Former independent counsel Ken Starr, whose criminal investigation of former Democrat President Bill Clinton ended with Clinton’s impeachment, told Fox News on Wednesday after watching Democrats’ impeachment inquiry hearing that there was “no hope for impeachment” and that “no crime was proven today.”
“The members were very strong. I think the members overall acquitted themselves extremely well on both sides of the aisle. The quality of the questioning was extremely high for the most part,” Starr said. “One key thing, the Republicans not only are rock solid, so that means if this trend continues, there is no hope for impeachment, that’ll do it for the conviction in the Senate.”
“And to me, here was something that was very telling: No crime was proven today,” Starr said. “There were a lot terms used, extortion and bribery, but no crime. This is very unlike Nixon and unlike Clinton.”
WATCH:
Ken Starr: “no hope for impeachment” and “no crime was proven today” pic.twitter.com/xfVORRGbRJ
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) November 13, 2019
Earlier in the day, Starr said that “we are living in this culture of impeachment — that everyone cries impeachment. And we inherited this process from the mother country. But the mother country hasn’t employed impeachment for executive branch officers — it’s a parliamentary system, of course — in two centuries.”
“So we need to find a better way to hold the executive accountable. If the Democrats believe that the president stepped over the line, discuss a motion of censure, resolution of censure, and say this is really bad,” Starr added. “But there’s no suggestion, to go back to Andy [McCarthy]’s point very briefly, that the president somehow was profiting from this, right? Bribery in the traditional sense means — and I know the statute is very broadly worded — but this does not seem like bribery. To the person on the street, this is going to seem like a stretch.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) led the Republicans line of attack against the witnesses that Democrats called on to testify — Ambassador William Taylor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent.
Jordan especially went hard after Taylor in several exchanges.
During one exchange, Jordan highlighted Taylor’s limited contacts with those involved in the events being questioned:
Jordan: You didn’t listen in on President Trump and Zelensky’s call?
Taylor: I did not.
Jordan: You’ve never talked with Chief of Staff Mulvaney?
Taylor: I never did.
Jordan: You’ve never met the president?
Taylor: That’s correct.
Jordan: You had three meetings again with Zelenksy and it didn’t come up … and President Zelensky never made an announcement. … and you’re their star witness.
.@Jim_Jordan: You didn’t listen in on President Trump & Zelensky’s call?
Taylor: I did not.
Jordan: You’ve never talked with Chief of Staff Mulvaney?
Taylor: I never did.
Jordan: You’ve never met the President?
Taylor: That’s correct.
Jordan: And you’re their star witness. pic.twitter.com/ebZ6jsEjeB
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) November 13, 2019
In another exchange, Jordan got Taylor to admit that there never was any linkage between security assistance dollars and demanding that Ukraine investigate Burisma or the Bidens.
“In those 55 days that aid is delayed, you met with President Zelensky three times,” Jordan said. “The first one was on July 26, the day after the famous call now between President Trump and President Zelensky.”
“President Zelensky meets with you, Ambassador Volker, and Ambassador Sondland, and again, according to your deposition and your testimony, there was no linkage of security assistance dollars to investigating Burisma or the Bidens.”
“Second meeting was August 27, President Zelensky meets with you, Ambassador Bolton and others, and again there’s no linkage of security assistance dollars to an investigation of the Bidens,” Jordan continued. “And then of course, the third meeting was September 5, President Zelensky meets with you and Senators Johnston and Murphy, and once again there was no linkage of security assistance dollars to investigating Burisma or the Bidens.”
“Three meetings with the president of Ukraine and no linkage,” Jordan added. “That’s accurate?”
“Mr. Jordan, it’s certainly accurate on the first two meetings, because to my knowledge the Ukrainians were not aware of the hold on assistance until the 29th of August,” Taylor responded. “The third meeting that you mentioned, with Senator Murphy and Senator Johnston, there was discussion of security assistance but … but, uh, there was not a discussion of linkage.”
Ladies and gentlemen, JIM. JORDAN. GAME. OVER. #DemsGotNothing pic.twitter.com/Wewe3kZPEc
— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) November 13, 2019
View Jordan’s third exchange with Taylor here.