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| Yovanovitch to tell inquiry of a US state department afraid to cross Trump | Yovanovitch to tell inquiry of a US state department afraid to cross Trump |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Recalled Ukraine ambassador, who says state department failed to support her, to testify on revenge campaign | Recalled Ukraine ambassador, who says state department failed to support her, to testify on revenge campaign |
| Fear of crossing Donald Trump prompted senior state department officials to withhold support from embattled diplomats overseas, undermining the conduct of US foreign policy abroad, a witness was expected to tell impeachment investigators on Friday. | Fear of crossing Donald Trump prompted senior state department officials to withhold support from embattled diplomats overseas, undermining the conduct of US foreign policy abroad, a witness was expected to tell impeachment investigators on Friday. |
| Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, who was recalled by Trump from Ukraine in May, became the third witness to testify in the televised public part of the investigation of whether Trump abused the power of his office for personal ends. | |
| Previous witnesses said that the American aim of countering Russian efforts to destabilize Ukraine was undermined by the removal of Yovanovitch, a 33-year veteran of the foreign service known as a staunch anti-corruption advocate. | Previous witnesses said that the American aim of countering Russian efforts to destabilize Ukraine was undermined by the removal of Yovanovitch, a 33-year veteran of the foreign service known as a staunch anti-corruption advocate. |
| Trump’s defenders have pointed out that ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president and he may recall whom he pleases. | Trump’s defenders have pointed out that ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president and he may recall whom he pleases. |
| But the circumstances of the recall of Yovanovitch have undercut Republican claims that Trump’s differences with state department officials could be put down to policy. | But the circumstances of the recall of Yovanovitch have undercut Republican claims that Trump’s differences with state department officials could be put down to policy. |
| Instead, impeachment witnesses have testified in closed depositions that Yovanovitch was the target of a smear campaign originated by a former Ukrainian prosecutor who wanted “revenge” on the ambassador for her anti-corruption work. | Instead, impeachment witnesses have testified in closed depositions that Yovanovitch was the target of a smear campaign originated by a former Ukrainian prosecutor who wanted “revenge” on the ambassador for her anti-corruption work. |
| In the freelance atmosphere of the Trump administration’s Ukraine policy, the purported revenge campaign quickly gained traction at the highest levels of American government, though it clashed with the official policy of supporting Ukraine against Russia, witnesses have testified. | In the freelance atmosphere of the Trump administration’s Ukraine policy, the purported revenge campaign quickly gained traction at the highest levels of American government, though it clashed with the official policy of supporting Ukraine against Russia, witnesses have testified. |
| The campaign was championed by Rudy Giuliani, the Trump emissary who criticized Yovanovitch on Twitter and television; by Donald Trump Jr, who called Yovanovitch a “joker” on Twitter; and ultimately by the president himself, who told the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a July phone call that Yovanovitch was “bad news”. | The campaign was championed by Rudy Giuliani, the Trump emissary who criticized Yovanovitch on Twitter and television; by Donald Trump Jr, who called Yovanovitch a “joker” on Twitter; and ultimately by the president himself, who told the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a July phone call that Yovanovitch was “bad news”. |
| The campaign against Yovanovitch was plainly visible to state department officials abroad and in Washington. Multiple officials, including deputy assistant secretary of state George Kent and Michael McKinley, a former senior adviser to the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, urged the state department to issue a statement of support for Yovanovitch, but were rebuffed, the men have testified. | The campaign against Yovanovitch was plainly visible to state department officials abroad and in Washington. Multiple officials, including deputy assistant secretary of state George Kent and Michael McKinley, a former senior adviser to the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, urged the state department to issue a statement of support for Yovanovitch, but were rebuffed, the men have testified. |
| Yovanovitch herself sought support from multiple state department figures, including one of the impeachment inquiry witnesses, undersecretary of state David Hale, who is schedule to testify next week. | Yovanovitch herself sought support from multiple state department figures, including one of the impeachment inquiry witnesses, undersecretary of state David Hale, who is schedule to testify next week. |
| “What I was told was that there was concern that the rug would be pulled out from under the state department if they put out something publicly,” Yovanovitch told investigators last month. | “What I was told was that there was concern that the rug would be pulled out from under the state department if they put out something publicly,” Yovanovitch told investigators last month. |
| “By whom?” she was asked. | “By whom?” she was asked. |
| “The president,” she replied. | “The president,” she replied. |
| The campaign against her, and the failure of the state department to issue a statement backing her, damaged her ability to carry out her work, Yovanovitch testified. | The campaign against her, and the failure of the state department to issue a statement backing her, damaged her ability to carry out her work, Yovanovitch testified. |
| When she sought advice on how to stop the smear campaign that resulted in her ouster, she was told to tweet something nice about Trump, she said. | When she sought advice on how to stop the smear campaign that resulted in her ouster, she was told to tweet something nice about Trump, she said. |
| “You know the president,” ambassador Gordon Sondland told Yovanovitch, she testified. “Well, maybe you don’t know him personally, but you know, you know, the sorts of things that he likes. You know, go out there battling aggressively and, you know, praise him or support him.” | “You know the president,” ambassador Gordon Sondland told Yovanovitch, she testified. “Well, maybe you don’t know him personally, but you know, you know, the sorts of things that he likes. You know, go out there battling aggressively and, you know, praise him or support him.” |