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| Trump impeachment inquiry: parties divided as more hearings loom - live | Trump impeachment inquiry: parties divided as more hearings loom - live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Democrats say Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimonies tied Trump to efforts to pressure Ukraine while Republicans say they proved nothing | Democrats say Bill Taylor and George Kent’s testimonies tied Trump to efforts to pressure Ukraine while Republicans say they proved nothing |
| Louise Linton, who is married to treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, has just shared an Instagram post criticizing the Trump administration’s stance on big-game hunting. | |
| Linton was reacting to the story of a lion trophy from Tanzania that was approved for import to the United States. “Americans should not be permitted to kill exotic animals for fun!!” Linton wrote in her Instagram caption. | |
| She went on to encourage her followers to contact their members of Congress about the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large Animal Trophies (CECIL) Act, which would ban such imports. | |
| The Trump administration has previously said it would make decisions on big-game trophies on a “case-by-case” basis after the president split with his interior department on the issue. | |
| One lingering question over Deval Patrick’s expected campaign announcement was how he would find experienced staffers to advise his White House bid, given that his opponents have already grabbed many of the most well-known names in Democratic politics. | One lingering question over Deval Patrick’s expected campaign announcement was how he would find experienced staffers to advise his White House bid, given that his opponents have already grabbed many of the most well-known names in Democratic politics. |
| Patrick has at least partially answered that question by employing the former traveling press secretary to Beto O’Rourke, who ended his bid earlier this month, as his campaign manager. | Patrick has at least partially answered that question by employing the former traveling press secretary to Beto O’Rourke, who ended his bid earlier this month, as his campaign manager. |
| It’s become a popular take in Washington that “real” Americans do not care about the impeachment inquiry. However, front pages across the country today are carrying headlines about the inquiry’s first public hearing. | It’s become a popular take in Washington that “real” Americans do not care about the impeachment inquiry. However, front pages across the country today are carrying headlines about the inquiry’s first public hearing. |
| One of Deval Patrick’s fellow Massachusetts Democrats, Elizabeth Warren, said earlier this week that the former governor’s expected entry into the race would not complicate her own White House bid. | One of Deval Patrick’s fellow Massachusetts Democrats, Elizabeth Warren, said earlier this week that the former governor’s expected entry into the race would not complicate her own White House bid. |
| “I’m out there talking to people every single day about an America that works great for those at the top, but just isn’t working for most everybody else,” Warren told the NPR affiliate WBUR. | “I’m out there talking to people every single day about an America that works great for those at the top, but just isn’t working for most everybody else,” Warren told the NPR affiliate WBUR. |
| “And whenever I do that, there are lots of folks who start to nod. And it’s not just Democrats. It’s Democrats, independents and Republicans who get it.” | “And whenever I do that, there are lots of folks who start to nod. And it’s not just Democrats. It’s Democrats, independents and Republicans who get it.” |
| Patrick is hoping Democratic primary voters are dissatisfied with their options, but it’s possible that feeling may be exclusive to pundits and well-funded donors. | Patrick is hoping Democratic primary voters are dissatisfied with their options, but it’s possible that feeling may be exclusive to pundits and well-funded donors. |
| As expected, former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick announced this morning that he would enter the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. | As expected, former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick announced this morning that he would enter the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. |
| In a video announcing his late entry, Patrick said, “I admire and respect the candidates in the Democratic field. ... But if the character of the candidates is an issue in every election, this time it’s about the character of the country.” | In a video announcing his late entry, Patrick said, “I admire and respect the candidates in the Democratic field. ... But if the character of the candidates is an issue in every election, this time it’s about the character of the country.” |
| Patrick will face a number of hurdles in trying to seize the Democratic nomination. For one thing, his opponents have had months to build support that he will now have to try to chip away at. And he does not have the personal fortune of billionaire Michael Bloomberg, another late-entry candidate, to bankroll his campaign. | Patrick will face a number of hurdles in trying to seize the Democratic nomination. For one thing, his opponents have had months to build support that he will now have to try to chip away at. And he does not have the personal fortune of billionaire Michael Bloomberg, another late-entry candidate, to bankroll his campaign. |
