Tim Scott wishes John Bolton had testified instead of publishing tell-all book

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Senator Tim Scott wished John Bolton had testified in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump rather than saving it for his tell-all memoir, “The Room Where It Happened.”
• The Republican Senator said that the former NSA Bolton monetized his security clearance rather than answered questions in the impeachment hearings.
• Bolton’s book contains damning accusations about Trump and his administration.

The administration’s request to stop the publication of John Bolton’s memoir was denied and now, Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said ‘I do wish that Mr. Bolton would have come into the House under oath and testified’.

“I do wish that Mr. Bolton would have come in to the House under oath and testified,” Sen. Tim Scott tells @jonkarl.

“The problem is that when you’re selling it in a book, you’re not putting yourself in a position to be cross-examined.” https://t.co/A5bLHxyed3 pic.twitter.com/OyUyOSsXlg— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 21, 2020

Former national security adviser John Bolton’s tell-all book, “The Room Where it Happened,” has created ripples even before its release date on June 23.

The administration argued that it contains classified information on an alleged August 2019 conversation during which Trump allegedly directly linked security assistance to Ukraine, to investigations into former vice president Joe Biden, and 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

According to news outlets, the book also lays claims about Trump seeking China’s help with his re-election, shrugging off human rights abuses in China against Uighur Muslims, and musing about jailing members of the press.

Trump’s actions led to the House voting in December to impeach Trump for abusing his power and obstructing Congress. However, the Republican-led Senate acquitted the president on impeachment articles.

It can be recalled that Bolton refused to testify in the House’s impeachment inquiry unless he was subpoenaed.  Lawmakers could have cross-examined him then than saving it for his book.

“The problem is that when you’re selling it in a book, you’re not putting yourself in a position to be cross-examined,” he said. “So for $29.95 he can monetize his national security clearance, but under oath he would have had an opportunity to answer questions and not just make assertions.”

Scott added, “So far, it looks like he’s monetized it more than he has actually provided fact patterns.” 

Source: The Hill