Hecklers derail Biden during New Hampshire campaign event
Biden flip flops on obeying impeachment subpoena; reaction and analysis on 'The Five.'
"The Five" panel reacted Monday to Joe Biden's claim that there would be no legitimate reason for him to testify at President Trump’s upcoming Senate impeachment trial, even as the former vice president and Democratic presidential frontrunner sought to clarify earlier comments about whether he'd comply with a subpoena.
Speaking at a Seacoast Media Group editorial board meeting in New Hampshire, Biden said: “I am not going to legitimate what this president is trying to do. Obviously, if I were subpoenaed I’d respond. But there is no legitimacy whatsoever to my being subpoenaed to testify in his impeachment. This issue is what did he do? What did he do?”
Last week, Biden told The Des Moines Register that he’d ignore a congressional order to testify. But on Saturday, he seemed to walk back his position.
BIDEN CLARIFIES REMARK THAT HE WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH SENATE SUBPOENA
"The Five" guest panelist Lawrence Jones said Biden would eventually have to answer for his role in his son Hunter’s business dealings with a Ukrainian energy company and whether the elder Biden pushed to fire Ukraine's top prosecutor to protect his son.
BIDEN SAYS NO 'LEGITIMACY' TO CALLING HIM AS IMPEACHMENT WITNESS
The issue was at the heart of Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a call that ultimately led to his impeachment.
"This dismissiveness will work with the mainstream media right now, but when you get on the general [election] stage, you're gonna have to answer for that," said Jones, who added that Biden was "going to keep getting the question until he answers."
Biden has previously stated that he threatened to cut off loan guarantees to Ukraine in 2016 unless the country replaced its prosecutor general, an official who had faced widespread allegations of corruption. Ukraine ultimately did replace the prosecutor that year.
"Inquiring Americans want to know 'how dirty is Joe Biden?'" Dr. Nicole Saphier chimed in.
HECKLERS DERAIL BIDEN CAMPAIGN EVENT
"The whole impetus behind the Ukrainian call is Trump suspects corruption ... is there corruption there that involves the former Vice President...," she added. "I would like to know that and I would like to see Biden come and answer those questions because I do think where there's smoke there's fire and I think there may be something there."
Attorney Emily Compagno said Biden's original stance that he would not comply with a subpoena to testify in a Senate trial makes it difficult for "average Americans" to trust the political process.
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"An average American doesn't see it as so tribalistic as these guys are making it out to be. The average American simply wants the truth, wants transparency on both sides...and I think it would be better if everyone involved would be a little bit supportive of the process itself," she explained.
The House voted to impeach Trump earlier this month, accusing him of committing high crimes and misdemeanors in connection with his efforts to pressure Ukraine to launch politically advantageous investigations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, has not yet transmitted the articles of impeachment to the GOP-controlled Senate and has indicated that she does not intend to move to the next step in the process until Republicans provide details of their plans for disposal of witnesses and testimony.
Fox News' Paul Steinhauser and Allie Raffa contributed to this report.
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