npr--2020-01-27--U.S. Plane Goes Down In Afghanistan, Prompting Wave Of Questions, Contradictions

U.S .
Plane Goes Down In Afghanistan , Prompting Wave Of Questions , Contradictions A plane crashed Monday in Afghanistan 's eastern Ghazni province , and within hours , a swarm of conflicting reports had coalesced around the wreckage .
According to a U.S. official , the plane — a U.S. Bombardier E-11A — had two people on board , both of whom died in the crash .
The official told NPR that the plane went down because of mechanical problems .
But that 's not the only account of the incident .
A spokesman for the Taliban , Zabihullah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group shot down the plane and that it had CIA officials on board .
Earlier Monday , Mujahid referred to the plane on Twitter as an `` enemy intelligence aircraft '' and said the bodies of the intelligence officials were still lying near the crash site in the Sado Khelo region of Ghazni .
The militant group frequently exaggerates battlefield actions , and the claims could not be confirmed .
Col. William `` Sonny '' Leggett , spokesman for the U.S. forces in Afghanistan , said that `` Taliban claims that additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` While the cause of crash is under investigation , '' Leggett said in a tweeted statement , `` there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire .
We will provide additional information as it becomes available . ''
Meanwhile , a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense , Ruhallah Ahmadzai , told NPR that the aircraft was not Afghan — neither civilian nor military .
Ahmadzai said Afghan special forces have been deployed to the crash site .
Journalists in the area posted purported images of the charred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not independently verified .
The plane shown in several different videos bears markings that appear to be a version of U.S. Air Force insignia .
Confusion around the crash has swirled since virtually the moment it occurred .
Initial reports , citing local government officials , said the plane was operated by the state-owned Ariana Afghan Airlines — only to be rebutted quickly by the company 's acting chief executive , Mirwais Mirzakwal .
`` It does not belong to Ariana because the two flights managed by Ariana today from Herat to Kabul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mirzakwal told Reuters .
And the airline itself , in a Facebook post , also pushed back on suggestions that its plane was involved .
For the past couple of years , Ghazni province has stood at the epicenter of friction between the Afghan military and the Taliban .
The militant organization recaptured control of much of the region after launching a series of attacks that left hundreds dead in 2018 .
And just last month , a Taliban infiltrator killed roughly two dozen Afghan soldiers at a military base in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principal target for the Taliban .
Earlier this month , an improvised explosive device , or IED , set by the Taliban killed a pair of service members in the southern province of Kandahar .
Proposed peace talks with the group have largely stagnated , with occasional suggestions of progress punctuated by high-profile protests and cancellations in recent months .
After months of preliminary negotiations , President Trump called off talks last September following the death of a U.S. service member — only to announce their resumption during a surprise Thanksgiving visit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that proposal is unclear .
Some 12,000 to 13,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Afghanistan , though Trump has said he intends to bring that total down to 8,600 or less .
Producer Khwaga Ghani in Kabul and NPR 's Diaa Hadid and Tom Bowman contributed to this report .

U.S. Plane Goes Down In Afghanistan, Prompting Wave Of Questions, Contradictions
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mustafa Andalib/Reuters Mustafa Andalib/Reuters
Updated at 1:49 p.m. ET
A plane crashed Monday in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province, and within hours, a swarm of conflicting reports had coalesced around the wreckage.
According to a U.S. official, the plane — a U.S. Bombardier E-11A — had two people on board, both of whom died in the crash. The official told NPR that the plane went down because of mechanical problems.
But that's not the only account of the incident.
A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, told NPR that insurgents with the group shot down the plane and that it had CIA officials on board. Earlier Monday, Mujahid referred to the plane on Twitter as an "enemy intelligence aircraft" and said the bodies of the intelligence officials were still lying near the crash site in the Sado Khelo region of Ghazni.
The militant group frequently exaggerates battlefield actions, and the claims could not be confirmed. Col. William "Sonny" Leggett, spokesman for the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said that "Taliban claims that additional aircraft have crashed are false."
"While the cause of crash is under investigation," Leggett said in a tweeted statement, "there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire. We will provide additional information as it becomes available."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, Ruhallah Ahmadzai, told NPR that the aircraft was not Afghan — neither civilian nor military. Ahmadzai said Afghan special forces have been deployed to the crash site.
Journalists in the area posted purported images of the charred, smoldering wreck, which NPR has not independently verified. The plane shown in several different videos bears markings that appear to be a version of U.S. Air Force insignia.
Confusion around the crash has swirled since virtually the moment it occurred. Initial reports, citing local government officials, said the plane was operated by the state-owned Ariana Afghan Airlines — only to be rebutted quickly by the company's acting chief executive, Mirwais Mirzakwal.
"It does not belong to Ariana because the two flights managed by Ariana today from Herat to Kabul and Herat to Delhi are safe," Mirzakwal told Reuters. And the airline itself, in a Facebook post, also pushed back on suggestions that its plane was involved.
For the past couple of years, Ghazni province has stood at the epicenter of friction between the Afghan military and the Taliban.
The militant organization recaptured control of much of the region after launching a series of attacks that left hundreds dead in 2018. And just last month, a Taliban infiltrator killed roughly two dozen Afghan soldiers at a military base in the province.
U.S. troops also remain a principal target for the Taliban. Earlier this month, an improvised explosive device, or IED, set by the Taliban killed a pair of service members in the southern province of Kandahar.
Proposed peace talks with the group have largely stagnated, with occasional suggestions of progress punctuated by high-profile protests and cancellations in recent months. After months of preliminary negotiations, President Trump called off talks last September following the death of a U.S. service member — only to announce their resumption during a surprise Thanksgiving visit to troops outside Kabul.
The current status of that proposal is unclear.
Some 12,000 to 13,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Afghanistan, though Trump has said he intends to bring that total down to 8,600 or less.
Producer Khwaga Ghani in Kabul and NPR's Diaa Hadid and Tom Bowman contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-27--Webcast: Health Implications Of Income Inequality

Income inequality in the U.S. is at an all-time high , according to the Census Bureau .
And a recent poll from NPR , the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health shows that regardless of their income , Americans generally view this as a serious problem .
A majority ( 57 % ) believes that very wealthy Americans should pay more in taxes than they do now .
And nearly half ( 48 % ) of the top 1 % believe very wealthy Americans should pay more .
The poll examined the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
From paying medical bills and affording housing to coping with unexpected expenses , Americans face very different realities .
The scope of these choices carry profound implications for the country 's health and for society at large .
A web cast streamed at 12 p.m .
ET Monday exploring these differences , as well as approaches , such as taxation , that could narrow the income gaps .
( Video of the webcast will be posted as soon as it is available . )
Joe Neel , deputy senior supervising editor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion with : • Robert Blendon , professor of health policy and political analysis , Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School • Katherine Newman , interim chancellor of the University of Massachusetts , Boston

Webcast: Health Implications Of Income Inequality
toggle caption Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Income inequality in the U.S. is at an all-time high, according to the Census Bureau. And a recent poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shows that regardless of their income, Americans generally view this as a serious problem.
A majority (57%) believes that very wealthy Americans should pay more in taxes than they do now. And nearly half (48%) of the top 1% believe very wealthy Americans should pay more.
The poll examined the life experiences of people at all income levels. From paying medical bills and affording housing to coping with unexpected expenses, Americans face very different realities. The scope of these choices carry profound implications for the country's health and for society at large.
A web cast streamed on Jan. 27 explored these differences, as well as approaches, such as taxation, that could narrow the income gaps. Watch the conversation with researchers and analysts here:
Embed code:
Joe Neel, deputy senior supervising editor on NPR's Science Desk moderated the discussion with:


npr--2020-01-27--Mortar Attack Damages Part of U.S. Embassy Compound In Baghdad

Mortar Attack Damages Part of U.S. Embassy Compound In Baghdad A mortar attack landed a rare direct hit on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad 's Green Zone on Sunday night , damaging buildings and reportedly leaving at least one person with minor injuries .
Iraq 's prime minister condemned the strike , saying it could turn the country into a battlefield and complicate efforts to get the U.S. to withdraw troops from Iraq .
`` I heard the explosions and then the 'take cover ' warning — the sirens that sound from the embassy , '' NPR 's Jane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` This is a fairly regular occurrence , small rocket attacks or mortars fired into the Green Zone , but they very rarely actually hit the embassy .
This one did . ''
While the U.S. State Department has not released details about the attack , Iraqi officials say the mortars damaged a restaurant and a gym , Arraf says .
She adds that the dining area was empty at the time – and that the embassy has effectively been under lockdown conditions , with only essential staff on duty .
Initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack , raising concerns of renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran , as Tehran-backed militias often use those weapons .
But a U.S. official later said mortars were used , a detail that suggests a broader range of groups could have been involved .
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi urged all forces in Iraq to stop any attacks against the U.S. , saying the perpetrators of such violence are `` marching the country into an unimaginable consequence . ''
The attack comes as the U.S. and Iran have been engaged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 27 : Iran-linked militia group Kataib Hezbollah attacks a U.S. military base near Kirkuk with rockets .
• Dec. 29 : U.S. airstrikes target Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria .
• Jan. 3 : U.S. drone strike kills Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near Baghdad 's airport .
• Jan. 8 : Iran fires ballistic missiles at Iraq 's Ain al-Assad air base in Iraq and a second base at Irbil , which house U.S. personnel .
The strike on al-Assad injured at least @ @ @ @ @

