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Trump impeachment hearing: witnesses deny being 'never-Trumpers' – live Trump impeachment hearing: witnesses deny being 'never-Trumpers' – live
(32 minutes later)
Bill Taylor and George Kent testify in first day of public impeachment inquiry – follow for live updatesBill Taylor and George Kent testify in first day of public impeachment inquiry – follow for live updates
The motion from Republican representative Mike Conaway to subpoena the whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry was defeated on a party-line vote.
With that, the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry has concluded. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday morning, when former US ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch will testify publicly.
Three major US newspapers highlighted the new testimony from Bill Taylor in their homepage headlines about the first public impeachment hearing.
New York Times: “Impeachment Testimony: ‘Trump Cares More About the Investigations of Biden.’”
Washington Post: “New testimony ties Trump more directly to Ukraine pressure.”
Wall Street Journal: “Envoy Reveals New Call in Impeachment Testimony as GOP Defends Trump.”
Taylor testified that one of his aides overheard Trump asking about “the investigations” in Ukraine and that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, said the president cared more about the probes into Joe Biden and his son than other US-Ukrainian policies.
Bill Taylor and George Kent have now concluded their testimony in the first public hearing of the impeachment inquiry after about five and a half hours.
Republicans on the committee and Trump’s allies tried to paint the hearing as a “boring” waster of time. However, the homepages of major news outlets would beg to differ.
Asked about what interests they believed Rudy Giuliani was promoting in Ukraine, George Kent said of the president’s personal lawyer: “I believe he was looking to dig up political dirt against a potential rival.”Asked about what interests they believed Rudy Giuliani was promoting in Ukraine, George Kent said of the president’s personal lawyer: “I believe he was looking to dig up political dirt against a potential rival.”
Reports have indicated Giuliani spent months trying to pressure Ukrainian officials to launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.Reports have indicated Giuliani spent months trying to pressure Ukrainian officials to launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
Republican representative Jim Jordan once again called on the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry to testify publicly.Republican representative Jim Jordan once again called on the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry to testify publicly.
Adam Schiff has said he remains committed to protecting the anonymity of the whistleblower, and he has already rejected Republicans’ request to have the unnamed official testify.Adam Schiff has said he remains committed to protecting the anonymity of the whistleblower, and he has already rejected Republicans’ request to have the unnamed official testify.
But Democratic representative Peter Welch offered an alternative to Jordan: “I’ll be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify. President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there.”But Democratic representative Peter Welch offered an alternative to Jordan: “I’ll be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify. President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there.”
The suggestion prompted chuckles from the Democrats in the room, but Republicans were more reserved in their response.The suggestion prompted chuckles from the Democrats in the room, but Republicans were more reserved in their response.
The blog is briefly interrupting its coverage of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry to provide a key update on the 2020 race: former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has reportedly decided to enter the Democratic presidential primary.The blog is briefly interrupting its coverage of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry to provide a key update on the 2020 race: former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick has reportedly decided to enter the Democratic presidential primary.
CNN reports:CNN reports:
Although Patrick faces many hurdles in the primary race, his entry indicates that some prominent Democrats remain unsure about their 2020 options.Although Patrick faces many hurdles in the primary race, his entry indicates that some prominent Democrats remain unsure about their 2020 options.
We are (slowly) nearing the end of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry. Republican representative Will Hurd has concluded his questioning, and six more Democrats on the committee will be allowed five minutes each.We are (slowly) nearing the end of the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry. Republican representative Will Hurd has concluded his questioning, and six more Democrats on the committee will be allowed five minutes each.
Correction: A previous version of this post included a tweet identifying Hurd as the last Republican questioner, but he was not.Correction: A previous version of this post included a tweet identifying Hurd as the last Republican questioner, but he was not.
Asked by Democratic representative Eric Swalwell, Bill Taylor and George Kent denied they are “never Trumpers,” as the president has alleged.Asked by Democratic representative Eric Swalwell, Bill Taylor and George Kent denied they are “never Trumpers,” as the president has alleged.
Kent, a longtime state department official, emphasized he has worked under five presidents -- three Republicans and two Democrats -- and has consistently served as a nonpartisan public servant. Taylor was also first nominated as US ambassador to Ukraine by former Republican president George W. Bush.Kent, a longtime state department official, emphasized he has worked under five presidents -- three Republicans and two Democrats -- and has consistently served as a nonpartisan public servant. Taylor was also first nominated as US ambassador to Ukraine by former Republican president George W. Bush.
In response to comments made by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Taylor emphasized it is “wrong” to hold up security assistance for “no good policy reason.”In response to comments made by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Taylor emphasized it is “wrong” to hold up security assistance for “no good policy reason.”
Many of the Democratic presidential candidates have been remarking on today’s impeachment hearings. Here’s what they’ve had to say:Many of the Democratic presidential candidates have been remarking on today’s impeachment hearings. Here’s what they’ve had to say:
Republican representative Chris Stewart opened his questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent by welcoming Americans to “year four of the impeachment of President Trump.”Republican representative Chris Stewart opened his questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent by welcoming Americans to “year four of the impeachment of President Trump.”
This echoes a common line of argument among Republicans: that Democrats have been determined to impeach Trump since day one and are searching for any reason to justify his removal from office.This echoes a common line of argument among Republicans: that Democrats have been determined to impeach Trump since day one and are searching for any reason to justify his removal from office.
However, in reality, many House Democrats only came around to supporting an impeachment inquiry in the immediate weeks before Nancy Pelosi formally launched the investigation at the end of September.However, in reality, many House Democrats only came around to supporting an impeachment inquiry in the immediate weeks before Nancy Pelosi formally launched the investigation at the end of September.
