Republicans have been saying that if former National Security Adviser John Bolton testifies at President Trump's impeachment trial, as Democrats want, they have a list of witnesses they would call in return, including former Vice President Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and the whistleblower whose since-verified complaint about Trump's actions with Ukraine sparked the impeachment investigation. Democrats say none of those witnesses are relevant to the charges against Trump, that he withheld military aid to Ukraine to force corrupt investigations of Biden, a top threat to his re-election.
So in Thursday's question period of Trump's impeachment trial, Sen. Amy Kloubuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) asked both House prosecutors and Trump's defense team if any of the witnesses Trump's lawyers might call "would have first-hand knowledge of the charges against the president and his actions?" Lead prosecutor Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said there are "absolutely" such witness, like acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, noting they have both issued statements that seek to exculpate the president.
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