GOP stands by Trump, gingerly, after diplomat’s testimony

Former Ambassador William Taylor leaves a closed door meeting after testifying as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., a member of the House Intelligence Committee, answers questions from reporters about the day-long meeting behind closed-doors with top U.S. diplomat, William Taylor, who is testifying in the Democrats' impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump, in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., flanked by Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, left, and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, right, the ranking member of the Committee on Oversight Reform, and other conservative House Republicans, complain to reporters about how House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is conducting the impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. House committees are trying to determine if Trump violated his oath of office by asking a foreign country, Ukraine, to investigate his political opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son Hunter Biden. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., center, standing with other House Republicans, talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, outside the area where witnesses are interview in the impeachment inquiry. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
House Republicans gather for a news conference after Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper arrived for a closed door meeting to testify as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON — They pleaded ignorance, saying they’d not read the diplomat’s damning statement. They condemned the Democrats’ tactics as unfair. They complained that the allegations against President Donald Trump rested on second- or third-hand evidence.