Republican group to run ads in target states demanding testimony from White House officials in Trump impeachment trial

An anti-Trump Republican group announced new advertisements demanding testimony from White House officials in President Trump’s impeachment trial. 

The Republicans for the Rule of Law’s ad campaign features 11 new billboards and five new video ads, including one national ad that will air during “Fox & Friends” and “Lou Dobbs Tonight.” 

Four other advertisements will be targeted at constituents of Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and will air during “Fox & Friends” and “Hannity.” 

The video ads demand Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former national security adviser John Bolton be allowed to testify in front of the Senate. 

“These witnesses must testify,” the national ad says. “Call your senators now.”

The digital billboards feature the four of them with duct tape over their mouths as well as the text “What is Trump hiding?” and a call to specific senators to push for testimony from them.

Chris Truax, the Republicans for Rule of Law spokesman, said the Senate needs to have a “fair and open trial” that includes testimony from these witnesses.  

“Proper trials are seldom comfortable for the accused, but that’s no reason not to hold one, even if the accused is President Trump,” he said. “Impeachment is the ultimate check on abuse of power by the president, and future generations won’t thank us if we weaken it by treating it as just an exercise in partisan politics.”

The group also launched a billboard in Times Square earlier this month with the text “What is Trump hiding?” ahead of the House vote to impeach the president.

The House impeached Trump on two articles of impeachment last week. The Senate is largely expected to acquit the president.