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After Trump smears Yovanovitch, Schiff says witness intimidation is taken ‘very, very seriously’ – live After Trump smears Yovanovitch, Schiff says witness intimidation is taken ‘very, very seriously’ – live
(32 minutes later)
The president tweets attacks against the ousted US ambassador to Ukraine while she is testifying to the House impeachment inquiryThe president tweets attacks against the ousted US ambassador to Ukraine while she is testifying to the House impeachment inquiry
Representative Eric Swalwell, one of the Democratic members of the House intelligence committee, said that witness intimidation “will be considered” for one of the articles of impeachment against Trump after the president sent a disparaging tweet about Maria Yovanovitch as the longtime diplomat testified.
One of Swalwell’s fellow Democrats on the panel, Andre Carson, similarly said the committee would “look into” whether Trump engaged in witness intimidation.
Asked about Trump’s tweet smearing the reputation of Maria Yovanovitch, Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, said, “I don’t comment on committee business.”
This is the same Devin Nunes that was forced to recuse himself from the panel’s Russia investigation in 2017 after he told reporters that Trump transition officials had been caught up in American spy agencies’ surveillance of foreign officials.
That announcement prompted an ethics investigation over concerns that Nunes “may have made unauthorized disclosures of classified information.” He was later cleared of wrongdoing.
Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican member of the House intelligence committee who has criticized Adam Schiff’s handling of the impeachment hearings, voiced disapproval of Trump’s tweet smearing Maria Yovanovitch’s reputation as the longtime diplomat testified.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris weighed in on Trump’s tweet smearing Maria Yovanovitch’s reputation as the longtime diplomat testified, accusing the president of witness intimidation.
Fox News anchors described the testimony of Maria Yovanovitch as a “turning point” in the impeachment inquiry against Trump.Fox News anchors described the testimony of Maria Yovanovitch as a “turning point” in the impeachment inquiry against Trump.
Anchor Bret Baier predicted that Trump’s tweet smearing Yovanovitch’s reputation as the longtime diplomat testified would lead to a new article of impeachment against the president.Anchor Bret Baier predicted that Trump’s tweet smearing Yovanovitch’s reputation as the longtime diplomat testified would lead to a new article of impeachment against the president.
Host Chris Wallace insisted it was impossible for any viewer of the hearing not to be affected by Yovanovitch’s testimony.Host Chris Wallace insisted it was impossible for any viewer of the hearing not to be affected by Yovanovitch’s testimony.
Chairman Adam Schiff called for a brief recess in the impeachment hearing to allow House intelligence committee members to cast votes.Chairman Adam Schiff called for a brief recess in the impeachment hearing to allow House intelligence committee members to cast votes.
Republicans present in the hearing room to hear the testimony of Maria Yovanovitch seemed to imply they thought the recess was a strategic move on Schiff’s part to pause before the GOP members of the committee can question the longtime diplomat.Republicans present in the hearing room to hear the testimony of Maria Yovanovitch seemed to imply they thought the recess was a strategic move on Schiff’s part to pause before the GOP members of the committee can question the longtime diplomat.
That must be a first. Maria Yovanovitch is testifying about Trump and, with a quiet day on his schedule, the president seems to be listening. He responded with a tweet that began: “Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad.”Blaming her for the conflict in Somalia appears a stretch, even for him.Chairman Adam Schiff interrupted the hearing to point out the tweet. “As we sit here, the president is attacking you on Twitter,” he said, asking the former ambassador to respond.Looking bemused, Yovanovitch said, “I don’t think I have such powers”, adding that she and her colleagues made things better, not worse.Schiff rejoined: “The president is attacking you in real time... Some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously.”Such a moment was probably inevitable in the reality TV-Twitter presidency.That must be a first. Maria Yovanovitch is testifying about Trump and, with a quiet day on his schedule, the president seems to be listening. He responded with a tweet that began: “Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad.”Blaming her for the conflict in Somalia appears a stretch, even for him.Chairman Adam Schiff interrupted the hearing to point out the tweet. “As we sit here, the president is attacking you on Twitter,” he said, asking the former ambassador to respond.Looking bemused, Yovanovitch said, “I don’t think I have such powers”, adding that she and her colleagues made things better, not worse.Schiff rejoined: “The president is attacking you in real time... Some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously.”Such a moment was probably inevitable in the reality TV-Twitter presidency.