Mortar Attack Damages Part of U.S. Embassy Compound In Baghdad
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reuters Reuters
A mortar attack landed a rare direct hit on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad's Green Zone on Sunday night, damaging buildings and reportedly leaving at least one person with minor injuries. Iraq's prime minister condemned the strike, saying it could turn the country into a battlefield and complicate efforts to get the U.S. to withdraw troops from Iraq.
"I heard the explosions and then the 'take cover' warning — the sirens that sound from the embassy," NPR's Jane Arraf reports from Baghdad. She adds, "This is a fairly regular occurrence, small rocket attacks or mortars fired into the Green Zone, but they very rarely actually hit the embassy. This one did."
While the U.S. State Department has not released details about the attack, Iraqi officials say the mortars damaged a restaurant and a gym, Arraf says. She adds that the dining area was empty at the time – and that the embassy has effectively been under lockdown conditions, with only essential staff on duty.
Initial reports said Katyusha rockets were used in the attack, raising concerns of renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as Tehran-backed militias often use those weapons. But a U.S. official later said mortars were used, a detail that suggests a broader range of groups could have been involved.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi urged all forces in Iraq to stop any attacks against the U.S., saying the perpetrators of such violence are "marching the country into an unimaginable consequence."
The attack comes as the U.S. and Iran have been engaged in an escalating back-and-forth of violence:


npr--2020-01-27--WATCH LIVE: Trump Team Resumes Defense As Bolton Bombshell Spurs Calls For Witnesses

President Trump 's defense team continued Monday its second day of arguments in the president 's impeachment trial in the Senate , against the backdrop of a news report that Trump directly told his former national security adviser , John Bolton , in August that he would hold up aid to Ukraine until the country launched investigations into his political rivals .
Trump 's lawyers maintain that the president was legally justified in freezing military assistance to Ukraine and that the case against Trump presented by Democrats in the Senate last week does not clear the bar of an impeachable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times about the alleged conversation between Trump and Bolton — contained in a draft of the former national security adviser 's book manuscript — changed the conversation Tuesday to whether senators would vote to call witnesses , including Bolton , as part of the proceedings .
The report was based on Bolton 's forthcoming book , a draft of which had been sent to the White House as part of a standard review process .
Two Republican senators , Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine , said Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made it more likely that senators will want to call Bolton to testify .
`` I think it 's increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton , '' Romney said , noting that he would make his final decision on the issue after hearing from Trump 's defense .
Collins tweeted that the reports about Bolton 's book `` strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues . ''
Two others who are seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sens .
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee — were tight-lipped .
Alexander said senators will decide `` to call witnesses or other documents if we needed them after we hear all the arguments . ''
Murkowski said in a tweet that while she was `` curious '' about what Bolton had to say , there is `` an appropriate time for us to evaluate whether we need additional information . ''
Despite the buzz surrounding the unexpected plot twist delivered by the news about Bolton 's book , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manuscript .
Jay Sekulow , Trump 's personal attorney , argued that the president `` was at all times '' acting under his constitutional and legal authority by withholding aid to Ukraine , saying that Trump 's impeachment is about `` deep policy concerns . ''
Ken Starr , the former independent counsel who led the impeachment efforts against President Bill Clinton in 1998 and is now part of Trump 's defense team , began his arguments by reciting a history of impeachment and declared , `` Like war , impeachment is hell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divides the country like nothing else .
Those of us who lived through the Clinton impeachment understand that in a deep and personal way.
`` Starr went on to accuse the House of abusing its power by approving article 2 , which charges that Trump obstructed Congress .
`` Here , we have , tragically for the country and , I believe , tragically for the House of Representatives , in article 2 of these impeachment articles , a runaway House , '' Starr said .
`` It has run away not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run away from the Constitution 's demand of fundamental fairness . ''
Another of Trump 's attorneys , Jane Raskin , spoke to defend Rudy Giuliani , Trump lawyer who was painted by the House managers as leading a rogue foreign policy operation by pursuing information against former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , as well as pressuring to remove former U.S .
Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch .
Giuliani , said Raskin , was the House 's `` colorful distraction , '' and , `` a shiny object designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` House managers may not like his style , you may not like his style .
But one might argue , that he is everything that Clarence Darrow said a defense lawyer must be , outrageous , irreverent , blasphemous , a rogue , a renegade . ''
Later in the afternoon , Trump attorney Pam Bondi , a former Florida attorney general , rose to attack former Biden and his son Hunter 's dealings in Ukraine .
The younger Biden was hired to sit on the board of a Ukrainian gas company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the Obama administration 's point man in fighting corruption there .
In the infamous July 25th phone call , Trump asked Ukraine 's president to `` do us a favor , though '' and investigate the Bidens .
The first article of impeachment charges Trump with abusing the power of his office by asking for the investigation in return for releasing nearly $ 400 million in military aid to Ukraine .
Trump denies any such link was made , though Bolton 's book appears to undercut that assertion .
Bondi said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month to sit on the Burisma board , and played a news clip in which Hunter was asked if would have been hired by the firm if his last name was n't Biden .
`` I do n't know , I do n't know , he responded .
Probably not . ''
Over three days of arguments last week , House impeachment managers outlined their case that Trump enlisted a foreign power to help him cheat in the 2020 election and then has tried to cover it up .
They 've said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst nightmare '' of the nation 's Framers .
Trump 's legal team is facing a mostly sympathetic group of jurors in the Republican-controlled Senate .
An acquittal on the two articles of impeachment is all but guaranteed , since the Democratic caucus would need 20 GOP members ' support to have the two-thirds majority needed to convict and remove the president .
More up in the air , however , is whether Democrats will be able to recruit enough Republicans to call witnesses for the trial .
That vote has a lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president from office .
At least four GOP senators would have to cross party lines to call witnesses or subpoena documents .
In light of the Times ' report on Sunday , Democrats were quick to reiterate that Bolton should testify .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , said Monday that the revelations should remove the GOP resistance against witnesses .
He said details in the book provide `` further evidence that a large number of people were in the loop '' on Trump 's alleged pressure campaign on Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` giant cover-up '' within the White House and added that if Republicans do n't vote to call witnesses , including Bolton , `` they are going to be part of the cover-up too . ''
Sen. Angus King , I-Maine , told NPR 's Mary Louise Kelly on Monday that up to 10 Republican senators could vote for witnesses following the Times ' report about the Bolton manuscript .
`` I 'm already hearing a number of Republicans who are moving toward voting to at least hear from John Bolton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
When asked if four Republicans would vote for witnesses , he said : `` I think there 'll be more .
My bold prediction will be five or 10 . ''
Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , the lead impeachment manager , linked testimony from Bolton to the very notion of a fair trial .
`` To say we will blind ourselves from a witness who has so clearly relevant testimony to one of the central most serious allegations against the president — I do n't see how we can have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he told reporters on Monday before the White House lawyers continued their arguments .
House Democrats had asked Bolton to testify during the impeachment inquiry but did not issue him a subpoena .
The White House had ordered senior officials to not testify .
Any vote on witnesses and new evidence would come after the defense team rests ( it has up to 24 hours over three days ) and after senators have a chance to ask questions in writing of both House prosecutors and Trump 's legal team .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Justice John Roberts , who 's presiding over the trial .
NPR has not seen a draft of the manuscript and can not vouch for the accuracy of the report on Trump 's comments to the former national security adviser .
A spokesman for the National Security Council said no one at the White House other than people at the NSC had reviewed Bolton 's book .
`` Ambassador Bolton 's manuscript was submitted to the NSC for pre-publication review and has been under initial review by the NSC , '' NSC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` No White House personnel outside NSC have reviewed the manuscript . ''
`` I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats , including the Bidens , '' he said .
`` If John Bolton said this , '' Trump continued , `` it was only to sell a book . ''
The military assistance and the desired investigations are at the heart of the impeachment proceedings .
Democrats say Trump 's actions constitute a clear case of abuse of power , with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's .
The legal team representing Trump in the Senate trial argues that the president had justifiable concern about corruption in Ukraine .
The aid was ultimately released without the inquiries .
Lawyers for the president offered a brief glimpse of their defense Saturday , minimizing the evidence that House investigators gathered before the Democratic-led chamber impeached Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Pat Cipollone , the White House counsel , claimed Democrats ' push to remove Trump from office is aimed at overturning the result of the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' ] ballots '' months before the 2020 election .
On Sunday , Alan Dershowitz , another member of the defense team , said on Fox News Sunday that the Democratic-led prosecution does not have a case that passes constitutional muster .
`` They completely failed to meet that high constitutional standard , and therefore it would be unconstitutional to remove a president based on the allegations that were made against him , '' Dershowitz said .
`` They imposed very stringent criteria for impeachment that have n't been met in this case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for impeachment , which is `` treason , bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors . ''
In December , the House passed two articles of impeachment against Trump : abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
The vote for impeachment followed hours of testimony , in private and in public , with more than a dozen witnesses during the House impeachment inquiry .
Trump 's legal team is also expected to take aim at the president 's potential political opponent , Joe Biden , and his son , Hunter Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason to want Ukrainian investigators to launch criminal probes into the activities of the Bidens in Ukraine .
( While Joe Biden was vice president , Hunter Biden took a position as board member of a gas company in Ukraine . )
The full-throated defense of Trump comes after the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office declared that the president broke the law in ordering a hold on nearly $ 400 million in security assistance to Ukraine .
Because the Trump administration refused to participate in the House impeachment inquiry , the president 's defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's team is presenting a lengthy rebuttal to the charges against him .
NPR 's Roberta Rampton and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this story .

