Joe Biden Says He Would Comply With a Senate Subpoena, Reversing Course

[brooklynite]

New York Times

FAIRFIELD, Iowa — Joseph R. Biden Jr. backtracked on Saturday from his stated position that he would not comply with a subpoena to testify in President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate. Instead, he declared that he would abide by “any subpoena that was sent to me” even as he insisted there was no justification for calling him as a witness.

A day after reaffirming that he would not comply with a subpoena, Mr. Biden tried twice on Saturday to clarify his remarks, asserting that there would be no “legal basis” for such a subpoena but left it unclear, for much of the day, if he would ultimately comply with one. Then, questioned by a voter about the issue of compliance with subpoenas, Mr. Biden answered unequivocally.

“I would obey any subpoena that was sent to me,” he said at a town hall-style event in Fairfield.

Mr. Biden’s 180-degree turn on whether he would comply with a subpoena was one of the starkest and swiftest reversals by a candidate in the Democratic primary campaign, and came after he faced questions and criticism about whether his initial stand would run counter to the rule of law.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Trump runs counter to the law 24/7

and NYT has to upbraid Biden for subpoenas? Sheesh.

[BlueMTexpat]

2. This.

While it is stupid for the NYC - and anyone else - to keep harping on this, Joe never should have made his first statement.

Joe is a lawyer, after all, and should have known much better.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Perhaps echoing a Bushian strategy, on both sides at different times

everyone hears what they want to hear, but a minor percentage bothered by the incongruity

[pfeiffer]

8. This will not help Pete...

...or Elizabeth or Bernie...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

4. I commend Joe for again reversing course... that's just smart politics!!

Hat's off to Joe's advisors... that first statement by Joe sounded too much like he would not comply with a Congressional subpoena, which is what the PEE-resident did to get himself impeached. So, good move Joe!!



Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[pfeiffer]

6. Ummm...

Okay...

[Voltaire2]

5. And this position is also wrong.

The Senate can proceed with their plan to conduct a trial of the Biden family.

[pfeiffer]

7. Well of course...

...every position is wrong.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

9. No, not every position... this latest retraction by Joe was a smart political move.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

10. Not sure why you're saying "this latest position is also wrong"... I thought Joe's latest revision

of his statement refusing to comply with a Congressional subpoena, for which Dolt45 was impeached, was a smart political move by Joe and his advisors.


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[pfeiffer]

11. Good for Joe!

He's so bomb-ass!

He's never afraid to share with us what he's thinking in his heart at that moment - "I'm not gonna comply with no subpoena malarkey!" - but then come back and tell us how his point of view has changed and why.

Good for him...a straight shooter if there ever was one.

"Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." -- George Bernard Shaw

[Lexee]

12. I just read an article where Mitch is needing the argument to be both sides. Bidens first statement

makes it both sides. Sanders argues both parties the same.

Biden fell into the trap of creating both parties do it. Good for Biden doing the right thing.