President Trump's acquittal ended his impeachment trial, but Democrats and Republicans — in both the House and Senate — plan to reignite the Ukraine battle with new investigations, and waves of document and witness subpoenas.
- Many House Democrats want to pick up where the White House stonewalled them during impeachment, Axios' Alayna Treene reports. That could include renewed moves to seek John Bolton's testimony.
- Senate Republicans are contemplating investigations of Burisma, the Bidens and more, according to statements by senators and Capitol sources.
Why it matters: The bitter debate over U.S. interactions with Ukraine isn't dying with the end of the impeachment trial.
- Both parties see the opportunity to use the investigations to bring new evidence to light that could motivate voters ahead of the November elections.
The backdrop: Every Democrat voted to convict Trump, with Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah voting to convict Trump on abuse of power.
- Abuse of power: 48-52.
- Obstruction of Congress: 47-53.
The House side: Several Democrats want to continue investigating Trump and Ukraine, and are considering subpoenaing everyone from Giuliani associate Lev Parnas to top current and former White House aides.
- "John Bolton has to speak; the country wants to hear him," said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who's on the Judiciary Committee. "We can't run away from our oversight duties."
- House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler told CNN that House Democrats will "likely" subpoena Bolton and continue investigations.
- House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, speaking in the Senate trial on Jan. 31, said that "the facts will come out in the end. In all of their horror, they will come out."
Some Senate Republicans remain hungry for Biden blood.
- Immediately after Trump's acquittal, Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson announced a review of "potential conflicts of interest posed by the business activities of Hunter Biden and his associates during the Obama administration."
- Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo that he wants to investigate the Bidens and their dealings with Ukraine: "You should expect us to do this. If we don’t do it, we’re letting you down."
Between the lines: Other Hill Republicans tell Axios there's little appetite to truly go after the Bidens now that Trump has been acquitted.
- GOP aides tell Axios Trump's fiercest allies may do something to feed the narrative, but it'll be "extraordinarily half-assed and slow-walked," as one aide put it.
- Some Republicans fear aggressively pursuing any investigations about Burisma will give the appearance of trying to hurt Joe Biden — a former Senate colleague —politically, which isn't worth it to them, the aide said, "especially since the Biden campaign looks like it's toast."
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