Biden clarifies previous statements about not testifying in Senate impeachment trial

Democratic presidential candidate Joe BidenJoe Biden Biden to meet House Dems before Europe trip: report 21 House Democrats call for removing IRS bank reporting proposal from spending bill Overnight Health Care — Presented by Altria — Vulnerable House Dems push drug pricing plan MORE on Saturday clarified a prior statement that he would not comply with a Senate subpoena in President TrumpDonald Trump Overnight Defense & National Security — Presented by Boeing — Milley warns of 'Sputnik moment' for China WSJ publishes letter from Trump continuing to allege voter fraud in PA Oath Keeper who was at Capitol on Jan. 6 runs for New Jersey State Assembly MORE's impeachment trial, saying that the matter concerns "Trump’s conduct, not mine."

"I have always complied with a lawful order and in my eight years as VP, my office — unlike Donald Trump and Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard Pence Former professor claims she was fired in retaliation over COVID-19, criticism of Pence Jan. 6 panel plans to subpoena Trump lawyer who advised on how to overturn election Pence to deliver address on 'educational freedom' in Virginia MORE — cooperated with legitimate congressional oversight requests," the former vice president said on Twitter.

"But I am just not going to pretend that there is any legal basis for Republican subpoenas for my testimony in the impeachment trial," he continued. "That is the point I was making yesterday and I reiterate: this impeachment is about Trump’s conduct, not mine."

I want to clarify something I said yesterday. In my 40 years in public life, I have always complied with a lawful order and in my eight years as VP, my office — unlike Donald Trump and Mike Pence — cooperated with legitimate congressional oversight requests.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 28, 2019

But 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.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 28, 2019

The subpoenas should go to witnesses with testimony to offer to Trump’s shaking down the Ukraine government — they should go to the White House.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 28, 2019

Biden has not been subpoenaed, but he told the Des Moines Register on Friday that if he were subpoenaed in the trial, he would not not comply.

"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," he told the paper.

Trump was impeached after a July 25 phone call in which he asked Ukraine's president to look into unsubstantiated allegations of corruption against Biden and his son.

Some of the president's allies have floated the idea of subpoenaing the former vice president, who has denied wrongdoing, according to the Des Moines Register.

Trump last month asserted that the Bidens should testify in the House's impeachment inquiry.

The House voted late last month to impeach Trump, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The president has denied wrongdoing and blasted the impeachment process as a "witch hunt."

Two-thirds of the Republican-led Senate would have to vote for Trump's ouster in order for him to be removed from office.

The Senate's rules state that an impeachment trial begins the day after the House sends the articles of impeachment to the upper chamber; however, Speaker Nancy Pelosi