We've been through this. Democrats tried to boot President Trump from office over his phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, and they failed. But if at first you don't succeed, buy John Bolton's book. The former national security adviser has written a tell-all about his time in the White House supposedly full of incriminating information about Trump's foreign interests, both in Ukraine and China.
Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was one of the leading forces in the campaign to kick Trump out of office. For days he tried to convince his Senate colleagues that when Trump asked Zelensky to investigate the Bidens' corruption in Ukraine, he was doing so for political purposes. But his arguments were light on evidence and the senators voted to acquit the president. So it's no surprise that the defeated Schiff is now pouncing on the Bolton exposé.
"If these new allegations are accurate, it is further proof that Trump's coercion of Ukraine, for which he was impeached, is part of a persistent pattern by Trump of abusing his position and misusing the powers of the U.S. government to seek personal and political benefits from foreign governments," Schiff said in a statement.
Still, while he may like what Bolton has to say in his new tell-all, Schiff is by no means a fan of the former national security advisor, who refused to testify, even in written form, during the impeachment trial. Schiff accused the "self-serving" Bolton of withholding what he knew about Trump's foreign interests so he could save it for his book.
"John Bolton may be an author, but he's no patriot," Schiff added.
The chairman suggested he may revisit his campaign to get Bolton to testify.
JUST IN: Dems were slow to suggest they might call Bolton to testify, but their posture is changing. Schiff says he's talk to the speaker and other committees about the possibility. pic.twitter.com/RD0wNNMhBM
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) June 18, 2020
You know who else pounced on the book? Just about every media outlet under the sun.
In her Wednesday briefing, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany scolded Bolton for publishing a book that she claims is full of classified information. She called it "unacceptable."
President Trump added a few unflattering names for Bolton.
Wacko John Bolton’s “exceedingly tedious”(New York Times) book is made up of lies & fake stories. Said all good about me, in print, until the day I fired him. A disgruntled boring fool who only wanted to go to war. Never had a clue, was ostracized & happily dumped. What a dope!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2020
The Trump administration has asked a federal court for an emergency order to delay Bolton's book release.