Lindsey Graham to John Bolton: 'Hold a news conference'

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Sen. Graham: Trump defense team destroyed House's case

Defense team wraps opening arguments in senate trial; Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham weighs in.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Tuesday called on former national security adviser John Bolton to hold a press conference to expand on a New York Times bombshell report that claimed Bolton wrote in his upcoming book that President Trump explicitly tied $391 million in Ukrainian military aid to investigating the Bidens.

“John, you’ve kind of thrown the country into a ditch here,” Graham told Fox News' Martha MacCallum. “Just come forward and say what’s on your mind, hold a news conference and we’ll consider what you’ve got to say if you think it’s that important."

Graham said from his point of view, he believes he has all the evidence he needs in Trump's impeachment trial, which he said he was optimistic would wrap up with an acquittal before the State of the Union next Tuesday.

He added that even if what Bolton said Trump did was true it wouldn’t be an impeachable offense.

MCCONNELL SAYS GOP DOESN'T HAVE VOTES YET TO BLOCK IMPEACHMENT WITNESSES, AS BOLTON BOOK DISRUPTS TRIAL SCRIPT

The White House’s plans for a speedy trial without witnesses were thrown into doubt this week after the Times' report, which renewed calls from Democrats to subpoena Bolton who has said he is willing to be a witness.

Some moderate Republicans have said they might be open to hearing his testimony in the wake of the report and House Speaker Mitch McConnell reportedly said he didn't have the votes as of Tuesday to dismiss calling witnesses.

Graham said he blames House Democrats for not pursuing a Bolton subpoena in the courts.

Lead House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff explained Democrats decided not to go through the courts to compel Bolton’s testimony because he believes it would be used as a stall tactic.

“If you argue that, well, the House needed to go through endless months or even years of litigation before bringing about an impeachment, you effectively nullify the impeachment clause,” Schiff said earlier this month. “You allow the president of the United States — by delay, by playing rope-a-dope in the courts — to defeat the power of the impeachment clause.”

Graham added that he would be open to calling Joe and Hunter Biden and the whistleblower as witnesses.

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“It’s a partisan, political exercise,” he said of Trump’s impeachment, “that needs to die this week.”

Fox News' Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.