Trump Defense: 'Nothing In The Bolton Revelations' Rises To The Level Of Impeachment
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Updated at 9:15 p.m. ET
As President Trump's legal team pressed the case for acquittal on Monday, they repeatedly made two points: the charges against Trump do not meet the constitution's criteria for impeachment. And if the president is removed from office for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, it will set a "dangerous" precedent.
"You cannot turn conduct that is not impeachable into impeachable conduct simply by using words like quid pro quo," said one of Trump's lawyers, Alan Dershowitz, calling the charges "vague, indefinable."
Said Dershowitz on the impeachment charges sent to the Senate by House Democrats: "This is a realistic threat to all future presidents."
Trump's lawyers maintain that the president was legally justified in freezing military assistance to Ukraine and that the case against Trump presented by Democrats in the Senate last week does not constitute a crime and thus cannot trigger removal from office, a notion that has received strenuous skepticism from legal scholars.
Most impeachment trial watchers on Monday, however, were following a major development that occurred outside of the Senate chamber.
A report in The New York Times about the alleged conversation between Trump and former National Security Adviser John Bolton — contained in a draft of the former national security adviser's book manuscript — shifted the focus to whether senators would vote to call witnesses, including Bolton, as part of the proceedings.
The report was based on Bolton's forthcoming book, a draft of which had been sent to the White House as part of a standard review process.
As speculation grew about whether Republicans would support calling Bolton, Dershowitz referenced the former top Trump official and dismissed the portions of his yet-to-be-published book that have grabbed the headlines.
"Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense," he said.
Two Republican senators, Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine, said Monday that the revelations about Bolton's book have made it more likely that senators will want to call Bolton to testify.
"I think it's increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton," Romney said, noting that he would make his final decision on the issue after hearing from Trump's defense.
Collins tweeted that the reports about Bolton's book "strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues."
Two others who are seen as more open to calling witnesses — Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee — were tight-lipped.
Alexander said senators will decide "to call witnesses or other documents if we needed them after we hear all the arguments." Murkowski said in a tweet that while she was "curious" about what Bolton had to say, there is "an appropriate time for us to evaluate whether we need additional information."
Jay Sekulow, Trump's personal attorney, argued that the president "was at all times" acting under his constitutional and legal authority by withholding aid to Ukraine, saying that Trump's impeachment is about "deep policy concerns."
Ken Starr, the former independent counsel who led the impeachment efforts against President Bill Clinton in 1998 and is now part of Trump's defense team, began his arguments by reciting a history of impeachment and declared, "Like war, impeachment is hell." He said, "It divides the country like nothing else. Those of us who lived through the Clinton impeachment understand that in a deep and personal way. "
Starr went on to accuse the House of abusing its power by approving article 2, which charges that Trump obstructed Congress.
"Here, we have, tragically for the country and, I believe, tragically for the House of Representatives, in article 2 of these impeachment articles, a runaway House," Starr said. "It has run away not only from its long-standing procedures — it has run away from the Constitution's demand of fundamental fairness."
Another of Trump's attorneys, Jane Raskin, spoke to defend Rudy Giuliani, Trump lawyer who was painted by the House managers as leading a rogue foreign policy operation by pursuing information against former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, as well as pressuring to remove former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
Giuliani, said Raskin, was the House's "colorful distraction," and, "a shiny object designed to distract you."
She said the "House managers may not like his style, you may not like his style. But one might argue, that he is everything that Clarence Darrow said a defense lawyer must be, outrageous, irreverent, blasphemous, a rogue, a renegade."
Later in the afternoon, Trump attorney Pam Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, rose to attack former Vice President Biden and his son Hunter's dealings in Ukraine. The younger Biden was hired to sit on the board of a Ukrainian gas company Burisma at the same time his father was the Obama administration's point man in fighting corruption there. In the infamous July 25th phone call, Trump asked Ukraine's president to "do us a favor, though" and investigate the Bidens. The first article of impeachment charges Trump with abusing the power of his office by asking for the investigation in return for releasing nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine. Trump denies any such link was made, though Bolton's book appears to undercut that assertion.
Bondi said the younger Biden was paid $83,000 a month to sit on the Burisma board, and played a news clip in which Hunter was asked if would have been hired by the firm if his last name wasn't Biden. "I don't know, I don't know, he responded. Probably not."
The push for witnesses
Over three days of arguments last week, House impeachment managers outlined their case that Trump enlisted a foreign power to help him cheat in the 2020 election and then has tried to cover it up. They've said that the president's conduct is the "worst nightmare" of the nation's Framers.
Trump's legal team is facing a mostly sympathetic group of jurors in the Republican-controlled Senate. An acquittal on the two articles of impeachment is all but guaranteed, since the Democratic caucus would need 20 GOP members' support to have the two-thirds majority needed to convict and remove the president.
More up in the air, however, is whether Democrats will be able to recruit enough Republicans to call witnesses for the trial. That vote has a lower threshold than the one required to remove the president from office. At least four GOP senators would have to cross party lines to call witnesses or subpoena documents.
In light of the Times' report on Sunday, Democrats were quick to reiterate that Bolton should testify.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday that the revelations should remove the GOP resistance against witnesses. He said details in the book provide "further evidence that a large number of people were in the loop" on Trump's alleged pressure campaign on Ukraine.
Schumer said there seems to be a "giant cover-up" within the White House and added that if Republicans don't vote to call witnesses, including Bolton, "they are going to be part of the cover-up too."
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, told NPR on Monday that up to 10 Republican senators could vote for witnesses following the Times' report about the Bolton manuscript.
"I'm already hearing a number of Republicans who are moving toward voting to at least hear from John Bolton, if not other witnesses," he said. When asked if four Republicans would vote for witnesses, he said: "I think there'll be more. My bold prediction will be five or 10."
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the lead impeachment manager, linked testimony from Bolton to the very notion of a fair trial. "To say we will blind ourselves from a witness who has so clearly relevant testimony to one of the central most serious allegations against the president — I don't see how we can have a fair trial without testimony like that," he told reporters on Monday before the White House lawyers continued their arguments.
House Democrats had asked Bolton to testify during the impeachment inquiry but did not issue him a subpoena. The White House had ordered senior officials to not testify.
Any vote on witnesses and new evidence would come after the defense team rests (it has up to 24 hours over three days) and after senators have a chance to ask questions in writing of both House prosecutors and Trump's legal team. The questions will be read out loud by Chief Justice John Roberts, who's presiding over the trial.
Bolton's manuscript
NPR has not seen a draft of the manuscript and cannot vouch for the accuracy of the report on Trump's comments to the former national security adviser. A spokesman for the National Security Council said no one at the White House other than people at the NSC had reviewed Bolton's book.
"Ambassador Bolton's manuscript was submitted to the NSC for pre-publication review and has been under initial review by the NSC," NSC spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement. "No White House personnel outside NSC have reviewed the manuscript."
Trump denied Bolton's account in a series of tweets.
"I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens," he said. "If John Bolton said this," Trump continued, "it was only to sell a book."
The military assistance and the desired investigations are at the heart of the impeachment proceedings. Democrats say Trump's actions constitute a clear case of abuse of power, with Trump placing his personal interests over the country's. The legal team representing Trump in the Senate trial argues that the president had justifiable concern about corruption in Ukraine.
The aid was ultimately released without the inquiries.
The constitutional standard
Lawyers for the president offered a brief glimpse of their defense Saturday, minimizing the evidence that House investigators gathered before the Democratic-led chamber impeached Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Pat Cipollone, the White House counsel, claimed Democrats' push to remove Trump from office is aimed at overturning the result of the 2016 election and "tearing up [voters'] ballots" months before the 2020 election.
On Sunday, Alan Dershowitz, another member of the defense team, said on Fox News Sunday that the Democratic-led prosecution does not have a case that passes constitutional muster.
"They completely failed to meet that high constitutional standard, and therefore it would be unconstitutional to remove a president based on the allegations that were made against him," Dershowitz said. "They imposed very stringent criteria for impeachment that haven't been met in this case," citing the Founders' standard for impeachment, which is "treason, bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors."
In December, the House passed two articles of impeachment against Trump: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The vote for impeachment followed hours of testimony, in private and in public, with more than a dozen witnesses during the House impeachment inquiry.
Trump's legal team is also expected to take aim at the president's potential political opponent, Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden, making the case that Trump had good reason to want Ukrainian investigators to launch criminal probes into the activities of the Bidens in Ukraine. (While Joe Biden was vice president, Hunter Biden took a position as board member of a gas company in Ukraine.)
The full-throated defense of Trump comes after the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office declared that the president broke the law in ordering a hold on nearly $400 million in security assistance to Ukraine.
Because the Trump administration refused to participate in the House impeachment inquiry, the president's defense in the Senate is the first time Trump's team is presenting a lengthy rebuttal to the charges against him.
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NPR's Roberta Rampton and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this story.


