Joe Biden says he will refuse to testify at Trump's impeachment trial

Biden said earlier this month that he would not testify, saying it would allow lawmakers to "take their eye off the ball" instead of focusing on Trump's actions

Biden
Bloomberg
2 min read Last Updated : Dec 28 2019 | 7:54 PM IST
Former Vice President Joe Biden again said that he would refuse to testify in President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, even if subpoenaed.
 
In an interview with the Des Moines Register editorial board, Biden said any testimony would just distract from the charges that Trump abused the power of the presidency by pressuring Ukraine to smear him and obstructed Congress by refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
 
“What are you going to cover?” he told the influential Iowa newspaper’s editor. “You guys are going to cover for three weeks anything that I said. And (Trump’s) going to get away. You guys buy into it all the time. Not a joke.”
 
Biden said earlier this month that he would not testify, saying it would allow lawmakers to “take their eye off the ball” instead of focusing on Trump’s actions.
 
For now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he would prefer a trial with no witnesses, though Trump and some of his Republican allies have floated calling Biden and his son Hunter to testify.
 
Only a little more than a week after Senator Elizabeth Warren boasted about her grassroots fundraising at a Democratic debate, her campaign admitted it is falling short.
 
In an email to supporters, the Warren campaign said it has raised less money than in the previous quarter.
 
“So far this quarter, we’ve raised a little over $17 million. That’s a good chunk behind where we were at this time last quarter,” the email says, according to CNBC. If that holds, it would be about a 30% drop from her third-quarter total of roughly $25 million.
 
Campaigns frequently send these kinds of last-minute appeals just before the Federal Election Commission reporting deadlines. In this case, Tuesday will be the deadline for both the fourth quarter and the annual campaign finance reports.
 
But it’s particularly bad timing for Warren, who sparred with South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg last week over his reliance on big donors, especially a fundraiser held in a “wine cave” in California. Warren has eschewed fundraisers with big donors, relying instead on small, mostly online donations, though she accepts $2,800 donations from individuals, the maximum a person can contribute. 
 

One subscription. Two world-class reads.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

Topics :Joe BidenDonald Trump impeachment2020 US elections

Next Story