Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) described President Donald Trump’s hostile tweet about impeachment investigation witness Marie Yovanovitch as “unfortunate” on Sunday, but he argued that it wasn’t witness intimidation.
CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper asked Turner about the tweet Trump had sent in the middle of Yovanovitch’s hearing on Friday that claimed “everywhere” Yovanovitch had worked as a diplomat “turned bad,” a tweet Yovanovitch said she found “very intimidating.”
“Does it concern you at all that a witness found what President Trump tweeted to be intimidating?” Tapper asked Turner, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee.
The Republican lawmaker said he found Trump’s tweets to be “generally unfortunate,” then tried to pivot to House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Tapper pressed Turner on the tweet.
“But you do find it concerning that a witness in real time found the president’s tweet to be quote ‘intimidating’?” the CNN anchor asked. “That is something that concerns you?”
“It’s certainly not impeachable, and it’s certainly not criminal, and it’s certainly not witness intimidation,” Turner said. “It certainly wasn’t trying to prevent her or would it have prevented her from testifying. She was actually in the process of testifying.”
“But, nonetheless, I find the President’s tweet unfortunate,” he added. “I find the President’s tweet unfortunate.”
The Republican argued Trump’s tweet wasn’t witness intimidation because Yovanovitch testified “completely and fully.”
“She was in no means intimidated and prevented from testifying,” Turner said.
Watch Turner below:
GOP Rep. Mike Turner says Trump's tweet about Marie Yovanovitch was "unfortunate." pic.twitter.com/8slzWuN24y
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) November 17, 2019
The witness testified that she felt intimidated. So there’s that.
Intimidation? Obstruction?
Potato Potahto
Let’s call the whole thing off.
The degree to which Republicans are willing to pretend that Trump isn’t a criminal lout is shameful and sad.
‘Unfortunately, it was intimidation!’
Fixed that for yah, Mikey!
Well, it comes from the same logic as it wasn’t quid pro quo because he didn’t get what he asked for. Consistency for a change. Wrongheaded but consistent.
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