Biden Says No 'Legal Basis' Exists for the Senate to Seek His Testimony

Speaking with reporters Saturday, Biden stopped short of vowing to fight a subpoena if one were ultimately issued. “I would honor whatever the Congress in fact legitimately asked me to do,” Biden said after a town-hall-style event in Tipton, Iowa.

Asked if he would challenge a subpoena in court if he believed he had no facts to provide that would be relevant, he responded, “The answer is, I don’t think that’s going to happen to begin with. Let’s cross that bridge when it comes.” He added that he would abide by “whatever was legally required of me.”

Even as he continued to make the case that he would not be a relevant witness for the trial, Biden made a point of noting his respect for the law. And in addressing the matter further, Biden faulted himself for drawing attention to how he could factor into an impeachment trial, despite his pleas to news media to focus on Trump and his behavior in office.

Biden had been asked by the editorial board of The Des Moines Register whether he stood by previous comments that he would not comply with a subpoena to testify in the impeachment trial. He said he did and explained that complying with a subpoena and testifying would effectively allow Trump to shift attention onto Biden and away from the president’s own conduct.

“The reason I wouldn’t is because it’s all designed to deal with Trump doing what he’s done his whole life: trying to take the focus off him,” Biden told the newspaper. “The issue is not what I did.”

On Saturday, Biden elaborated on Twitter: “I am just not going to pretend that there is any legal basis for Republican subpoenas for my testimony in the impeachment trial. That is the point I was making yesterday and I reiterate: this impeachment is about Trump’s conduct, not mine.”

Speaking to reporters in Tipton, Biden said he had “no firsthand knowledge” about the accusations against Trump, so there would be no rationale for calling him as a witness.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times .