Here’s your guy with firsthand knowledge:

President Trump told his national security adviser in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens, according to an unpublished manuscript by the former adviser, John R. Bolton.

The president’s statement as described by Mr. Bolton could undercut a key element of his impeachment defense: that the holdup in aid was separate from Mr. Trump’s requests that Ukraine announce investigations into his perceived enemies, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son Hunter Biden, who had worked for a Ukrainian energy firm while his father was in office.

Mr. Bolton’s explosive account of the matter at the center of Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial, the third in American history, was included in drafts of a manuscript he has circulated in recent weeks to close associates. He also sent a draft to the White House for a standard review process for some current and former administration officials who write books.

It’s not just Trump’s head on the chopping block either:

For example, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged privately that there was no basis to claims by the president’s lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani that the ambassador to Ukraine was corrupt and believed Mr. Giuliani may have been acting on behalf of other clients, Mr. Bolton wrote.

Mr. Bolton also said that after the president’s July phone call with the president of Ukraine, he raised with Attorney General William P. Barr his concerns about Mr. Giuliani, who was pursuing a shadow Ukraine policy encouraged by the president, and told Mr. Barr that the president had mentioned him on the call. A spokeswoman for Mr. Barr denied that he learned of the call from Mr. Bolton; the Justice Department has said he learned about it only in mid-August.

I believe Bolton over Barr.

I told you: this stuff is all coming out eventually, whether Republicans try to prevent it from during the impeachment trial or not. If they vote against hearing witnesses and then those witnesses add significantly to the already high mountain of evidence of Trump’s guilt, it’s not a good look for Senate Republicans.

[guest post by Dana]

I realize that there are far more important matters to focus on, but my dander is up… Everone knows that Bill and Hillary Clinton are physically and mentally incapable of staying out of the public eye. They are hardwired to be front and center to promote themselves as they try to fill their seemingly insatiable need for publicity. With that, Hulu will be airing a new four hour documentary series called Hillary on March 6. (Apparently, there is an unbelievable four hours worth of stuff we don’t know about her…) In the documentary, the couple discuss their marriage, including those turbulent times that resulted from Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky’s affair. In a brief report about the series, this headlne from the Daily Beast caught my eye:

Bill Clinton (Sort of) Apologizes to Monica Lewinsky: ‘I Feel Terrible’ That It ‘Defined’ Her

Here is what the DB determines to be a “sort of” apology (which it isn’t) from Bill Clinton:

As he reiterates his remorse and regret again, he surprisingly includes Monica Lewinsky in the list of people to whom he owes amends.

“I feel terrible about the fact that Monica Lewinsky’s life was defined by it, unfairly I think,” he says. “Over the years I watched her trying to get a normal life back again. But you gotta decide how to define normal.”

Oh, boo-hoo, Bill feels terrible. Here’s the thing: If an adult is truly remorseful about having harmed another individual and they really want to take responsibility for their actions, they don’t just stop at feeling terrible. That adult owns it, then apologizes to those who were directly impacted by their actions. (This, of course, does not negate the other party’s responsbility in said matter.) An apology begins with: I apologize or I’m sorry for (fill in the blank) while directly addressing the other party. It does not begin with whining about how terrible one feels. Apologizing is a decision to pro-actively right things as best as they can be righted. It evidences a recognition and ownership of one’s responsibility. It is the natural follow-up to genuinely feeling terrible about what one has done. It can bring both closure and relief to the troubled soul of the offender. And it can bring the same to the receiver of the apology. But to stop at feeling terrible is just another way to continue to indulge prideful arrogance. It is also a way to keep one safely out of arm’s reach from experiencing a transformative humility. Bill Clinton’s comments were absolutely not an apology. They were just more poor-me indulgences and excuses. It annoys me greatly to see the media still carry water for him.

A few years ago Clinton was asked about apologizing directly to Lewinsky:

Clinton was asked by NBC’s Craig Melvin in June if, in light of the “Me Too” movement, the former president felt like he owed Lewinsky an apology.

“No, I do not,” he responded.

“I have never talked to her,” Clinton said. “But I did say publicly on more than one occasion that I was sorry. That’s very different. The apology was public.

About whether Clinton should apologize to her, Lewinsky said:

what feels more important to me than whether I am owed or deserving of a personal apology is my belief that Bill Clinton should want to apologize. I’m less disappointed by him, and more disappointed for him. He would be a better man for it . . . and we, in turn, a better society.

–Dana

[guest post JVW]

UPDATE: I alluded to it in the original post, but we apparently now have heartbreaking confirmation from ESPN that Kobe’s thirteen-year-old daughter Gianna was also killed in the crash. They were traveling to one of her youth league basketball games.

—— Original Post ——

Just a sad, sad story. Details here.

Some unconfirmed information is trickling out, but I don’t want to report it here until we have it confirmed by the proper authorities.

– JVW

UPDATE BY PATTERICO: Authorities are now reporting that nine people died in all.

It is the third Sunday after the Epiphany. Today’s Bach cantata is “Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit” (What my God wants, may it always happen):

Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 4:12-23:

Jesus Begins to Preach

When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Heals the Sick

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

The text of today’s piece is available here. It contains these words:

What my God wills always occurs,
His will is the best,
He is ready to help those
who believe firmly in Him.
He gives aid in need, this righteous God,
and punishes with measure.
Who trusts in God, builds upon Him firmly,
God will never abandon.

. . . .

Thus I walk with encouraged steps,
even when God leads me to my grave.
God has circumscribed my days,
thus, when His hand touches me,
He will drive away the bitterness of death.

Happy listening! Soli Deo gloria.

[Cross-posted at The Jury Talks Back.]