Republicans have No Choice John Bolton should testify in the Senate Trial: Democrats

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Chief Justice John Roberts administered the following oath to each Senator present at the start of President Trump’s impeachment trial. “I do solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Donald John Trump, now pending, I will do impartial justice, according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God”. Taking this oath is required by the Constitution itself that Senators must take when they assume office. It states in Article I, Section 3, Subsection 6, and says, “The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation”. This oath is in addition to the standard oath to support and defend the U.S Constitution against all foreign and domestic enemies.

It is noteworthy that this special impeachment oath is the only place an additional oath mentioned in the Constitution. The Framers didn’t say more about impeachment, a mere 150 words in 4 sections. They left the language or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors deliberately vague amid a fear that a future tyrant or demagogue could abuse the power of his office in unforeseen ways. But, the Framers spoke with specificity when they included the oath of impartiality. Senators today are not free to ignore it like Senators during the impeachment trials of Presidents Johnson and Clinton. On Sunday, The New York Times reported that former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton’s memoir, scheduled to be published in March.

Bolton’s testimony would go to the heart of the Articles of Impeachment. He has said that he is willing to testify in President Trump’s impeachment trial if subpoenaed by the U.S Senate. Some Senators have insisted that they have heard nothing new in the impeachment trial. Some argue that they are limited to the evidence provided in the proceedings in the House. President Trump and some Republicans have recently tried to impinge Bolton’s credibility. Now, he has the opportunity to testify. But it defies logic to take shots at the credibility of the former White House National Security Council adviser before he is given the opportunity to testify under oath.