These Republican senators say they still haven't read the whistleblower complaint
Sometimes a nine-page document that could get the president impeached just isn't a priority.
Republican senators had a lot of feelings, mostly dismissive, about the whistleblower report alleging President Trump put national security at risk in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But even though they're slated to go on recess for two weeks after Thursday, a handful of those Republicans told CNN that they hadn't read the complaint yet.
When asked before about 2 p.m., GOP Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Mike Braun (Ind.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), John Hoeven (N.D.), James Lankford (Okla.), and Rob Portman (Ohio) all told CNN they hadn't yet read the report. Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.), who is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, shared he would read it "later this afternoon," while Sen. Jim Risch (Idaho) seemed to suggest he wouldn't read it all, saying he prefers to look at the memorandum of the call released Wednesday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As of 3 p.m., Ernst still said she hadn't read it, but she did tell The Washington Post's Robert Costa she was ready to "talk about ethanol." Of course, the complaint is only about eight-and-a-half pages long, so in the hours since, she and the other holdouts could've read through it a few dozen times.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published