Dem. Rep. Jim Himes: 'As you look at this whole mess—Rudy Giuliani, Pres. Trump—in your opinion, was this a comprehensive and whole of government effort to end corruption in Ukraine?' 'I would not say so,' George Kent says. ImpeachmentHearings
The historic first public impeachment hearing began Wednesday as Democrats hoped to make their case to millions of Americans watching on television that President Donald Trump's conduct has been so serious he deserves to be removed from office.
“We've got six people having four conversations in one sentence and you told me this is where you got your clear understanding,” Jordan said, speaking of text messages Taylor and others exchanged about whether aid was conditioned on Ukraine agreeing to investigations. “Based on this I’ve seen church prayer chains that are easier to understand than this,” he added later.
In one exchange between the Republican investigator Castor and Taylor, he got Taylor to agree the backchannel for foreign policy involving the president's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, wasn’t “as outlandish as it could be.” Rep. Devin Nunes kicks off Republican questioning at impeachment hearing by railing against Democrats and accusing them of mischaracterizing the Trump-Zelenskiy call:"What it actually shows is a pleasant exchange between two leaders." https://t.co/U0mYKRJsjy #ImpeachmentHearings pic.twitter.com/pxDtJWk5ZS
After 10 minutes, he kicked over questioning to Steve Castor, the chief GOP investigative counsel for the House Oversight Committee on loan to the Intelligence Committee for the impeachment hearings. "I’m too busy to watch it. It’s a witch hunt, it’s a hoax, I’m too busy to watch it. So, I’m sure I’ll get a report. There’s nothing," Trump responded.
There have been plenty of questions about Sondland's testimony, Bruce said, noting he has updated his account after other witnesses contradicted his initial testimony. Now, even more questions about his version of events. In analysis from ABC News Deputy Political Director MaryAlice Parks, she notes that Taylor's testimony helps lay the groundwork for Democrats to argue that formal U.S. policy toward Ukraine had not changed, and so any hedging on U.S. support of Ukraine was being done through informal and irregular channels. Much of his testimony focuses on what he saw and heard about the"shadow" avenue for foreign policy outside the diplomatic norms.
Taylor said he was told that Trump was a “businessman” who wanted Ukraine to “pay up.” Taylor said that argument “made no sense” because Ukraine didn’t owe the U.S. anything. The top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, Taylor is telling a House Intelligence Committee that it would be “crazy” for the U.S. to withhold military aid.
In his phone call to Ukraine’s president, Trump said Yovanovitch was “bad news” and was “going to go through some things.” This statement addresses the unsubstantiated claim from Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, that Biden might have been working in his son’s best interests when leading U.S. policy in Ukraine as vice president.
“In late September, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was not given an explanation as to why the aid was held up after Congress approved it, but said he was glad the aid was eventually released to help “our friends” in Ukraine defend themselves against Russia. “Democrats will be under immense pressure to unearth new information from witnesses whose accounts are already widely known and to generate new headlines so as not to lose the public’s attention. Consider: If impeachment is going to succeed, the moments that get it there almost certainly haven’t happened yet. As a Democratic House member texted me last night: “I think our members need to talk less.
He also dismissed other witnesses"secondhand" and"thirdhand" accounts of the president's phone call, and defended Trump's ability to fire his ambassadors. “Our answer to these questions will affect not only the future of this presidency but the future of the presidency, itself,” he said, asking, whether"such an abuse of his power is incompatible with the office of the presidency."
“Neither of these investigations were in the U.S. national interests,” but were in Trump’s personal interests, including his reelection, Schiff said.Republicans and Democrats set up displays of exhibits they plan to use to support their argument ahead of the hearing - Mulvaney’s presser for Dems, and a number of quotes and comments about the whistleblower from Republicans.
"Is today a make or break moment for Democrats regarding the impeachment inquiry? What are the stakes at play today?" Parkinson asked. ABC News’ Ben Siegel reported the first person in line to watch the hearing in person was Ed Ingber from Sarasota, who extended his vacation to Washington so he could see the proceedings in person. Ingber and others started to line up outside the hearing room at 3:30 a.m.
"It is important to underscore that the House's impeachment inquiry, and the Committee, will not serve as venues for any Member to further the same sham investigations into the Bidens or into debunked conspiracies about 2016 U.S. election interference that President Trump pressed Ukraine to undertake for his personal political benefit," Schiff, D-Calif., asserted in a memo to all Intelligence Committee members on Tuesday.
Tayor also affirmed that it was his"clear understanding" that"everything" from the U.S., including a White House meeting with Trump, was contingent upon Ukraine launching an investigation. He even testified that he believed the"irregular" diplomatic channel employed by Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, was used to benefit Trump.
Republicans outline four key pieces of evidence they plan to center their questions around, including a summary memorandum memorializing Trump's July 25 phone call with Zelenskiy, arguing the absence of a quid pro quo by showing"no conditionality or evidence of pressure."
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