Trump’s press secretary is trumpeting efforts by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to paint Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimony as the result of hearsay, emphasizing that neither ever spoke with the president.Trump’s press secretary is trumpeting efforts by Republicans on the House intelligence committee to paint Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimony as the result of hearsay, emphasizing that neither ever spoke with the president.
However, a number of commentators responded to Grisham’s argument by noting that the White House has tried to block the testimony of officials who regularly speak to Trump.However, a number of commentators responded to Grisham’s argument by noting that the White House has tried to block the testimony of officials who regularly speak to Trump.
Representative Mike Turner’s combative questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent represented quite a reversal from a September hearing with the acting director of national intelligence, during which the Republican congressman expressed concern about Trump’s Ukraine call.Representative Mike Turner’s combative questioning of Bill Taylor and George Kent represented quite a reversal from a September hearing with the acting director of national intelligence, during which the Republican congressman expressed concern about Trump’s Ukraine call.
Representative Mike Turner, a more moderate Republican on the House intelligence committee, just grilled Bill Taylor and George Kent and dismissed their testimony as the result of hearsay.
The combative performance by one of the more moderate Republicans on the committee demonstrated once again that the likely eventual vote on articles of impeachment against Trump will almost certainly fall along party lines.
Bill Taylor has had to repeatedly emphasize his nonpartisan position while taking questions from the Republican members of the House intelligence committee.
Representative John Ratcliffe, whom Trump previously planned to nominate as director of national intelligence, asked Taylor and George Kent whether they believed anything impeachable had occurred.
“I’m not here to do anything having to do with, to decide about impeachment,” Taylor said. “That is not what either of us are here to do. This is your job.”
Jim Jordan belittled the testimony of Bill Taylor and expressed bafflement that his Democratic colleagues consider the longtime diplomat to be their “star witness.”
Taylor responded by again emphasizing he was not testifying to help the political fortunes of either party. “I don’t consider myself a star witness for anything,” Taylor said. “I’m not here to take one side or the other.”
Taylor, who currently serves as the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, was first nominated to the post in Kyiv by former Republican president George W Bush.
Jim Jordan, a Trump ally, echoed Republican messaging by trying to paint Bill Taylor’s knowledge of a potential quid pro quo as relying on secondhand information.
However, this argument may fall apart next week, when a number of people who do have direct knowledge of the pressure campaign on Ukraine -- namely Gordon Sondland and Alexander Vindman -- testify publicly.
That said, Jordan appears to have succeeded at his short-term goal of creating a clip of Taylor acknowledging he did not listen to Trump’s Ukraine call or discuss a potential announcement of investigations with the Ukrainian president. It seems likely that exchange will play on Fox News tonight.
The Democratic and Republican counsels have concluded their questioning, and the hearing has moved on to five-minute questioning from each member of the committee.
Representative Jim Jordan, one of the president’s closest allies, is now pressing Bill Taylor on his testimony that Ukraine’s military aid was tied to public announcements of investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election.
The Republican counsel appeared to be trying to get Bill Taylor to justify the Trump administration’s odd decision-making structure around Ukraine policy, prompting looks of bafflement of bemusement from the longtime diplomat.
The counsel for Republican members of the House intelligence committee, Steve Castor, is pressing Bill Taylor and George Kent on Hunter Biden’s qualifications to join the board of the Ukrainian company Burisma.
Given their decades of experience in public service, Taylor and Kent are unsurprisingly unfamiliar with the resume of Biden, the son of former vice president Joe Biden. Kent and Taylor responded to a number of Castor’s questions about Biden’s qualifications by simply saying, “I don’t know.”
Kent has testified he raised concerns in 2015 about the appearance of a conflict of interest in the younger Biden’s work for Burisma, but he emphasized he had seen no evidence of US officials hesitating to examine the company because of Biden’s role on the board.
As Bill Taylor began his testimony this morning, there was a a stark difference in the coverage on Fox News and elsewhere. A box appeared next to Taylor onscreen, nominally giving background information on the acting US ambassador to Ukraine.
Intriguingly, that background information was sourced from Donald Trump and the GOP’s criticism of Taylor.
“President Trump dismissed Taylor as a ‘never Trumper’,” Fox News informed its viewers. It added: “White House called Taylor’s closed-door testimony ‘triple hearsay’.”
Fox News offered less information on the actual substance of Taylor’s testimony: in which he said he had a “clear understanding” that the release of US aid was tied to Ukraine investigating the Bidens. Specifically, it offered no information.
Other than that, Fox News has so far done its best to present Bill Taylor’s testimony as un-explosive.
As the rest of the media has marveled at Bill Taylor’s statement that Trump “cared more about investigations of Biden” than Ukraine policy, and that a Taylor staffer overheard a Trump phone call where the president asked about “the investigations”, much of Fox News’ coverage has adopted a “nothing to see here” approach.
Across television news coverage, CNN, ABC and MSNBC have repeatedly changed their chyrons to represent the latest revelations from Taylor and George Kent’s testimony, Fox News has kept its own on-screen text staunchly neutral: “TAYLOR AND KENT TESTIFY IN FIRST IMPEACHMENT HEARING.” It was also the only channel to cut to an adbreak as Adam Schiff began questioning the two officials.
Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary for George W Bush, criticized the questioning of the lawyer speaking for the Republican members of the House intelligence committee.
Republicans on the House intelligence committee appear to be using their questioning time to add credibility to the baseless conspiracy theory that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election. (The US intelligence community has thoroughly confirmed that Russia interfered in the election.)
But it is worth noting that Republicans have not yet sought to counter Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimony outlining a months-long campaign by Trump’s allies to pressure Ukraine to announce investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election.