Ironic to hear Ken Starr speak mournfully about the need for impartiality and kicking the divisiveness of the impeachment habit. 

Democrats had the integrity to confront Clinton with their outrage about his personal transgressions.  
Clinton showed remorse and apologized to the American people for what he put the country through.

There's a 500 lb. gorilla in the room and the Republicans are proceeding without mention of the revelation in John Bolton's manuscript.

Pompeo was displeased about NPR's Mary Louise Kelly questioning him about Ukraine, and asked her, "Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?"

Bill Taylor, the former top US diplomat in Ukraine who served as a key witness in the House impeachment inquiry, wrote in a NYTimes op-ed:

"Here's why the answer should be 'Yes, Americans care about Ukraine.'  Ukraine is the front line for Russian aggression against Ukraine as well as against Europe and the US, defending itself and the West against Russian attack. If Ukraine succeeds, we succeed. The relationship between the US and Ukraine is key to our national security.

"To support Ukraine is to support a rules-based international order that enabled major powers in Europe to avoid war for seven decades. It is to support democracy over autocracy. It is to support freedom over unfreedom. Most Americans do."

And now we're talking about the Bidens.

Hey, I agree, Chris Heinz is my kind of guy, and applaud his concern and communication about Hunter and Devon.

None of this vindicates Trump.

Not a word about the revelations in John Bolton's manuscript.

Just a multitude of extraneous points to deflect...

so we're back to Obama...

White House Counsel are churning the water and blowing smoke...

Republicans are happy to let Trump skate,

Trump would be happy for the Senate to pull down the Bidens.

At the tail end of the day, Dershowitz dropped Bolton's name...

Joni Ernst pleased as punch for all the talk about Bidens before the Iowa caucuses...

Trump attorney Jane Raskin described Rudy Giuliani as a colorful guy...

Trump is who he says he is - "an act" and tomorrow he'll be at a rally in New Jersey...

I learned so much today from Alan Dershowitz, "celebrity lawyer", Constitutional professor/scholar and lifelong liberal.  I have never claimed to be, and never will be, an expert on Constitutional law, but he presented it in such an understandable manner.  If you missed him, you missed a lot.  He also addressed this week's Bolton "bombshell" (last week's bombshell was Parnas).    While I feel no uneasiness about witnesses, I hope the Senators have the integrity and courage not to waste more time (or taxpayer dollars) thus freeing Congress to get about the country's important business.  If the Senate votes against the introduction of new witnesses I don't think it would represent a cover-up but the simple fact that President Trump committed no impeachable offense.  I would hope if they do vote to bring in new witnesses that Schiff and the whistleblower would be included on the list.

Truth was in short supply yesterday from White House Counsel:
Attorney Robert Ray did acknowledge the Ukraine call was "less than perfect,"
counsel ignored relevant news.  

Kudos to Carol, who seems to have a better grasp of the impeachment articles than Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa.  

More leaks from John Bolton's manuscript that he expressed concern to AG Barr that Trump is doing favors for authoritarian leaders.

White House Counsel is expected to wrap up early today.  
Trump's traveling to rally in New Jersey.

Do the facts support removal from office?

The Senators and the American people should see the evidence and hear John Bolton under oath.

Ex-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has broken his code of silence to say he believes John Bolton. "Half of Americans think this proces is purely political and shouldn't be happening, but since it is happening, the majority of Americans would like to hear the whole story... there are people that were there that ought to be heard from."

Alan Dershowitz did NOT discredit the value of John Bolton's testimony.

Meanwhile, Trump gave Pompeo a shout out today in the East Room about his spat with NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly last Friday following an interview about Ukraine. Trump said Pompeo "did a good job on her, Thank you, Mike... that's impressive, very impressive."

Yesterday, one of NPR's reporters was barred from flying on Pompeo's plane during his upcoming trip to Ukraine. The State Department Correspondents' Association has criticized the move and asked the State Department to reconsider their decision.

"Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense," said Dershowitz.

I'll raise your Dershowitz for a Laurence Tribe.

There has never been an impeachment trial without witnesses and documents.

The numbers are growing:
75% of Americans want witnesses in the Senate Trial.

White House Counsel did not defend Trump with facts.

All we've heard from them is distraction.

This impeachment is way deeper than a policy difference.

All we've heard is argument.

This is not a competition.

The Senators took an oath to do impartial justice.

We need witnesses and documents in a real trial with cross examination.

To clarify my Dershowitz quote:  It was not an argument as to the validity of witnesses.  I'll let the Senate sort that out and will abide by any decision they make.  While I agree with him, neither am I insisting he's right.  I was merely clarifying a former mistatement that Dershowitz did NOT discredit the value of John Bolton's testimony.

"The Senate is being dragged to its destiny." 

How do you get the facts straight without the evidence (witnesses and documents)?

The Bolton news is serious, his book will be out in March.

Do you believe John Bolton has relevant testimony?

Do you want to hear John Bolton testify under oath?

How do we have a fair trial without witnesses?

What would be impeachable? 

Attorney Robert Ray says it's his business to get Trump through the impeachment process by persuasion (not by facts).

Trial juries deliberate in private.
The jury deliberated behind closed doors in the Clinton impeachment trial.  
Votes should not be whipped to prevent a Senate impeachment trial (to shut these proceedings down before the Super Bowl).  
The Senators will be accountable for their vote.

What is the truth?
This is not an academic argument.  
This is a question of conscience.  
Are we about protecting and defending the Constitution? 

Trump's defense:
They have not heard from eyewitnesses
at the same time they block eyewitnesses.

How can the Senate render a verdict without key witnesses and documents?

Forget Republicans' and Democrats' changing views of John Bolton...

What is John Bolton about?  
Is he selling books or does he have the moral courage to tell the whole truth?  
Bolton can go to a microphone and tell his story today.