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| Impeachment Hearing Live Updates: Yovanovitch‘Devastated’ by Trump’s Attack | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Marie L. Yovanovitch recounted in powerful and personal terms on Friday the devastation and fear she felt as she was targeted first by President Trump’s allies and later by the president himself, saying she felt threatened. | Marie L. Yovanovitch recounted in powerful and personal terms on Friday the devastation and fear she felt as she was targeted first by President Trump’s allies and later by the president himself, saying she felt threatened. |
| Removed from her post as ambassador to Ukraine, Ms. Yovanovitch said she was bereft when she came under fire from the president’s personal attorney and eldest son last spring, but was even more stunned in September when she learned that Mr. Trump himself had disparaged her in his now-famous July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president. | Removed from her post as ambassador to Ukraine, Ms. Yovanovitch said she was bereft when she came under fire from the president’s personal attorney and eldest son last spring, but was even more stunned in September when she learned that Mr. Trump himself had disparaged her in his now-famous July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president. |
| “It was a terrible moment,” she told the House Intelligence Committee on the second day of public impeachment hearings. “A person who saw me actually reading the transcript said that the color drained from my face. I think I even had a physical reaction. I think, you know, even now, words kind of fail me.” | “It was a terrible moment,” she told the House Intelligence Committee on the second day of public impeachment hearings. “A person who saw me actually reading the transcript said that the color drained from my face. I think I even had a physical reaction. I think, you know, even now, words kind of fail me.” |
| In the July call, according to a rough transcript released by the White House, Mr. Trump called Ms. Yovanovitch “bad news” and said that “she’s going to go through some things.” | In the July call, according to a rough transcript released by the White House, Mr. Trump called Ms. Yovanovitch “bad news” and said that “she’s going to go through some things.” |
| Asked her reaction when she read that, Ms. Yovanovitch said: “Shocked. Appalled. Devastated that the president of the United States would talk about any ambassador like that to a foreign head of state — and it was me. I mean, I couldn’t believe it." Asked what the words “going to go through” sounded like to her, she said, “It sounded like a threat.” | Asked her reaction when she read that, Ms. Yovanovitch said: “Shocked. Appalled. Devastated that the president of the United States would talk about any ambassador like that to a foreign head of state — and it was me. I mean, I couldn’t believe it." Asked what the words “going to go through” sounded like to her, she said, “It sounded like a threat.” |
| At the very moment she was testifying about how Mr. Trump had denigrated her, the president was assailing Ms. Yovanovitch, insulting her diplomatic career and reasserting his right to remove her, prompting Democrats to suggest he was trying to intimidate a witness. | At the very moment she was testifying about how Mr. Trump had denigrated her, the president was assailing Ms. Yovanovitch, insulting her diplomatic career and reasserting his right to remove her, prompting Democrats to suggest he was trying to intimidate a witness. |
| “Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” he wrote on Twitter. “She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. President’s absolute right to appoint ambassadors.” | “Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” he wrote on Twitter. “She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. President’s absolute right to appoint ambassadors.” |
| Mr. Trump’s tweet omits the context in which he discussed Ms. Yovanovitch with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine during their July 25 phone conversation, which actually came two months after she had been recalled from Ukraine. It was Mr. Trump who first criticized Ms. Yovanovitch, calling her “bad news.” Mr. Zelensky responded that he completely agreed with Mr. Trump and pointed out “you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador.” | Mr. Trump’s tweet omits the context in which he discussed Ms. Yovanovitch with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine during their July 25 phone conversation, which actually came two months after she had been recalled from Ukraine. It was Mr. Trump who first criticized Ms. Yovanovitch, calling her “bad news.” Mr. Zelensky responded that he completely agreed with Mr. Trump and pointed out “you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador.” |
| Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, interrupted the hearing to read Ms. Yovanovitch the tweet and ask her what she thought of it. | Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, interrupted the hearing to read Ms. Yovanovitch the tweet and ask her what she thought of it. |
| Ms. Yovanovitch, a tight smile on her face, appeared momentarily uncertain how to respond. “It’s very intimidating,” she said. She then paused, searching for words. “I can’t speak to what the president is trying to do, but the effect is to be intimidating.” | Ms. Yovanovitch, a tight smile on her face, appeared momentarily uncertain how to respond. “It’s very intimidating,” she said. She then paused, searching for words. “I can’t speak to what the president is trying to do, but the effect is to be intimidating.” |
| Mr. Schiff responded in a stern tone that, “Some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously.” | Mr. Schiff responded in a stern tone that, “Some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously.” |