npr--2020-01-28--Response To 1st Coronavirus Case In Washington State Draws On Lessons From Measles

Response To 1st Coronavirus Case In Washington State Draws On Lessons From Measles When the first U.S. case of a new coronavirus spreading throughout China was confirmed last week in Washington state , public health workers were well prepared to respond , building on lessons learned during the outbreak of measles that sickened 87 people in the state in 2019 .
As of Monday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed five cases of infection from the new coronavirus in the U.S. , including two in California , one in Illinois and one in Arizona .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Wuhan region in China .
More than a hundred people are under investigation for the new coronavirus in 26 states , according to the CDC .
The first U.S. patient , an unidentified man in his 30s , had traveled to the Wuhan area at the end of last year .
He fell ill shortly after flying back to the U.S. , where he lives north of Seattle .
In Washington state , health agencies have identified more than 60 people who came in close contact with the infected man before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city in Snohomish County outside Seattle .
The case quickly grabbed headlines , but it did n't rattle local health clinic workers who had recently geared up to handle another infectious disease .
`` The measles really kind of enlightened everybody about 'Wow , there are a lot of things out there that can be really contagious and can get you really sick , really fast , ' `` says Tove Skaftun , the chief nursing officer for the Community Health Center of Snohomish County .
Skaftun says she 's glad that last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how they approach these situations .
`` We 've recently grown our infection-control program so it 's kind of at the forefront of a lot of what we do , '' says Skaftun .
She says that effort focused on educating staff about the correct precautions to take when faced with different kinds of infectious diseases — including wearing protective air-purifying respirators when in contact with patients who may be infected .
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses and can stay in the airspace of a room for up to two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts believe the new coronavirus requires close contact to spread between humans .
`` Coronaviruses are generally transmitted through sneezing , coughing and close contact with individuals , so those are the types of criteria we use to identify people at risk , '' says Dr. Kathy Lofy , state health officer for Washington .
She says previous outbreaks and most recently the measles outbreak led to `` a lot of preparation by our health care system partners around how to appropriately ... protect themselves from highly infectious pathogens . ''
In Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have come in contact with the confirmed case and asking about symptoms such as a fever or cough .
Those being monitored are not required to be isolated unless they develop symptoms .
The patient in Seattle first went to a local health clinic when he started showing symptoms .
Once it became clear he was at risk for coronavirus , he was transported to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett , a hospital north of Seattle , where he was treated in isolation .
He remains in `` satisfactory '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health .
Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips , the chief clinical officer at Providence St. Joseph Health , which runs that hospital , says it was set up to handle high-level infectious pathogens during the Ebola scare of 2014 .
`` All types of infrastructure had been put in place to ensure that when something came around we 'd be ready , '' says Compton-Phillips .
Those include specialized gurneys to keep patients isolated while they 're wheeled around the hospital , robots that can listen to patients ' lungs and take blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flow so germs are n't circulated throughout the rest of the hospital .
In Snohomish County , health workers are on alert for signs that any patients could be at risk of carrying the new virus .
At the Community Health Center of Snohomish County , signs posted in the waiting room tell patients to notify staff if there 's any indication they could have been exposed .
`` We do have patients that are calling in , and we do have patients that are talking about it with their provider staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it 's natural that some patients have been asking questions , but like other health providers in the area , she 's not too concerned that the first U.S case happened to arrive in her county .
In fact , her clinics had all the right protocols and infection-control gear at the ready when they first heard the news .
She says staff have practiced getting ready for an infectious outbreak pretty recently .
Last year , Clark County , Wash. , which is part of suburban Portland , Ore. , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measles , mostly among unvaccinated children .
In the Seattle area , which includes Snohomish County , there was a smaller outbreak .
No one died and Snohomish County had only one case of measles , but Skaftun says it was a wake-up call for clinics like hers , which can be the first stop for patients worried they may be at risk .
The Wuhan coronavirus appears much less contagious than measles , and the flu has sickened and killed far more Americans already this year .
The public health message from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of the new coronavirus spreading from human to human in the U.S. remains low .
`` At this time in the U.S. , this virus is not spreading in the community , '' said Dr. Nancy Messonnier , director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , at a news conference .
Still , the CDC has been advising health care workers to take `` airborne precautions '' and wear protective gear if they are near a patient who is under investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ samples were sent to CDC headquarters in Atlanta .
The CDC has developed a test to diagnose the new coronavirus .
`` We are refining the use of this test so we can provide optimal guidance to states and laboratoriums on how to use it , '' said Messonnier .
The agency plans to distribute those to public health labs around the country `` as fast as possible '' in the coming weeks .
`` There are a lot of unknowns , '' says Janet Baseman , professor of epidemiology at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health can do now is assume that it will be similar to other coronavirus outbreaks we have seen in recent years until proven otherwise . ''
`` Being overprepared is the name of the game , '' she says .
With only one case of the coronavirus from China confirmed so far in Washington , Baseman says it 's much easier for public health workers to do contact tracing than last year when faced with the measles outbreak , which included multiple cases .
`` It was a really different situation because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , '' says Baseman .
This story is part of a partnership between NPR and Kaiser Health News .

Response To 1st Coronavirus Case In Washington State Draws On Lessons From Measles
Enlarge this image toggle caption Will Stone for NPR Will Stone for NPR
When the first U.S. case of a new coronavirus spreading throughout China was confirmed last week in Washington state, public health workers were well prepared to respond, building on lessons learned during the outbreak of measles that sickened 87 people in the state in 2019.
As of Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed five cases of infection from the new coronavirus in the U.S., including two in California, one in Illinois and one in Arizona. All have been linked to people who traveled to the Wuhan area in China. More than a hundred people are under investigation for the new coronavirus in 26 states, according to the CDC.
The first U.S. patient, an unidentified man in his 30s, had traveled to the Wuhan area at the end of last year. He fell ill shortly after flying back to the U.S., where he lives north of Seattle.
In Washington state, health agencies have identified more than 60 people who came in close contact with the infected man before he was hospitalized in Everett, a city in Snohomish County outside Seattle.
The case quickly grabbed headlines, but it didn't rattle local health clinic workers who had recently geared up to handle another infectious disease.
"The measles really kind of enlightened everybody about 'Wow, there are a lot of things out there that can be really contagious and can get you really sick, really fast,' " says Tove Skaftun, the chief nursing officer for the Community Health Center of Snohomish County.
Skaftun says she's glad that last year's outbreak forced them to improve how they approach these situations.
"We've recently grown our infection-control program so it's kind of at the forefront of a lot of what we do," says Skaftun.
She says that effort focused on educating staff about the correct precautions to take when faced with different kinds of infectious diseases — including wearing protective air-purifying respirators when in contact with patients who may be infected.
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses and can stay in the airspace of a room for up to two hours. In contrast, public health experts believe the new coronavirus requires close contact to spread between humans.
"Coronaviruses are generally transmitted through sneezing, coughing and close contact with individuals, so those are the types of criteria we use to identify people at risk," says Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer for Washington.
She says previous outbreaks and most recently the measles outbreak led to "a lot of preparation by our health care system partners around how to appropriately ... protect themselves from highly infectious pathogens."
In Washington, public health workers are daily calling people who have come in contact with the confirmed case and asking about symptoms such as a fever or cough. Those being monitored are not required to be isolated unless they develop symptoms.
The patient in Seattle first went to a local health clinic when he started showing symptoms. Once it became clear he was at risk for coronavirus, he was transported to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, a hospital north of Seattle, where he was treated in isolation. He remains in "satisfactory" condition, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, the chief clinical officer at Providence St. Joseph Health, which runs that hospital, says it was set up to handle high-level infectious pathogens during the Ebola scare of 2014.
"All types of infrastructure had been put in place to ensure that when something came around we'd be ready," says Compton-Phillips.
Those include specialized gurneys to keep patients isolated while they're wheeled around the hospital, robots that can listen to patients' lungs and take blood pressure, and rooms with negative-pressure air flow so germs aren't circulated throughout the rest of the hospital.
In Snohomish County, health workers are on alert for signs that any patients could be at risk of carrying the new virus.
At the Community Health Center of Snohomish County, signs posted in the waiting room tell patients to notify staff if there's any indication they could have been exposed.
"We do have patients that are calling in, and we do have patients that are talking about it with their provider staff," says head nurse Skaftun.
Skaftun says it's natural that some patients have been asking questions, but like other health providers in the area, she's not too concerned that the first U.S case happened to arrive in her county.
In fact, her clinics had all the right protocols and infection-control gear at the ready when they first heard the news.
She says staff have practiced getting ready for an infectious outbreak pretty recently. Last year, Clark County, Wash., which is part of suburban Portland, Ore., had an alarming outbreak of 71 cases of measles, mostly among unvaccinated children.
In the Seattle area, which includes Snohomish County, there was a smaller outbreak. No one died and Snohomish County had only one case of measles, but Skaftun says it was a wake-up call for clinics like hers, which can be the first stop for patients worried they may be at risk.
The Wuhan coronavirus appears much less contagious than measles, and the flu has sickened and killed far more Americans already this year.
The public health message from public health leaders remains clear: The risk of the new coronavirus spreading from human to human in the U.S. remains low.
"At this time in the U.S., this virus is not spreading in the community," said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a news conference.
Still, the CDC has been advising health care workers to take "airborne precautions" and wear protective gear if they are near a patient who is under investigation.
The Washington patient was diagnosed after samples were sent to CDC headquarters in Atlanta. The CDC has developed a test to diagnose the new coronavirus.
"We are refining the use of this test so we can provide optimal guidance to states and laboratoriums on how to use it," said Messonnier.
The agency plans to distribute those to public health labs around the country "as fast as possible" in the coming weeks.
"There are a lot of unknowns," says Janet Baseman, professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington. "The best thing public health can do now is assume that it will be similar to other coronavirus outbreaks we have seen in recent years until proven otherwise."
"Being overprepared is the name of the game," she says.
With only one case of the coronavirus from China confirmed so far in Washington, Baseman says it's much easier for public health workers to do contact tracing than last year when faced with the measles outbreak, which included multiple cases.
"It was a really different situation because there were also a lot more exposed people," says Baseman.
This story is part of a partnership between NPR and Kaiser Health News.


