(12-21-2019, 03:58 PM)mikesez Wrote:

(12-21-2019, 03:13 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: The basis of all American Law is that the prosecution has to prove the case and the Accused does not have to participate. No matter how much you say that they should testify the simple and most basic fundamental of our law says that they don't have to and that you have to prove your case even if they do not. Since they have not, and you have not proven your case, then the vote to impeach is seen, rightly so, as a mere political tactic by the Democratic Party. You can kvetch all you want, torture the words and laws all you want, pout and cry all you want, even go as far as to pretend that you are correct all you want, but the facts are not on your side and the Senate, and by extension the American People, knows it and will hold you accountable next November.

The Accused in a criminal trial does have to testify if the prosecutor calls him.  But he can assert his 5th amendment privilege, for specific questions, if he believes that answering truthfully would incriminate himself.
The Accused is Trump.  
Not Bolton.
Not Mulvaney.

(12-21-2019, 04:10 PM)mikesez Wrote: "The Court held that there is a qualified privilege, which once invoked, creates a presumption of privilege, and the party seeking the documents must then make a "sufficient showing" that the "presidential material" is "essential to the justice of the case".

A Trump defender who says "Sondland didn't hear that from the President's mouth" or "yeah, they heard Bolton say 'drug deal' but they weren't sure why he said it" is telling us that hearing from Bolton and Mulvaney is essential to the justice of the case. Executive privilege does not apply.