Biden says he would not comply with a Senate subpoena in Trump's impeachment trial
Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE (D) said Friday that he would not comply with a Senate subpoena to testify in President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s impeachment trial.
“What are you going to cover?” Biden said when asked about a subpoena in an interview with the Des Moines Register’s executive editor Carol Hunter. “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.”
He went on to say it would be part of Trump’s tactic to “take the focus off” himself.
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“Think what it’s about. It’s all about what he does all the time, his entire career. Take the focus off,” Biden continued. “This guy violated the Constitution. He said it in the driveway of the White House. He acknowledged he asked for help.”
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The comments come as the Senate’s timeline for impeachment and witness strategy remains up in the air.
Lawmakers left the Capitol for their holiday recess without solid plans for a trial after House Democrats decided to delay transmitting the articles to the Senate.
The House voted before the holidays to impeach Trump, accusing him of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
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Under Senate rules, an impeachment trial starts the day after the House transmits the articles to the chamber, unless that day is a Sunday; however, Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Black lawmakers unveil bill to remove Confederate statues from Capitol Pelosi: Georgia primary ‘disgrace’ could preview an election debacle in November MORE (D-Calif.) declined to say when the articles would be handed over to the Senate, citing concerns that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senator to try to reverse requirement that Pentagon remove Confederate names from bases No, ‘blue states’ do not bail out ‘red states’ MORE (R-Ky.) would not hold a “fair” trial. Her announcement came after a series of behind-the-scenes negotiations on a trial.
McConnell has indicated that he and Republican leadership will cooperate with the White House on the trial. He has also expressed an unwillingness to include witness testimony, which Democrats have demanded.
Biden is indirectly involved with impeachment, as the House inquiry was launched after a whistleblower report showed Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate the former vice president and his son, Hunter Biden.
Trump requested information on the Biden family after Joe Biden pushed for the removal of a Ukrainian prosecutor. Trump and Republicans have suggested corruption by the Bidens because the prosecutor in question was looking into Burisma, a Ukrainian company with ties to Hunter Biden. However, investigations into the matter have shown no wrongdoing by Biden or his son.
Nevertheless, some are still calling for probes of Ukraine and corruption, and false claims that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 presidential election have also resurfaced.
Updated: 8:51 a.m.