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| John Bolton's deputy fails to show up for impeachment testimony – live | John Bolton's deputy fails to show up for impeachment testimony – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| As expected, the Justice Department has filed an appeal to challenge a judge’s ruling that DOJ officials must grant the House judiciary committee access to grand jury material previously redacted from special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. | |
| The DOJ is also requesting a stay of the ruling until the matter is resolved, given that the previous judge ordered officials to hand over the material by Wednesday. | |
| In a separate motion, the Justice Dept. is asking the judge to put the effect of his ruling on hold while it appeals, arguing that "once the information is disclosed, it cannot be recalled, and the confidentiality of the grand jury information will be lost for all time." | |
| US district judge Beryl Howell ruled on Friday the DOJ was “wrong” to argue that existing law prevented the department from sharing the information with Congress. | |
| Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House judiciary committee, issued a statement celebrating the “thoughtful ruling,” but legal experts warned that an appeal in the case was inevitable. | |
| Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, called Charles Kupperman’s failure to testify in the impeachment inquiry “deeply regrettable” and suggested it “may warrant a contempt proceeding” against the former deputy national security adviser. | |
| The California Democrat warned that the White House ordering Kupperman to ignore the congressional subpoena would be taken as “additional evidence of obstruction.” | |
| Schiff added: “If this witness had something to say that would be helpful to the White House, they would want him to come and testify. They plainly don’t.” | |
| The committee chairman also interestingly ruled out the possibility of going to court to compel Kupperman and other witnesses to testify. Schiff said: “We are not willing to let the White House engage us in a lengthy game of rope a dope in the courts, so we press ahead.” | |
| In a bit of good news today, the military dog that was injured during the Baghdadi raid has recovered and “returned to duty,” according to a US official. | In a bit of good news today, the military dog that was injured during the Baghdadi raid has recovered and “returned to duty,” according to a US official. |
| "The dog is fine and has returned to duty," a U.S. official said of the dog that was injured in the U.S. raid on Baghdadi's compound. | "The dog is fine and has returned to duty," a U.S. official said of the dog that was injured in the U.S. raid on Baghdadi's compound. |
| Trump said yesterday that the “beautiful” and “talented” dog had been injured in the raid after the Isis leader detonated a suicide vest. | Trump said yesterday that the “beautiful” and “talented” dog had been injured in the raid after the Isis leader detonated a suicide vest. |
| However, doubts over the president’s account of Baghdadi’s final moments have intensified amid reports that the White House had only seen overhead surveillance footage of the raid at the time of Trump’s press conference yesterday. | However, doubts over the president’s account of Baghdadi’s final moments have intensified amid reports that the White House had only seen overhead surveillance footage of the raid at the time of Trump’s press conference yesterday. |
| Meanwhile, Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, has appeared on Capitol Hill – reportedly to review the transcript from his deposition earlier this month. | Meanwhile, Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, has appeared on Capitol Hill – reportedly to review the transcript from his deposition earlier this month. |
| AND Sondland here at Capitol — did not answer Qs on whether there was a quid pro quo pic.twitter.com/tL20lL9KxA | AND Sondland here at Capitol — did not answer Qs on whether there was a quid pro quo pic.twitter.com/tL20lL9KxA |
| Reports indicate that Sondland’s testimony was contradicted by Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine who said he was told Ukrainian military assistance was frozen to demand public announcements of investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election. | Reports indicate that Sondland’s testimony was contradicted by Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine who said he was told Ukrainian military assistance was frozen to demand public announcements of investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election. |
| Some Democrats on the House committees leading the impeachment inquiry have accused Sondland of lying under oath, a claim that the ambassador’s lawyer has denied. | Some Democrats on the House committees leading the impeachment inquiry have accused Sondland of lying under oath, a claim that the ambassador’s lawyer has denied. |
| Charles Kupperman, the former deputy to John Bolton at the national security council, has officially declined to appear for his scheduled testimony in the impeachment inquiry against Trump. | Charles Kupperman, the former deputy to John Bolton at the national security council, has officially declined to appear for his scheduled testimony in the impeachment inquiry against Trump. |
