but because they have boycotted the intelligence committee hearings, there s still small details about how the plot went down. not the substance of the plot itself but some small details that have yet to be filled in. so this fills in one more of those details. that two of the republican defenses have been both what trump toads gordon sondland no quid pro quo and that aids was eventually released. so no harm, no foul and this was an ordinary process that happens all the time. and this reporting punctures both of those. if you ve been accused of a quid pro quo, then-you defensively say no quid pro quo, it s not evidence of a clear conscience. right. and margaret, on this program last night we-a leading washington conservative defending the president saying well, they got the money anyway. it would seem the question is why did they get the money?
forward, the independent counsel in effect would be adam schiff presenting the report from the intelligence committee. so imagine a white house lawyer cross-examining adam schiff? john: if this does go to the judiciary committee and judiciary committee votes out articles of impeachment and they are voted on in the affirmative by the house it, then goes to the senate, president trump today said that he would invite a trial in the senate, and there is a whole bunch of witnesses that he would like to call. is it possible that the republicans could turn the tables on the democrats, should this go to the senate? well, i talked to a senior administration official today who said that if there is a trial, they would like to call, basically, all the witnesses that republicans wanted to call and the intelligence committee hearings. the whistleblower. hunter biden, nellie ohr of g.p.s. involved with the russian dossier, the steele dossier. all of those people and adam schiff as a fact witness
in fact, one of the biggest applause lines last night was when we said that when you can t make the argument on fact, you have to turn to process instead. when the when the facts aren t on your side. one of the other things i was impressed by is how many people watched every minute of the different you know, of the intelligence committee hearings. so people were very well-informed. is there anything you heard last night that shapes your view or informs what you re going to do over the next month or so? no, because someone asked me last night whether i was going to vote based on the polls in my district. and i said, no, this is a republic. i m there to do the best i can, follow my own conscience, and then if they don t like it, they can vote me out. but it was reinforcing that people weren t just taking the top lines of of a headline or a twitter feed. that they were actually really listening to what was happening on capitol hill. you john bolton s been tweeting that he
people. the testimony they delivered in closed session was very compelling, and i think you ll see that will have a real impact in terms of the public to get an opportunity now to hear directly from these witnesses. john heilemann, we re going to discuss later this hour what (honk!) i hear you sister. the republicans have planned for that s why i m partnering with cigna the public hearings. to remind you to go in for your annual check-up, it s compelling. and be open with your doctor about anything you feel the big public move is jim jordan moves up to the center - physically and emotionally. spot here in the intelligence committee hearings. but now cigna has a plan yes. that can help everyone see stress differently. and, you know, look, it signals just find a period of time to unwind. as clearly as could be that republicans will not fight this a location to de-stress. fight on the facts. an activity to enjoy. they will not fight this fight or the name of someone to talk to. an
see that have a real impact in terms of the public to get an opportunity now to hear directly from these witnesses. john heilemann, we re going to discuss later this hour what the republicans have planned for the public hearings. and it s compelling. the big public move is jim jordan moves up to the center spot here in the intelligence committee hearings. yes. and, you know, look, it signals as clearly as could be that republicans will not fight this fight on the facts. they will not fight this fight any other way than rhetorically and through demonization of these witnesses and trying to impugn their character, impugn their motives. they think this is a political firefight and they re bringing in one of their political firefighters with a big rhetorical flamethrower to fight the fight. all we ve seen, lawrence, over these past weeks is a clear picture of what actually happened here. and i think republicans, as pernicious as they are in many