| Patrick’s resume also has some spots that he will likely be pressed on. After leaving the governor’s mansion, he spent time working for Bain Capital, the private investment firm founded by former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. | Patrick’s resume also has some spots that he will likely be pressed on. After leaving the governor’s mansion, he spent time working for Bain Capital, the private investment firm founded by former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. |
| But perhaps the most baffling question about Patrick’s candidacy is one of strategy. Patrick, who served as the first black governor of Massachusetts, is expected to focus his efforts on the early voting state of South Carolina, which has a large African-American electorate. But that was almost the exact same strategy initially pursued by senator Kamala Harris, and her campaign is now closing offices amid declining polling and fundraising numbers. | But perhaps the most baffling question about Patrick’s candidacy is one of strategy. Patrick, who served as the first black governor of Massachusetts, is expected to focus his efforts on the early voting state of South Carolina, which has a large African-American electorate. But that was almost the exact same strategy initially pursued by senator Kamala Harris, and her campaign is now closing offices amid declining polling and fundraising numbers. |
| Given Patrick’s lower name recognition now that he has been out of office for several years, the question becomes: why would he succeed where she failed? | Given Patrick’s lower name recognition now that he has been out of office for several years, the question becomes: why would he succeed where she failed? |
| Trump was weighing in on the first public impeachment hearing this morning, applauding one of his congressional allies for pressing Bill Taylor and George Kent on what the “impeachable” element was in the president’s communications with Ukraine. | Trump was weighing in on the first public impeachment hearing this morning, applauding one of his congressional allies for pressing Bill Taylor and George Kent on what the “impeachable” element was in the president’s communications with Ukraine. |
| However, Taylor and Kent repeatedly emphasized that they were not there to make a case for impeachment. They said they considered themselves “fact witnesses” and were there to testify to the events they saw, while the ultimate question of impeachment would be left up to lawmakers. | However, Taylor and Kent repeatedly emphasized that they were not there to make a case for impeachment. They said they considered themselves “fact witnesses” and were there to testify to the events they saw, while the ultimate question of impeachment would be left up to lawmakers. |
| Despite that, Republicans on the House intelligence committee were eager to paint the two longtime public servants as Democratic pawns who were only there to unfairly smear the president. | Despite that, Republicans on the House intelligence committee were eager to paint the two longtime public servants as Democratic pawns who were only there to unfairly smear the president. |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| We are right in between the first and second public hearings of the House impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump, and Democrats and Republicans are already telling two very different stories about what happened yesterday. | We are right in between the first and second public hearings of the House impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump, and Democrats and Republicans are already telling two very different stories about what happened yesterday. |
| To Democrats, the testimony of Bill Taylor and George Kent more directly tied the president to efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate one of his political rivals, Joe Biden. | To Democrats, the testimony of Bill Taylor and George Kent more directly tied the president to efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate one of his political rivals, Joe Biden. |
| To Republicans, the hearing was a waste of time and taxpayer dollars to hear from two diplomats who never spoke to Trump and did not hear his call with the Ukrainian president. One of Trump’s advisers, Kellyanne Conway, was making the rounds on television this morning to make the argument that Taylor and Kent were like “a bunch of gossip girls”. | To Republicans, the hearing was a waste of time and taxpayer dollars to hear from two diplomats who never spoke to Trump and did not hear his call with the Ukrainian president. One of Trump’s advisers, Kellyanne Conway, was making the rounds on television this morning to make the argument that Taylor and Kent were like “a bunch of gossip girls”. |
| Democrats and Republicans will likely dig their heels in more as additional hearings are held, but tomorrow’s testimony from former US ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch could help shape the opinion of the American public, which matters far more. | Democrats and Republicans will likely dig their heels in more as additional hearings are held, but tomorrow’s testimony from former US ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch could help shape the opinion of the American public, which matters far more. |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: |
| Trump will meet with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at 2pm ET before traveling to Louisiana for a campaign rally. | Trump will meet with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at 2pm ET before traveling to Louisiana for a campaign rally. |
| Jury deliberations will begin in the trial of Roger Stone, a former Trump associate. | Jury deliberations will begin in the trial of Roger Stone, a former Trump associate. |
| House speaker Nancy Pelosi will hold a press conference at 10.45am ET. | House speaker Nancy Pelosi will hold a press conference at 10.45am ET. |
| That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. | That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. |