| Representative Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut and a member of the Intelligence panel, said it was an instance of “clear witness tampering” that could form the basis of an article of impeachment against Mr. Trump. | Representative Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut and a member of the Intelligence panel, said it was an instance of “clear witness tampering” that could form the basis of an article of impeachment against Mr. Trump. |
| While Ms. Yovanovitch was removed from her post in Ukraine, she remains a State Department employee working in the government headed by Mr. Trump. | While Ms. Yovanovitch was removed from her post in Ukraine, she remains a State Department employee working in the government headed by Mr. Trump. |
| The White House later denied any new wrongdoing by Mr. Trump. “The tweet was not witness intimidation; it was simply the president’s opinion,” Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said in a statement. “This is not a trial; it is a partisan political process — or to put it more accurately, a totally illegitimate charade stacked against the president.” | The White House later denied any new wrongdoing by Mr. Trump. “The tweet was not witness intimidation; it was simply the president’s opinion,” Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said in a statement. “This is not a trial; it is a partisan political process — or to put it more accurately, a totally illegitimate charade stacked against the president.” |
| As they opened their own questioning, Republicans on the committee and the party’s lead lawyer took a strikingly different approach to Ms. Yovanovitch than Mr. Trump, avoiding any personal attacks and instead stressing that she was removed before the main events under scrutiny took place. | As they opened their own questioning, Republicans on the committee and the party’s lead lawyer took a strikingly different approach to Ms. Yovanovitch than Mr. Trump, avoiding any personal attacks and instead stressing that she was removed before the main events under scrutiny took place. |
| Representative Devin Nunes of California, the lead Republican on the panel, and Steve Castor, the committee’s Republican counsel, made no effort to undercut the former ambassador’s credibility but instead emphasized that her experience, whether justified or not, had no real bearing on whether the president had committed high crimes and misdemeanors. | Representative Devin Nunes of California, the lead Republican on the panel, and Steve Castor, the committee’s Republican counsel, made no effort to undercut the former ambassador’s credibility but instead emphasized that her experience, whether justified or not, had no real bearing on whether the president had committed high crimes and misdemeanors. |
| Mr. Nunes characterized her removal as an “employment disagreement” and said she was “not a material fact witness to any of the allegations that are being hurled at the president.” | Mr. Nunes characterized her removal as an “employment disagreement” and said she was “not a material fact witness to any of the allegations that are being hurled at the president.” |
| He led her through a series of quick questions meant to demonstrate that she had left Ukraine before the suspension of American aid and before the July 25 phone call when Mr. Trump asked Mr. Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats. “I’m not exactly sure what the ambassador is doing here today,” Mr. Nunes said. | |
| Several of the Republicans led Ms. Yovanovitch through a series of questions that produced largely dry, fireworks-free exchanges intended to help the president, making the points that her removal did not change American policy, that her career was not permanently damaged and that the president had well-founded reasons to be concerned about corruption in Ukraine. | |
| But while the president suggested in his tweet on Friday that Ms. Yovanovitch was a bad diplomat, the House Republicans largely offered the opposite assessment. “We are lucky to have you in Foreign Service,” said Representative Elise Stefanik, Republican of New York. | |
| While lawmakers pondered impeaching Mr. Trump, a jury in a courthouse only a few hundred yards away found the president’s longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. guilty of lying to the very same House Intelligence Committee. | While lawmakers pondered impeaching Mr. Trump, a jury in a courthouse only a few hundred yards away found the president’s longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. guilty of lying to the very same House Intelligence Committee. |
| Mr. Stone was convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election in what prosecutors said was an effort to protect Mr. Trump. He was found guilty of lying to the House committee, trying to block the testimony of another potential witness, and concealing reams of evidence from investigators. | Mr. Stone was convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election in what prosecutors said was an effort to protect Mr. Trump. He was found guilty of lying to the House committee, trying to block the testimony of another potential witness, and concealing reams of evidence from investigators. |
| Prosecutors claimed he tried to thwart the committee’s work because the truth would have “looked terrible” for both the president and his campaign. In all, he faced seven felony charges and was found guilty on all counts. | Prosecutors claimed he tried to thwart the committee’s work because the truth would have “looked terrible” for both the president and his campaign. In all, he faced seven felony charges and was found guilty on all counts. |