npr--2020-01-28--High School Starts At 3 p.m. For These Michigan Students

High School Starts At 3 p.m. For These Michigan Students The final moments of Friday afternoon are slipping away at Eastern High School in Lansing , Mich. , as announcements echo through the halls .
As students stream through the doors , teacher Dee Halstead is rolling her supply cart to the library .
Her workday is just ramping up .
`` This is my classroom on wheels , '' Halstead said .
`` It 's my laptop and all of the papers I need to give the students and my flash drive so I can print off this exam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Eastern Flex Academy , where a handful of students attend school from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m .
They start off with English and math classes , break for dinner and then finish their remaining courses online .
The motivation for this was two-pronged .
The district wanted to make better use of its building during off-hours .
And the school board wanted to find out how a mobile , digital 21st-century workflow could supplant an agrarian-based 19th-century school day .
Eastern Flex Academy was designed to accommodate part-time job schedules , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor Burford taps away at her English term paper : a review of a historical fiction on the life of Malcolm X , who lived in Lansing in his youth .
She 's dual enrolled in college , works at a child care center and takes dance classes .
Burford says going to school late in the day has really helped her .
`` Here , I do n't really have to worry about socializing or being performative , '' she says .
`` I can just stay chill , do my work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school evening classes are not completely unheard of .
But they 're not usually built around lifestyle demands .
`` I think what you 're seeing in Lansing is a response to the needs of young people , '' says Monika Kincheloe , a senior director with America 's Promise Alliance .
While some schools provide evening classes to help students recover lost credit hours or help working adults earn their GED diploma , Kincheloe says the Lansing model is different .
Here , flex students are on a parallel course with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great comfort in knowing that they are n't getting lost , because they 're part of the school , '' Kincheloe says .
`` So when the school reports a graduation rate or a testing outcome , it 's going to include those young people in the evening classes .
And that 's a good thing . ''
But there 's a more basic — and popular — reason for flex classes : catching up on your rest .
`` I 'm able to sleep in as long as I need to , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night 's rest , '' says junior Jerome Tiel .
`` I 'm able to just do more things with my day .
I feel like this is one of the best changes in my life . ''
Jerome 's father , James Brains , likes what he 's seeing so far .
`` Before he was failing class here and there and his top grades would be in the C or B range , and now he 's getting A 's , '' Brains says .
`` Also , he was having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those have decreased quite a bit . ''
The program is already planning to grow .
This semester , the Lansing School District will offer it to juniors and seniors in the city 's two other high schools and even to neighboring schools in the suburbs .

High School Starts At 3 p.m. For These Michigan Students
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Lavery/WKAR Kevin Lavery/WKAR
The final moments of Friday afternoon are slipping away at Eastern High School in Lansing, Mich., as announcements echo through the halls.
As students stream through the doors, teacher Dee Halstead is rolling her supply cart to the library. Her workday is just ramping up.
"This is my classroom on wheels," Halstead said. "It's my laptop and all of the papers I need to give the students and my flash drive so I can print off this exam."
Education Ohio Opens First High School For Students Dealing With Drug Addiction Ohio Opens First High School For Students Dealing With Drug Addiction Listen · 3:33 3:33
Halstead coordinates an experimental program called Eastern Flex Academy, where a handful of students attend school from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. They start off with English and math classes, break for dinner and then finish their remaining courses online.
The motivation for this was two-pronged. The district wanted to make better use of its building during off-hours. And the school board wanted to find out how a mobile, digital 21st-century workflow could supplant an agrarian-based 19th-century school day. Eastern Flex Academy was designed to accommodate part-time job schedules, internships and even family responsibilities.
Senior Taylor Burford taps away at her English term paper: a review of a historical fiction on the life of Malcolm X, who lived in Lansing in his youth. She's dual enrolled in college, works at a child care center and takes dance classes. Burford says going to school late in the day has really helped her.
Education High School Principal Brings Free Laundromat — And Bullying Relief — To Students High School Principal Brings Free Laundromat — And Bullying Relief — To Students Listen · 46:35 46:35
"Here, I don't really have to worry about socializing or being performative," she says. "I can just stay chill, do my work. It's easier."
High school evening classes are not completely unheard of. But they're not usually built around lifestyle demands.
"I think what you're seeing in Lansing is a response to the needs of young people," says Monika Kincheloe, a senior director with America's Promise Alliance. While some schools provide evening classes to help students recover lost credit hours or help working adults earn their GED diploma, Kincheloe says the Lansing model is different. Here, flex students are on a parallel course with their daytime peers.
"That gives me great comfort in knowing that they aren't getting lost, because they're part of the school," Kincheloe says. "So when the school reports a graduation rate or a testing outcome, it's going to include those young people in the evening classes. And that's a good thing."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Lavery/WKAR Kevin Lavery/WKAR
But there's a more basic — and popular — reason for flex classes: catching up on your rest.
"I'm able to sleep in as long as I need to, so I always get like a good night's rest," says junior Jerome Tiel. "I'm able to just do more things with my day. I feel like this is one of the best changes in my life."
Jerome's father, James Brains, likes what he's seeing so far.
"Before he was failing class here and there and his top grades would be in the C or B range, and now he's getting A's," Brains says. "Also, he was having some behavioral issues as well, and those have decreased quite a bit."
The program is already planning to grow. This semester, the Lansing School District will offer it to juniors and seniors in the city's two other high schools and even to neighboring schools in the suburbs.


npr--2020-01-28--2020 Political Campaigns Are Trying To Avoid A 2016-Style Hack

2020 Political Campaigns Are Trying To Avoid A 2016-Style Hack Paranoia is the best strategy for political campaigns when it comes to digital security .
After all , who can forget the massive hack of the Hillary Clinton campaign 's emails during the last presidential election and its embarrassing consequences ?
The reelection campaign of Maine Sen. Angus King took this to heart .
Lisa Kaplan , King 's digital director , regularly sent out fake emails to her staff to `` see who would click on them . ''
Those emails during the 2018 campaign looked real — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep staff members on their toes so they would n't fall for emails from real hackers intent on damaging the campaign .
`` We would try to get them to do things like change their password for their email or change their password for the database we were using , '' Kaplan said .
It 's this kind of attention to detail and seriousness about security that political veterans and party officials are urging on candidates and their staffs .
Starting next week , the first votes in the 2020 Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns — from congressional races to local contests for mayor and city council — are gearing up for November 's election .
Communication is the lifeblood of any political campaign , but it can also be the thing that sinks it if messages get hacked or manipulated .
Email and social media accounts can be taken over .
Sensitive or embarrassing documents can be leaked , and false information can really damage a campaign .
Campaigns are especially vulnerable because they operate like startups : They 're created from the ground up and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and out of jobs quickly and bring in new phones and laptops .
`` Campaigns are effectively startups , but their risk profile is more like established large businesses , '' said Mark Risher , who works on account security at Google .
Additional risk comes from staffers using personal cellphones , computers and email accounts to work on sensitive material .
That rapid , often chaotic growth creates openings for hackers .
`` You have almost every worst-case scenario , '' said Mary Dickinson , a co-founder of U.S. CyberDome , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You ca n't really do effective training because you 've got people coming on board all the time , '' she said .
And since it 's normal for people to bring their own devices into the campaigns , `` you 've got used devices that are not scrubbed being brought into the food chain , '' Dickinson said .
The most infamous hack of a campaign happened in 2016 , when Russians broke into the Gmail account of Hillary Clinton 's campaign chair , John Podesta .
Some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's paid speeches to Wall Street banks .
The Russians got into Podesta 's email account through a phishing attack — where hackers send emails disguised to look like they 're from a familiar sender or from a known entity like a bank .
They try to trick people into handing over passwords .
Phishing is `` very , very cheap to perpetrate [ and ] very , very easy to scale , '' Risher said .
`` The attackers get to keep trying again and again until they succeed , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once . ''
Nearly four years after the Clinton campaign email hack , phishing attacks have n't changed much , Risher said .
`` The attackers are still mostly using the same techniques that were effective in 2016 , 2017 , 2018 .
They have n't evolved because they have n't needed to , '' he said .
Despite ample evidence that political figures are targets , they remain vulnerable .
A recent national survey by Google and the Harris Poll asked politicians about their cybersecurity risks .
Forty percent said they 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack .
And 60 % said they have n't significantly updated the security of their accounts since 2016 .
So what should campaigns do to get serious about security ?
At the top of the list is taking basic precautions to protect email and other accounts .
That includes multifactor authentication , which requires people to enter not just a password but also a code sent to their smartphone or from a special hardware key .
Experts also recommend using password managers and communicating on encrypted messaging apps , like Signal and Wickr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff who should be tightening up their online security but also the people operating in the periphery who might be helping out the campaign .
`` You have a spouse that could be vulnerable ; you have children ; you have the candidate 's best friend who 's also the finance chair , '' said Michael Kaiser , president of Defending Digital Campaigns , another nonprofit that connects campaigns with free and discounted cybersecurity services and training .
If any of the campaign helpers have access to private information and they get hacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target the candidate .
Experts say the focus in 2020 is not just on reducing risk but on planning how to respond if a cyberattack happens .
Otherwise , candidates will be battling adversaries not only at the ballot box but in their inboxes too .

