have already come forward are more compelling than he will be. Of course it would be a big media event, but substantively, Hill, Vindman, Sondland, Holmes are stronger witnesses. https://twitter.com/AmbJohnBolton/status/1197900337690107904">https://twitter.com/AmbJohnBo...
@AmbJohnBolton will admit that he knew & approved of Sondland& #39;s role as @realdonaldtrump& #39;s special political envoy to get the political dirt Trump wanted from UKR sources vs @joebiden. He approved the 3 amigos team to manage the political demands & keep the policy on track.
@AmbJohnBolton will say that, while unusual, it was a concession to Trump to keep the overall policy goals re: UKR on track. He& #39;ll say it was relatively harmless & fair game in politics b/c while he accepts Russia interfered in & #39;16, it wasn& #39;t decisive.Trump won on his own merits.
However, @AmbJohnBolton, will say, & #39;things got out of hand& #39; b/c of @rudygiuliani who undermined the relationship with UKR and was focused on getting the elected UKR gov& #39;t involved in the scheme and not limit it to lesser players like current or former corrupt UKR prosecutors.
That was the political & #39;hand grenade& #39; b/c Rudy was damaging the relationship w/Zelensky and helping Russia. Sondland, too, got out of control as he took further direction from @MickMulvaneyOMB. @AmbJohnBolton will say he tried to intervene w/Volker, Sondland but to of no avail.
@AmbJohnBolton will also talk about the 7/25 call and his sense of alarm. He might volunteer that there was a potential legal issue re: the quid pro quo which is why he requested people to inform the lawyers. He& #39;ll throw WH Counsel& #39;s office under the bus for ar lack of follow-up.
@AmbJohnBolton will then also confirm that the hold up of the military aid was a big concern of his starting in August and he tried to persuade others to push it through, including trying to persuade Trump in a direct one v one meeting. Having failed, he chose to resign.
That testimony, while certainly interesting, doesn& #39;t really add much to what others have said. It will provide a more complete account, and will also confirm that the political track was approved by key principals and managed by Trump and Rudy. We know this already.
For @AmbJohnBolton to make his testimony more compelling, he& #39;ll have to go after @realdonaldtrump hard as unfit, unfocused, and easily influenced by Russian propaganda (building on what Fiona Hill said).
@AmbJohnBolton will have to argue that the Russian active measures Trump is consumed by have distorted US foreign policy and are bad for the country. He should then call on @GOP Senators to consider their responsibilities and act accordingly.