| Mr. Trump, having a bad day, vented frustration that his friend was convicted while his enemies have not been. Among those enemies he named: Mr. Schiff, the chairman of the House committee. | Mr. Trump, having a bad day, vented frustration that his friend was convicted while his enemies have not been. Among those enemies he named: Mr. Schiff, the chairman of the House committee. |
| If generally reluctant to assail Mr. Yovanovitch, Republicans had no such hesitance about going after Hunter Biden, the son of the former vice president, in hopes of turning attention to what they portrayed as Democratic conflicts in Ukraine. | |
| Republican lawmakers got Ms. Yovanovitch to say that when she was first nominated for her ambassador post by President Barack Obama, she was prepared for questions about Hunter Biden that might come up during her confirmation hearings. The younger Mr. Biden was on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, at the same time his father was managing policy toward Ukraine. | |
| Ms. Yovanovitch testified that if questions came up about the situation, she was instructed to refer questions to the vice president’s office. Asked by Republicans why it would be a problem, she said, “It creates a concern that there would be an appearance of conflict of interest.” | |
| Seated behind Ms. Yovanovitch as she her testified in a demonstration of support is Grace Kennan Warnecke, the daughter of George Kennan, one of the most revered American diplomats of the last century and the architect of the containment policy that governed America’s strategy through the Cold War. | Seated behind Ms. Yovanovitch as she her testified in a demonstration of support is Grace Kennan Warnecke, the daughter of George Kennan, one of the most revered American diplomats of the last century and the architect of the containment policy that governed America’s strategy through the Cold War. |
| After watching the opening round of questioning, Ms. Warnecke walked out with Ms. Yovanovitch during the recess, her presence clearly intended as a sign of the widespread backing that the former ambassador has among the career Foreign Service, which was broadly disturbed by her abrupt removal last spring. | |
| Mr. Kennan, one of the foremost experts on the Soviet Union in the early years of the Cold War, served as ambassador to Moscow before he was expelled and his famous “long telegram” back to Washington ultimately formed the basis for the policy embraced by presidents of both parties for decades to mount “strong resistance” to the Soviet Union around the world. | Mr. Kennan, one of the foremost experts on the Soviet Union in the early years of the Cold War, served as ambassador to Moscow before he was expelled and his famous “long telegram” back to Washington ultimately formed the basis for the policy embraced by presidents of both parties for decades to mount “strong resistance” to the Soviet Union around the world. |
| Ms. Yovanovitch suggested that “the smear campaign against me” by Mr. Trump allies was orchestrated in tandem with corrupt Ukrainians leading to her removal from her post based on untrue allegations. | Ms. Yovanovitch suggested that “the smear campaign against me” by Mr. Trump allies was orchestrated in tandem with corrupt Ukrainians leading to her removal from her post based on untrue allegations. |
| Ms. Yovanovitch flatly denied the “baseless allegations” raised against her by Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, and others working with him. She called them part of a “campaign of disinformation” that was orchestrated with Ukrainians because she was a powerful advocate of fighting corruption. | Ms. Yovanovitch flatly denied the “baseless allegations” raised against her by Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, and others working with him. She called them part of a “campaign of disinformation” that was orchestrated with Ukrainians because she was a powerful advocate of fighting corruption. |
| “Mr. Giuliani should have known those claims were suspect, coming as they reportedly did from individuals with questionable motives and with reason to believe that their political and financial ambitions would be stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine,” she told the House Intelligence Committee as it opened its second day of public impeachment hearings. | “Mr. Giuliani should have known those claims were suspect, coming as they reportedly did from individuals with questionable motives and with reason to believe that their political and financial ambitions would be stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine,” she told the House Intelligence Committee as it opened its second day of public impeachment hearings. |
| She added: “If our chief representative is kneecapped, it limits our effectiveness to safeguard the vital national security interests of the United States.” | She added: “If our chief representative is kneecapped, it limits our effectiveness to safeguard the vital national security interests of the United States.” |
| Ms. Yovanovitch went on to say that the State Department’s failure to defend her and others subjected to partisan attacks had a profoundly negative impact on the institution as a whole. | Ms. Yovanovitch went on to say that the State Department’s failure to defend her and others subjected to partisan attacks had a profoundly negative impact on the institution as a whole. |
| “This is about far, far more than me or a couple of individuals,” she said. “As Foreign Service professionals are being denigrated and undermined, the institution is also being degraded. This will soon cause real harm, if it hasn’t already.” | “This is about far, far more than me or a couple of individuals,” she said. “As Foreign Service professionals are being denigrated and undermined, the institution is also being degraded. This will soon cause real harm, if it hasn’t already.” |