2020 Political Campaigns Are Trying To Avoid A 2016-Style Hack
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Olson/Getty Images Scott Olson/Getty Images
Paranoia is the best strategy for political campaigns when it comes to digital security. After all, who can forget the massive hack of the Hillary Clinton campaign's emails during the last presidential election and its embarrassing consequences?
The reelection campaign of Maine Sen. Angus King took this to heart. Lisa Kaplan, King's digital director, regularly sent out fake emails to her staff to "see who would click on them." Those emails during the 2018 campaign looked real — but they were not.
The goal was to keep staff members on their toes so they wouldn't fall for emails from real hackers intent on damaging the campaign.
"We would try to get them to do things like change their password for their email or change their password for the database we were using," Kaplan said.
It's this kind of attention to detail and seriousness about security that political veterans and party officials are urging on candidates and their staffs. Starting next week, the first votes in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries will be cast. Even more campaigns — from congressional races to local contests for mayor and city council — are gearing up for November's election.
Communication is the lifeblood of any political campaign, but it can also be the thing that sinks it if messages get hacked or manipulated. Email and social media accounts can be taken over. Sensitive or embarrassing documents can be leaked, and false information can really damage a campaign.
Campaigns are especially vulnerable because they operate like startups: They're created from the ground up and add staff quickly. People move in and out of jobs quickly and bring in new phones and laptops.
"Campaigns are effectively startups, but their risk profile is more like established large businesses," said Mark Risher, who works on account security at Google.
Additional risk comes from staffers using personal cellphones, computers and email accounts to work on sensitive material.
That rapid, often chaotic growth creates openings for hackers.
"You have almost every worst-case scenario," said Mary Dickinson, a co-founder of U.S. CyberDome, a nonprofit offering free cybersecurity services to campaigns.
"You can't really do effective training because you've got people coming on board all the time," she said. And since it's normal for people to bring their own devices into the campaigns, "you've got used devices that are not scrubbed being brought into the food chain," Dickinson said.
The most infamous hack of a campaign happened in 2016, when Russians broke into the Gmail account of Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, John Podesta. Some of the emails were embarrassing, such as Clinton's paid speeches to Wall Street banks.
The Russians got into Podesta's email account through a phishing attack — where hackers send emails disguised to look like they're from a familiar sender or from a known entity like a bank. They try to trick people into handing over passwords.
Phishing is "very, very cheap to perpetrate [and] very, very easy to scale," Risher said. "The attackers get to keep trying again and again until they succeed, and the target only has to make a mistake once."
Nearly four years after the Clinton campaign email hack, phishing attacks haven't changed much, Risher said.
"The attackers are still mostly using the same techniques that were effective in 2016, 2017, 2018. They haven't evolved because they haven't needed to," he said.
Despite ample evidence that political figures are targets, they remain vulnerable. A recent national survey by Google and the Harris Poll asked politicians about their cybersecurity risks. Forty percent said they've had an account compromised in a phishing attack. And 60% said they haven't significantly updated the security of their accounts since 2016.
So what should campaigns do to get serious about security?
At the top of the list is taking basic precautions to protect email and other accounts.
That includes multifactor authentication, which requires people to enter not just a password but also a code sent to their smartphone or from a special hardware key. Experts also recommend using password managers and communicating on encrypted messaging apps, like Signal and Wickr.
2020 Election: Secure Your Vote How To Spot 2020 Election Disinformation How To Spot 2020 Election Disinformation Listen · 7:02 7:02
It is not just candidates and staff who should be tightening up their online security but also the people operating in the periphery who might be helping out the campaign.
"You have a spouse that could be vulnerable; you have children; you have the candidate's best friend who's also the finance chair," said Michael Kaiser, president of Defending Digital Campaigns, another nonprofit that connects campaigns with free and discounted cybersecurity services and training.
If any of the campaign helpers have access to private information and they get hacked, their accounts can be used to target the candidate.
Experts say the focus in 2020 is not just on reducing risk but on planning how to respond if a cyberattack happens.
Otherwise, candidates will be battling adversaries not only at the ballot box but in their inboxes too.


npr--2020-01-28--Trump Lawyers Ready For Final Day Of President's Impeachment Defense

Shortly before winding down Monday night 's arguments in the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump , defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz addressed the elephant in the room : whether potential testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton would alter the course of the proceeding .
Dershowitz was the first member of the president 's defense team to directly acknowledge how recent Bolton news had consumed Washington , as speculation raged over the Senate possibly calling him as a witness .
Bolton 's possible first-hand account of the events at the heart of the impeachment trial ?
Not necessary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolton revelations , even if true , would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense , '' he said .
Democrats need to convince at least four Republicans to defect from their party 's leadership in order to support a subpoena of Bolton , a threshold that Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , said on Monday appeared `` increasingly likely . ''
That assessment comes in light of Bolton reportedly writing in his forthcoming book that Trump directly linked the freezing of $ 391 million in security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's main political rival , Joe Biden , and his son , Hunter Biden .
Also on Monday , Sen. Angus King , I-Maine , told NPR that he too believes the Senate is now inching closer to having enough votes to bring Bolton into the chamber for live testimony .
`` I 'm already hearing a number of Republicans who are moving toward voting to at least hear from John Bolton , if not other witnesses , '' he said .
`` I think there 'll be more , '' said King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats need to call Bolton .
`` My bold prediction will be five or 10 . ''
On Tuesday , the Trump team will carry out its final day of the president 's defense .
The trial will resume at 1 p.m .
ET .
Watch live here when it begins .
The House impeached Trump for abuse of power for asking Ukraine to announce investigations into his political rivals , allegedly using $ 391 million in vital security assistance to pressure the country into launching the probes .
House Democrats also impeached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House 's refusal to cooperate with impeachment investigators .
But on Monday , Trump 's defense team offered vastly different version of events , arguing that the president 's freezing of military aid was done out of a legitimate concern over corruption in Ukraine , pointing out that the congressionally approved funding was eventually released .
Eric Herschmann , another Trump defense lawyer , maintained that the hold-up in military aid was not as consequential as Democrats have portrayed it to be .
`` It is absurd on its face .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost by the short delay , and they know it , '' Herschmann said .
Ken Starr , who is defending Trump and who led the investigation into then-President Bill Clinton that triggered Clinton 's impeachment , made the case that Trump 's impeachment , the third impeachment trial in American history , shows that `` we are living in what aptly can be described as the age of impeachment , '' adding the process is `` filled with acrimony and divides the country like nothing else . ''
Starr , whose impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ framed impeachment in dramatic terms .
`` Like war , impeachment is hell , or at least , presidential impeachment is hell , '' he said .
The defense team also used Monday to attack the Biden family , playing a television interview with Joe Biden 's son , Hunter , answering questions about his time as a board member of the energy company Burisma when his father was vice president .
Trump defense lawyer Pam Bondi , the former attorney general of Florida , ran through a long timeline of events suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was questionable enough to justify Trump 's concerns about possible corruption .
Neither Joe Biden nor his son have been accused of any wrongdoing connected to Ukraine and Burisma .
Yet Bondi cited news outlets that have covered the Bidens and the energy company before saying : `` they all thought there was cause to raise the issue about the Bidens and Burisma . ''
Added Bondi : `` The House managers might say , without evidence , that everything we just said has been debunked , that the evidence points entirely and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a distraction , '' Bondi said .
`` They do n't believe that there was any concern to raise here , '' she said .
`` And all we 're saying is that there was a basis to talk about this , to raise this issue . ''
Andrew Bates , a spokesman for Joe Biden , characterized Bondi 's presentation as a `` conspiracy theory '' that has been `` conclusively refuted . ''
`` Joe Biden was instrumental to a bipartisan and international anti-corruption victory .
It 's no surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump , '' Bates said in a statement .
Meanwhile in the Senate , lawmakers struggled on Monday to push through the daylong presentations by Trump 's legal team .
Senators appeared more worn down than last week , giving way to yawns , or strolls into the cloakroom for extended breaks .
Once Trump 's legal team rests , the trial will then move to the questions phase in which senators submit in writing questions to the prosecution or defense that the Chief Justice John Robert will read aloud .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then take up whether to call witnesses .
Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , the lead Trump prosecutor , has said that the White House 's attempt to block witnesses from the impeachment process is proof of a cover-up .
On Monday , Schiff added to those contentions , saying on CNN that lawmakers interested in fully assessing the impeachment charges should want to hear Bolton 's side of the story .
`` I do n't know how you can explain that you wanted a search for the truth in this trial and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a witness who had a direct conversation about the central allegation in the articles of impeachment , '' Schiff said .
NPR 's Scott Detrow and Claudia Grisales contributed to this report .

