Republicans Float Idea of Voting on Entire Package of Witnesses, Including Bolton as Well as Witnesses Republicans Want to Hear From;
Joe Manchin Says That Hunter Biden is a Relevant Witness

The "package" is intended as a poison pill -- Romney and Collins (who I'm told are absolutely determined to vote with the Democrats on any matter) will vote for it, but many Democrats will actually vote against it.

One plan is to amend any resolution calling for a particular witness to also include a package of witnesses that assuredly wouldn't win enough support in the Senate. For example, if the Democrats seek to call former National Security Advisor John Bolton, Republicans might subpoena Hunter Biden over his lucrative board position in Ukraine, and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., over his inconsistent statements concerning his panel's contacts with the whistleblower at the center of the impeachment probe.

"After listening to the Dems’ 20+ hours of argument and the rebuttal arguments from @realDonaldTrump, I’ve got lots of questions for the Dems," tweeted Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley on Tuesday. "Like this one: Why did Schiff lie about his contact with the 'whistleblower'? More to come!"

The "package deal" proposal could afford moderate Republicans the political cover of supporting more witnesses in theory, while ultimately rejecting a witness package they deem flawed. Even if a witness package passed, the resolution could be written such that the witness phase of the trial ends immediately if a key witness, such as Hunter Biden, defies his subpoena.

But Joe Manchin says he does want to call Hunter Biden as a witness anyway.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that he believes Hunter Biden is a relevant witness in President Trump's Senate impeachment trial, adding that it could be an opportunity for Biden to clear himself.

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"Morning Joe": Is Hunter Biden a relevant witness, senator?

Manchin: "You know, I think so. I really do. I don't have a problem there, because this is why we are where we are. Now, I think that he could clear himself. Of what I know and what I've heard, but being afraid to put anybody that might have pertinent information is wrong -- no matter if you're a Democrat or Republican, and not go home and say well, I protected one [from having to testify]. No. If it's relevant, then it should be there."

Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey -- who had been considered a wavering potential defector -- now says that he sees no need for any witnesses.

But, if there are witnesses, he thinks Trump and Republicans should get to call the witnesses they want to hear from, too.

Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey on Wednesday sent the strongest signal yet that he will not support calling witnesses in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, saying he is “very, very skeptical” any witness could change how he would ultimately vote on Trump’s political fate.

“As I’ve said from the beginning, my decision about a witness is going to be whether or not there is a fact in dispute that a witness can shed enough light on that it could resolve the dispute, and do so in a way that would change my mind about how I ought to vote on the final question," Toomey said. "And I'm very, very skeptical... that that criteria is going to be met."

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And Toomey said Wednesday that if witnesses are called, it would only be fair for both parties to have the opportunity to call them. He argued that Hunter Biden would be an important witness because his past position on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma offers another explanation for why Trump might have withheld aid.

Check out Democrat Operative:

posted by Ace at 12:24 PM

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