| As the hearing was about to be gaveled to a start on Friday morning, the White House released a rough transcript of another phone call that Mr. Trump had with Ukraine’s president in an effort to demonstrate that there was nothing untoward in that conversation. | As the hearing was about to be gaveled to a start on Friday morning, the White House released a rough transcript of another phone call that Mr. Trump had with Ukraine’s president in an effort to demonstrate that there was nothing untoward in that conversation. |
| Mr. Nunes read the record of the conversation out loud as part of his opening statement in sort of a dramatic re-enactment of the conversation. | Mr. Nunes read the record of the conversation out loud as part of his opening statement in sort of a dramatic re-enactment of the conversation. |
| The record documented an April 21 call that Mr. Trump made from Air Force One to Mr. Zelensky congratulating him on his election. That call came three months before the July 25 call in which the president asked Mr. Zelensky to do him “a favor” and investigate Democrats including Mr. Biden. | |
| The record of the original call reflected just a few minutes of pleasantries. “When you’re settled in and ready, I’d like to invite you to the White House,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll have a lot of things to talk about, but we’re with you all the way.” | The record of the original call reflected just a few minutes of pleasantries. “When you’re settled in and ready, I’d like to invite you to the White House,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll have a lot of things to talk about, but we’re with you all the way.” |
| “Well, thank you for the invitation,” Mr. Zelensky replied. “We accept the invitation and look forward to the visit.” | “Well, thank you for the invitation,” Mr. Zelensky replied. “We accept the invitation and look forward to the visit.” |
| According to the record, Mr. Trump made no mention of the desired investigations that he would raise later, but the promise of a White House meeting became a point of contention in the months to come. Text messages and testimony have indicated that the White House held up scheduling the promised meeting until Ukraine agreed to investigate Democrats. | According to the record, Mr. Trump made no mention of the desired investigations that he would raise later, but the promise of a White House meeting became a point of contention in the months to come. Text messages and testimony have indicated that the White House held up scheduling the promised meeting until Ukraine agreed to investigate Democrats. |
| The new White House record conflicted with the readout of the call that the White House put out to the media at the time. The official readout in April said that Mr. Trump “underscored the unwavering support of the United States for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” and expressed support for efforts “to root out corruption.” According to the record released on Friday, Mr. Trump made no mention of either of those points. | The new White House record conflicted with the readout of the call that the White House put out to the media at the time. The official readout in April said that Mr. Trump “underscored the unwavering support of the United States for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” and expressed support for efforts “to root out corruption.” According to the record released on Friday, Mr. Trump made no mention of either of those points. |
| A new figure will enter the impeachment drama later Friday when David Holmes, the political counselor at the American Embassy in Ukraine, is scheduled to testify privately in the inquiry. | |
| Investigators want to ask him about a phone call that he overheard in July between Mr. Trump and Gordon D. Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union, who was part of a group of Trump loyalists engaged in diplomacy with Ukraine. | |
| William B. Taylor Jr., the top diplomat in Ukraine and Mr. Holmes’s boss, told lawmakers at Wednesday’s public hearing that he had recently learned that one of his aides overheard the president asking Mr. Sondland about “the investigations,” an apparent reference to Mr. Trump’s desire for investigations of his political rivals. Mr. Taylor testified that the aide — who investigators have since learned was Mr. Holmes — then heard Mr. Sondland respond that the “Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” | William B. Taylor Jr., the top diplomat in Ukraine and Mr. Holmes’s boss, told lawmakers at Wednesday’s public hearing that he had recently learned that one of his aides overheard the president asking Mr. Sondland about “the investigations,” an apparent reference to Mr. Trump’s desire for investigations of his political rivals. Mr. Taylor testified that the aide — who investigators have since learned was Mr. Holmes — then heard Mr. Sondland respond that the “Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” |
| After the call ended, Mr. Holmes asked Mr. Sondland what the president thought about Ukraine, and the ambassador responded that, “President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden,” according to Mr. Taylor. Republicans have argued that much of the testimony from Mr. Taylor and others has been secondhand. Democratic lawmakers are eager to hear Mr. Holmes, a Foreign Service officer for 17 years, describe the call himself. | After the call ended, Mr. Holmes asked Mr. Sondland what the president thought about Ukraine, and the ambassador responded that, “President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden,” according to Mr. Taylor. Republicans have argued that much of the testimony from Mr. Taylor and others has been secondhand. Democratic lawmakers are eager to hear Mr. Holmes, a Foreign Service officer for 17 years, describe the call himself. |