McConnell: Republicans Do Not Yet Have Votes To Block Witnesses In Impeachment Trial
Enlarge this image toggle caption Senate Television via Getty Images Senate Television via Getty Images
Updated at 7:35 p.m. ET
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a group of Senate Republicans late Tuesday that he does not yet have the votes to stop Democrats from calling witnesses during the impeachment trial of President Trump, according to people familiar with the discussion.
But even as McConnell made the concession, the dynamic remains fluid. Whether Democrats' push for witnesses succeeds or fails could come down to a group of moderate Republicans who have remained open, but uncommitted, to new witnesses since the start of the trial.
Republicans privately are confident that they can overcome Democratic subpoenas for new witnesses. Democrats need at least four Republicans to cross party lines and support new witnesses in order to meet the threshold for bringing new witnesses and evidence into the trial.
Pressure has been building on senators to hear from former National Security Adviser John Bolton, whom Democrats say has a first-hand account of Trump's dealing with Ukraine at the heart of the impeachment case.
Bolton, who has a forthcoming book detailing his knowledge of the Ukraine pressure campaign, has said he is willing to share his side of the story with senators.
Yet Trump's defense team has fought back, saying Bolton has nothing of value to offer senators, since they argue even if Bolton's account is true, it would not clear the bar of constituting an impeachable offense.
Earlier Tuesday, President Trump's defense team completed its arguments against his removal from office in the Senate impeachment trial.
"I think we've made our case," White House counsel Pat Cipollone said. "All you need in this case is the Constitution and your common sense."
He said the two articles of impeachment passed last month by the House of Representatives — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — "fall far short of any constitutional standard and they are dangerous," a word he repeated several times in final remarks.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said that starting Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, senators will have a chance to submit written questions to the House impeachment managers and Trump's defense lawyers through U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, with each party alternating. They will have a total of 16 hours over two days for questions. After the questions wrap up, senators will then take up whether to call witnesses.
Tuesday's proceedings concluded against the backdrop of a New York Times report this week that cited the unpublished manuscript of a book being written by former national security adviser John Bolton about, among other things, his time in the Trump White House. Bolton writes, according to the newspaper, that Trump told him that he was withholding military aid to Ukraine until the government there began an investigation into political rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden's and his son Hunter's activities. That allegation is at the heart of Trump's impeachment.
But, in an apparent reference to the manuscript, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow told senators Tuesday that impeachment "is not a game of leaks and unsourced manuscripts." Most of the president's lawyers have steered clear of the Bolton report, except for Alan Dershowitz, who argued Monday that even if the former national security adviser's allegations were true, they weren't sufficient to remove a president from office.
Still, the news report prompted Democrats to demand that Bolton be called as a witness in the Senate trial. Democrats need to persuade at least four Republicans to defect from their party's leadership in order to support a subpoena of Bolton, a threshold that Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said on Monday appeared "increasingly likely."
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Some Republicans have floated the idea of a deal on witnesses: one that would include calling Hunter Biden to testify. But before the final day of Trump's defense began, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., dismissed that idea.
"Hunter Biden has nothing to do with the facts of this trial," he said at a news conference Tuesday morning.
Schumer insisted that senators should hear from the same four witnesses whom he has been pushing for since the start of the trial — Bolton; acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; Robert Blair, a White House official; and Michael Duffey, an official at the Office of Management and Budget.
"We're not bargaining with them — four witnesses and four sets of documents," Schumer said.
He also dismissed a proposal floated by GOP Sens. James Lankford and Lindsey Graham to allow senators to read Bolton's manuscript in the secure room in the Capitol, a room known as the "SCIF." Schumer called this idea "absurd."
"It's a book," he said. "There's no need for it to be read in the SCIF unless you want to hide something."
Trump's lawyers, who began their arguments Saturday, had 24 hours over three days to make their case — the same time given to the Democratic House impeachment managers who presented their arguments against the president last week.
The House impeachment articles accuse Trump of abuse of power for asking Ukraine to announce investigations into his political rivals, allegedly using $391 million in vital security assistance to pressure the country into launching the probes. The House articles also charge obstruction of Congress for the White House's refusal to cooperate with impeachment investigators.
But on Monday, Trump's defense team offered vastly different version of events, arguing that the president's freezing of military aid was done out of a legitimate concern over corruption in Ukraine, pointing out that the congressionally approved funding was eventually released.
Eric Herschmann, another Trump defense lawyer, maintained that the holdup in military aid was not as consequential as Democrats have portrayed it to be.
"It is absurd on its face. Not one American life was in jeopardy or lost by the short delay, and they know it," Herschmann said.
Ken Starr, who is defending Trump and who led the investigation into President Bill Clinton that triggered Clinton's impeachment, made the case that Trump's impeachment, the third in American history, shows that "we are living in what aptly can be described as the age of impeachment," adding the process is "filled with acrimony and divides the country like nothing else."
Trump defense lawyer Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, also used Monday to attack the Biden family, playing a television interview with Hunter Biden answering questions about his time as a board member of the energy company Burisma when his father was vice president.
Neither Joe Biden nor his son has been accused of any wrongdoing connected to Ukraine and Burisma. Yet Bondi cited news outlets that have covered the Bidens and the energy company before saying: "They all thought there was cause to raise the issue about the Bidens and Burisma."
Added Bondi: "The House managers might say, without evidence, that everything we just said has been debunked, that the evidence points entirely and unequivocally in the other direction. That is a distraction."
Andrew Bates, a spokesman for Joe Biden, characterized Bondi's presentation as a "conspiracy theory" that has been "conclusively refuted."
NPR's Scott Detrow, Susan Davis and Claudia Grisales contributed to this report.


npr--2020-01-27--Impeachment Trial Recap: Trump Lawyers Forge Ahead, Rejecting Bolton Relevance

