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Rand Paul pledges to force Hunter Biden vote if GOP backs Dem impeachment witnesses

Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard Paul2024 GOP White House hopefuls lead opposition to Biden Cabinet Marjorie Taylor Greene offers bills to fire Fauci, ban vaccine passports The Hill's Morning Report - Biden shifts on filibuster MORE (R-Ky.) sent a public warning shot on Monday night, saying that if Republicans support Democrats' impeachment witness requests, then he will force votes during the trial on calling witnesses conservatives want to hear from. 
 
"My colleagues can’t have it both ways. Calling for some, while blocking others," Paul tweeted, referencing a Politico report on a similar private warning he gave his GOP colleagues against supporting Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerGun control advocates applaud Biden funding plan but say more must be done Schumer: Car attack underscores need for Congress to 'address security at the Capitol' Pelosi, Schumer speak with family of officer killed in Capitol attack MORE's (D-N.Y.) request that former national security adviser John BoltonJohn BoltonColin Kahl's nomination will be a disaster for Israel and the region Why is the Biden administration more interested in confrontation than cooperation? Trump offered North Korea's Kim a ride home on Air Force One: report MORE testify. 
 
"If we are going to give a platform to witnesses the Dems demand, I look forward to forcing votes to call Hunter Biden and many more!" Paul continued. 
 
 
Paul's public warning comes as Senate Republicans are privately haggling over the rules resolution for President TrumpDonald TrumpBiden should look to 'Ostpolitik' to negotiate with autocrats The Memo: Biden's bet on taxes Why some Republicans think vaccine passports will backfire on Democrats MORE's impeachment trial. 
 
Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret Collins2024 GOP White House hopefuls lead opposition to Biden Cabinet Republicans don't think Biden really wants to work with them Democrats wrestle over tax hikes for infrastructure MORE (R-Maine) said last week that she was working with a small group of Republican senators to ensure the resolution allows for both Trump's team and House impeachment managers to call witnesses. 
 
Collins has not said if she would support calling witnesses, agreeing, along with the rest of the Senate GOP conference, to delay that decision until after opening arguments and questions from senators. 
 
Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyBiden touts March jobs gain as recovery accelerates Jayapal: Republicans 'not actually interested in bipartisanship' Republicans don't think Biden really wants to work with them MORE (R-Utah) has said that he wants to hear from Bolton during the trial but has not specified how he thinks his testimony should be given. Bolton was one of four witnesses requested by Democrats and said he would testify if subpoenaed. 
 
"I support the Clinton model, which means that we will have opening arguments first. Then we'll have a vote on witnesses, and at that stage I presume I'll be voting in favor of hearing from John Bolton, perhaps among others. That could change," Romney told reporters on Monday. 
 
Democrats would need to peel off four Republican senators to successfully call a witness or compel the administration to hand over Ukraine-related documents. 
 
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGOP senator hammers Biden proposal to raise corporate tax rate Fox's Chris Wallace challenges Blunt over GOP's 'credibility' on national debt White House: GOP has 'struggled' to explain opposition to infrastructure plan MORE (R-Ky.) has said he does not believe either side should call witnesses and warned Democrats last month that if they successfully call a witness, Republicans could try to call individuals Democrats would oppose, such as Hunter Biden.

McConnell told Fox News Radio that opening the door to witnesses would pave the way for a "kind of mutual assured destruction," adding that Republicans would "want the whistleblower. We're going to want Hunter Biden."

"You can see here that this would be a kind of mutual assured destruction episode that would go on for a long time," McConnell said. 

Alexander Bolton contributed.