| Former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Charles Kupperman is officially a no-show in response to his subpoena from the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs Committees. | Former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Charles Kupperman is officially a no-show in response to his subpoena from the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs Committees. |
| Kupperman’s lawyer said in a letter last night to the House committees leading the inquiry that his client would not testify until a judge ruled on whether he should comply with the congressional subpoena or the White House order not to appear. | Kupperman’s lawyer said in a letter last night to the House committees leading the inquiry that his client would not testify until a judge ruled on whether he should comply with the congressional subpoena or the White House order not to appear. |
| Here's the letter Charlie Kupperman's lawyer sent to the Hill yesterday explaining why he won't show today: pic.twitter.com/CksIW3jX6K | Here's the letter Charlie Kupperman's lawyer sent to the Hill yesterday explaining why he won't show today: pic.twitter.com/CksIW3jX6K |
| Just before departing for Chicago, Trump told reporters that some of the footage from the raid of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s Syrian compound, which resulted in the Isis leader’s death, may be released. | Just before departing for Chicago, Trump told reporters that some of the footage from the raid of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s Syrian compound, which resulted in the Isis leader’s death, may be released. |
| Pres Trump says he's considering releasing some video of the raid that resulted in al-Baghdadi's death. Says may release certain parts of the raid. Speaking on the tarmac at Andrews before boarding Air Force One, says it was "a great weekend for the country." pic.twitter.com/fdma3JbPcE | Pres Trump says he's considering releasing some video of the raid that resulted in al-Baghdadi's death. Says may release certain parts of the raid. Speaking on the tarmac at Andrews before boarding Air Force One, says it was "a great weekend for the country." pic.twitter.com/fdma3JbPcE |
| The president also claimed that he did not give the House intelligence committee advance notice of the raid because the panel’s Democratic chairman, Adam Schiff, is “the biggest leaker in Washington.” | The president also claimed that he did not give the House intelligence committee advance notice of the raid because the panel’s Democratic chairman, Adam Schiff, is “the biggest leaker in Washington.” |
| Meanwhile, doubts have grown over Trump’s account of Baghdadi’s final moments. The Guardian’s Michael Safi reports: | Meanwhile, doubts have grown over Trump’s account of Baghdadi’s final moments. The Guardian’s Michael Safi reports: |
| US officials who also watched the feed have declined to echo details of Trump’s macabre account of the Isis’s leader death on Saturday, including that Baghdadi was ‘whimpering, crying and screaming all the way’. ... | US officials who also watched the feed have declined to echo details of Trump’s macabre account of the Isis’s leader death on Saturday, including that Baghdadi was ‘whimpering, crying and screaming all the way’. ... |
| The White House monitored the Syria operation through video feeds that Trump said was ‘as though you were watching a movie’. | The White House monitored the Syria operation through video feeds that Trump said was ‘as though you were watching a movie’. |
| The footage piped into the situation room would have consisted of overhead surveillance shots of the dark compound with heat signatures differentiating between US fighters and others, intelligence and military officials told the New York Times. | The footage piped into the situation room would have consisted of overhead surveillance shots of the dark compound with heat signatures differentiating between US fighters and others, intelligence and military officials told the New York Times. |
| Those cameras would not have been able to peer into the tunnel where Baghdadi died, nor provide audio proof of his conduct during the last minutes of his life. | Those cameras would not have been able to peer into the tunnel where Baghdadi died, nor provide audio proof of his conduct during the last minutes of his life. |
| The lawyer for Charles Kupperman, the former deputy national security adviser under John Bolton, reportedly said his client would not testify in the impeachment inquiry until a judge rules on whether he should comply with the congressional subpoena or the White House order not to appear. | The lawyer for Charles Kupperman, the former deputy national security adviser under John Bolton, reportedly said his client would not testify in the impeachment inquiry until a judge rules on whether he should comply with the congressional subpoena or the White House order not to appear. |
| NEW - In a letter obtained by @ABC to House Democrats - the attorney representing Charles Kupperman - the former deputy national security advisor - writes that until a federal judge rules on the White House’s efforts to block his clients testimony - there will be no deposition | NEW - In a letter obtained by @ABC to House Democrats - the attorney representing Charles Kupperman - the former deputy national security advisor - writes that until a federal judge rules on the White House’s efforts to block his clients testimony - there will be no deposition |