President Trump 's lawyers tore into Democrats ' impeachment allegations on Monday with a legal and political pageant that culminated with a rejection of the relevance of new allegations from John Bolton .
Retired law professor Alan Dershowitz closed the day 's arguments with a stemwinder about what he called the constitutional weaknesses of the case against Trump .
The framers of the Constitution intended for the foundation of the law to be precisely defined crimes that could then be precisely enforced , he said — and no such crimes are alleged in the Trump matter .
Moreover , Dershowitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected the phrases in the articles of impeachment passed last month in the House .
Any potential testimony by former national security adviser Bolton about what Trump told him is accordingly immaterial , Dershowitz said .
`` If a president , any president , were to have done what the Times reported about the content of the Bolton manuscript , that would not constitute an impeachable offense , '' he said .
`` Nothing in the Bolton revelations , even if true , would rise to the level of an abuse of power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Harvard professor told senators that the revolutionary generation that constructed the Constitution was particularly wary about the kind of partisan effort , as Dershowitz described it , that has idled Washington with the impeachment proceedings .
`` It is inconceivable that the framers would have intended so politically loaded and promiscuously deployed a term as 'abuse of power ' to be weaponized as a tool of impeachment , '' he said .
`` It is precisely the kind of vague , open-ended and subjective term that the framers feared and rejected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's remarks followed hours of presentations that mostly had avoided the topic agitating much of Washington outside the gilded walls of the Senate chamber .
A mustachio 'd specter loomed over the Capitol dome — and the question senators are expected to face later this week about whether to admit new witnesses or evidence into the proceedings .
Bolton 's forthcoming book reportedly includes an account of Trump telling him that he intended to keep military assistance for Ukraine frozen until President Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed to announce investigations that Trump wanted .
NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argue that Bolton 's account could bring vital new evidence of what they call Trump 's abuse of power , the basis for the ongoing impeachment proceedings .
Bolton has said he 'd be willing to appear in the Senate trial if he receives a subpoena .
Four Republican senators would need to join with all the chamber 's Democrats in a vote , perhaps Friday , in order to authorize witnesses and identify which ones .
It is n't clear whether sufficient support exists and if so , what witnesses Republicans might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or others such as White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney .
Until Dershowitz 's comments , Trump 's attorneys had focused closely on a legal defense of the president and then shifted into an impeachment of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , Hunter .
Lawyer Jay Sekulow underscored one of the Trump team 's themes : The real motive driving Democrats ' impeachment is simple partisan animus .
He played TV footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi handing out the pens she 'd used to sign the articles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managers presenting them to the Senate .
Former Justice Department independent counsel Ken Starr , who investigated President Bill Clinton in the 1990s , also took the dais .
In a lengthy address that combined history , legal theory and , ultimately , recent events , Starr told senators that what he called the precedents forming the `` common law '' of impeachment show how short the current proceedings fall relative to past practices .
Starr blamed a `` runaway House '' that he said had been warned all along : `` Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it that way . ''
As the hours wore on , Trump 's defense team moved further afield from a defense of the president .
They put on a separate defense of another lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , and as they 'd hinted , broadened their presentations into the family Biden .
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi recapitulated a story line that has embarrassed Biden : His son , Hunter , was paid by a Ukrainian gas company at the time when the then-vice president was handling Ukrainian affairs for the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been charged with any criminal wrongdoing , their situation was the subject of one of the investigations Trump wanted from Ukraine 's government .
Bondi and another lawyer , Eric Herschmann , outlined the reasons why they argued such an investigation might be appropriate .
`` There 's no question that any rational person would like to understand what happened , '' Herschmann said .
At least one Republican welcomed the airing of the Biden-Ukraine story on the stage provided by the impeachment trial : Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa reminded reporters about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be cast soon .
`` The Iowa caucuses are this next Monday evening , '' she said .
`` And I 'm really interested to see how this discussion today informs and influences the Iowa caucus voters , the Democratic caucus goers .
Will they be supporting Vice President Biden at this point ? ''
The impeachment proceedings were jangled by a report in The New York Times on Sunday that Bolton 's forthcoming book would strengthen Democrats ' case .
The Times followed with another story on Monday even as Dershowitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about whether Bolton or other witnesses might appear in the proceedings — something Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and Republicans batted down early but which is set to come up again later this week .
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , and the House impeachment managers called for Bolton to appear .
But Trump 's defenders outside the Senate , including Rep. Mark Meadows , R-N.C. , said that even if that were to happen , it would n't hurt Trump .
Trump released the military assistance frozen for Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an investigation , and nothing Bolton could say would alter that , Meadows said .
When the whip comes down Republicans ' majority likely means Trump faces no danger of being removed from office .
But the small number of Republicans who 'd need to join Democrats to authorize witnesses — four — may make that , at least , potentially more likely .
That would give Democrats a fact witness and Republicans the ability to say they 'd had a meaningful trial for Trump .
So a whirlpool of speculation now churns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of four .
Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , has said he wants Bolton to testify .
Sens .
Susan Collins , R-Maine and Lisa Murkowski , R-Alaska , are seen as other possible joiners .
Are there others ?
The Washington Post reported on Monday that Sen. Pat Toomey , R-Pa. , has proposed a `` one-for-one '' trade in which Republicans might agree to Bolton in exchange for someone else .
That suggests Toomey 's vote might also be in play .
Sen. Mike Rounds , R-S.D.
, told reporters a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday 's Republican lunch `` but there did n't seem to be much support for it .
Not at this point . ''
Maine 's other senator , Independent Angus King , views the situation from outside because he caucuses with Democrats .
But King told NPR on Monday that he thought there could be from 5 to 10 Republicans who 'd ultimately go along with a vote for witnesses .
`` There 's some indication that [ Bolton ] has information that bears directly on the heart of the case , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'We do n't want to hear that , ' to me , basically just undermines the idea that this is a real trial . ''
NPR reporters Brakkton Booker and Lexie Schapitl contributed to this report .

Impeachment Trial Recap: Trump Lawyers Forge Ahead, Rejecting Bolton Relevance
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Updated at 9:27 p.m. ET
President Trump's lawyers tore into Democrats' impeachment allegations on Monday with a legal and political pageant that culminated with a rejection of the relevance of new allegations from John Bolton.
Retired law professor Alan Dershowitz closed the day's arguments with a stemwinder about what he called the constitutional weaknesses of the case against Trump.
The framers of the Constitution intended for the foundation of the law to be precisely defined crimes that could then be precisely enforced, he said — and no such crimes are alleged in the Trump matter.
Moreover, Dershowitz argued, the framers explicitly would have rejected the phrases in the articles of impeachment passed last month in the House. Any potential testimony by former national security adviser Bolton about what Trump told him is accordingly immaterial, Dershowitz said.
"If a president, any president, were to have done what the Times reported about the content of the Bolton manuscript, that would not constitute an impeachable offense," he said. "Nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense."
The former Harvard professor told senators that the revolutionary generation that constructed the Constitution was particularly wary about the kind of partisan effort, as Dershowitz described it, that has idled Washington with the impeachment proceedings.
"It is inconceivable that the framers would have intended so politically loaded and promiscuously deployed a term as 'abuse of power' to be weaponized as a tool of impeachment," he said. "It is precisely the kind of vague, open-ended and subjective term that the framers feared and rejected."
Day two for the defense
Dershowitz's remarks followed hours of presentations that mostly had avoided the topic agitating much of Washington outside the gilded walls of the Senate chamber.
A mustachio'd specter loomed over the Capitol dome — and the question senators are expected to face later this week about whether to admit new witnesses or evidence into the proceedings.
Bolton's forthcoming book reportedly includes an account of Trump telling him that he intended to keep military assistance for Ukraine frozen until President Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed to announce investigations that Trump wanted.
NPR has not reviewed the manuscript.
Democrats argue that Bolton's account could bring vital new evidence of what they call Trump's abuse of power, the basis for the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Bolton has said he'd be willing to appear in the Senate trial if he receives a subpoena.
Four Republican senators would need to join with all the chamber's Democrats in a vote, perhaps Friday, in order to authorize witnesses and identify which ones.
It isn't clear whether sufficient support exists and if so, what witnesses Republicans might request if Democrats were to seek Bolton or others such as White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Until Dershowitz's comments, Trump's attorneys had focused closely on a legal defense of the president and then shifted into an impeachment of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
Judge Starr
Lawyer Jay Sekulow underscored one of the Trump team's themes: The real motive driving Democrats' impeachment is simple partisan animus.
He played TV footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi handing out the pens she'd used to sign the articles of impeachment to lawmakers including some of the managers presenting them to the Senate.
Former Justice Department independent counsel Ken Starr, who investigated President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, also took the dais.
In a lengthy address that combined history, legal theory and, ultimately, recent events, Starr told senators that what he called the precedents forming the "common law" of impeachment show how short the current proceedings fall relative to past practices.
Starr blamed a "runaway House" that he said had been warned all along: "Don't do it. Don't do it that way."
The Biden impeachment
As the hours wore on, Trump's defense team moved further afield from a defense of the president.
They put on a separate defense of another lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and as they'd hinted, broadened their presentations into the family Biden.
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi recapitulated a story line that has embarrassed Biden: His son, Hunter, was paid by a Ukrainian gas company at the time when the then-vice president was handling Ukrainian affairs for the U.S. government.
Although the Bidens haven't been charged with any criminal wrongdoing, their situation was the subject of one of the investigations Trump wanted from Ukraine's government.
Bondi and another lawyer, Eric Herschmann, outlined the reasons why they argued such an investigation might be appropriate.
"There's no question that any rational person would like to understand what happened," Herschmann said.
At least one Republican welcomed the airing of the Biden-Ukraine story on the stage provided by the impeachment trial: Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa reminded reporters about the first primary votes that are expected to be cast soon.
"The Iowa caucuses are this next Monday evening," she said. "And I'm really interested to see how this discussion today informs and influences the Iowa caucus voters, the Democratic caucusgoers. Will they be supporting Vice President Biden at this point?"
Bolton from the blue
The impeachment proceedings were jangled by a report in The New York Times on Sunday that Bolton's forthcoming book would strengthen Democrats' case. The Times followed with another story on Monday even as Dershowitz was speaking.
The coverage revived discussions about whether Bolton or other witnesses might appear in the proceedings — something Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Republicans batted down early but which is set to come up again later this week.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the House impeachment managers called for Bolton to appear. But Trump's defenders outside the Senate, including Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., said that even if that were to happen, it wouldn't hurt Trump.
"The facts don't change," Meadows said.
Trump released the military assistance frozen for Ukraine in 2019 and got no announcement of an investigation, and nothing Bolton could say would alter that, Meadows said.
When the whip comes down
Republicans' majority likely means Trump faces no danger of being removed from office.
But the small number of Republicans who'd need to join Democrats to authorize witnesses — four — may make that, at least, potentially more likely. That would give Democrats a fact witness and Republicans the ability to say they'd had a meaningful trial for Trump.
So a whirlpool of speculation now churns over who might join that notional gang of four.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has said he wants Bolton to testify. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, are seen as other possible joiners.
Are there others? The Washington Post reported on Monday that Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., has proposed a "one-for-one" trade in which Republicans might agree to Bolton in exchange for someone else. That suggests Toomey's vote might also be in play.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told reporters a notional swap "was discussed" during Monday's Republican lunch "but there didn't seem to be much support for it. Not at this point."
Maine's other senator, Independent Angus King, views the situation from outside because he caucuses with Democrats. But King told NPR on Monday that he thought there could be from 5 to 10 Republicans who'd ultimately go along with a vote for witnesses.
"There's some indication that [Bolton] has information that bears directly on the heart of the case," King said. "To willfully say, 'We don't want to hear that,' to me, basically just undermines the idea that this is a real trial."
NPR reporters Brakkton Booker and Lexie Schapitl contributed to this report.