| This could delay Kupperman’s testimony significantly, given that no hearing has yet been scheduled in the case, per NBC News. | This could delay Kupperman’s testimony significantly, given that no hearing has yet been scheduled in the case, per NBC News. |
| As we wait to see whether Charles Kupperman will appear for his deposition, @CharlieGileNBC reports that no hearing has been scheduled in the Kupperman case (the complaint for which was filed late Friday) and it hasn’t been assigned to a judge yet. | As we wait to see whether Charles Kupperman will appear for his deposition, @CharlieGileNBC reports that no hearing has been scheduled in the Kupperman case (the complaint for which was filed late Friday) and it hasn’t been assigned to a judge yet. |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| As Washington takes stock of an eventful weekend in foreign affairs and sports, the House impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump continues today with the testimony of another key witness – or at least that’s the plan. | As Washington takes stock of an eventful weekend in foreign affairs and sports, the House impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump continues today with the testimony of another key witness – or at least that’s the plan. |
| Charles Kupperman, the former official who served as John Bolton’s deputy at the national security council, was subpoenaed to talk to House investigators this morning about Trump’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and the 2016 election. | Charles Kupperman, the former official who served as John Bolton’s deputy at the national security council, was subpoenaed to talk to House investigators this morning about Trump’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and the 2016 election. |
| However, Kupperman filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking a judge’s ruling on whether he should comply with the congressional subpoena or the White House’s order to ignore the investigation because it is supposedly illegitimate. | However, Kupperman filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking a judge’s ruling on whether he should comply with the congressional subpoena or the White House’s order to ignore the investigation because it is supposedly illegitimate. |
| It’s not yet clear whether Kupperman will arrive for his testimony, but House investigators sent him a letter Saturday warning that their subpoena “remains in full force” and that his potential absence “will constitute evidence that may be used against him in a contempt proceeding”. | It’s not yet clear whether Kupperman will arrive for his testimony, but House investigators sent him a letter Saturday warning that their subpoena “remains in full force” and that his potential absence “will constitute evidence that may be used against him in a contempt proceeding”. |
| But the House Democrats leading the inquiry may soon not even need Kupperman’s testimony. Reports emerged last week that Bolton is in talks to sit for a deposition with the committees leading the inquiry, and the former national security adviser may have even more insight into the Ukraine controversy than Kupperman does. | But the House Democrats leading the inquiry may soon not even need Kupperman’s testimony. Reports emerged last week that Bolton is in talks to sit for a deposition with the committees leading the inquiry, and the former national security adviser may have even more insight into the Ukraine controversy than Kupperman does. |
| In an interview yesterday, Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, called Bolton “a very important witness” but warned that the White House would likely try to block his appearance before the panels. | In an interview yesterday, Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, called Bolton “a very important witness” but warned that the White House would likely try to block his appearance before the panels. |
| Schiff added: “Obviously he has very relevant information, and we do want him to come in and testify.” | Schiff added: “Obviously he has very relevant information, and we do want him to come in and testify.” |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: |
| Trump is traveling to Chicago for a speech at the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and fundraising events. He will fly back to Washington in time for the White House’s Halloween Party. | Trump is traveling to Chicago for a speech at the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and fundraising events. He will fly back to Washington in time for the White House’s Halloween Party. |
| Mike Pence is speaking in Louisiana. | Mike Pence is speaking in Louisiana. |
| Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is appearing on “Late Night” with Seth Meyers. | Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is appearing on “Late Night” with Seth Meyers. |
| The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. | The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. |