After reading Trump’s tweet attacking the reputation of Maria Yovanovitch, Adam Schiff asked the longtime diplomat whether she thought the tweet was meant to intimidate her as she testified at the impeachment hearing.After reading Trump’s tweet attacking the reputation of Maria Yovanovitch, Adam Schiff asked the longtime diplomat whether she thought the tweet was meant to intimidate her as she testified at the impeachment hearing.
Yovanovitch responded, “I can’t speak to what the president is trying to do, but I think the effect is to be intimidating.”Yovanovitch responded, “I can’t speak to what the president is trying to do, but I think the effect is to be intimidating.”
Schiff ominously replied, “I want to let you know, ambassador, that some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously.”Schiff ominously replied, “I want to let you know, ambassador, that some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously.”
Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, has just read Trump’s tweet disparaging Maria Yovanovitch as the longtime diplomat testifies in the impeachment hearing.Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House intelligence committee, has just read Trump’s tweet disparaging Maria Yovanovitch as the longtime diplomat testifies in the impeachment hearing.
Reacting to Trump’s claim that “everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” Yovanovitch joked, “I don’t think I have such powers.”Reacting to Trump’s claim that “everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” Yovanovitch joked, “I don’t think I have such powers.”
Yovanovitch went on to assert that, through their work, she and her fellow diplomats had “demonstrably made things better, both for the US and for the countries I’ve served in.”Yovanovitch went on to assert that, through their work, she and her fellow diplomats had “demonstrably made things better, both for the US and for the countries I’ve served in.”
Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch delivered a stinging rebuke to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch delivered a stinging rebuke to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
She described a “crisis” in the state department “as the policy process is visibly unravelling, leadership vacancies go unfilled, and senior and midlevel officers ponder an uncertain future and head for the doors”.Yovanovitch added: “The state department is being hollowed out from within at a competitive and complex time on the world stage. This is not a time to undercut our diplomats.”Such sentiments have been aired frequently during the tenures of both Rex Tillerson and Pompeo, but never on such a prominent stage for all the world to hear.She described a “crisis” in the state department “as the policy process is visibly unravelling, leadership vacancies go unfilled, and senior and midlevel officers ponder an uncertain future and head for the doors”.Yovanovitch added: “The state department is being hollowed out from within at a competitive and complex time on the world stage. This is not a time to undercut our diplomats.”Such sentiments have been aired frequently during the tenures of both Rex Tillerson and Pompeo, but never on such a prominent stage for all the world to hear.
It looks like the Democrats on the House intelligence committee intend to incorporate Trump’s disparaging tweet about Maria Yovanovitch into today’s impeachment hearing.It looks like the Democrats on the House intelligence committee intend to incorporate Trump’s disparaging tweet about Maria Yovanovitch into today’s impeachment hearing.
Ironically, Trump’s tweet came shortly after the White House issued a statement claiming the president would not watch the hearing beyond the opening statement of Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the intelligence committee.Ironically, Trump’s tweet came shortly after the White House issued a statement claiming the president would not watch the hearing beyond the opening statement of Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the intelligence committee.
Maria Yovanovitch said she was “shocked” and “devastated” when she read the White House memo on Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president, in which he called the longtime diplomat “bad news.”
“A person who saw me actually reading the transcript said the color drained from my face,” Yovanovitch told impeachment investigators.
Asked about Trump’s comment to Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Yovanovitch was “going to go through some things,” Yovanovitch said it “felt like a vague threat.”
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, 35, is becoming a “break-out star” of the impeachment inquiry hearings, at least in rightwing media circles.After Wednesday’s hearing, Matthew Dowd, chief political analyst for ABC News, tweeted: “Elise Stefanik is a perfect example why just electing someone because they are a woman or a millennial doesn’t necessarily get you the leaders we need.” He apologised following an online backlash.The fracas was gleefully highlighted by Fox News, where Stefanik appeared as an interviewee.Early today, along with colleague Jim Jordan, she tried to interrupt chairman Adam Schiff but was swatted away. She tweeted in response: “Adam Schiff #RegimeofSecrecy continues. He is making up the rules as he goes along and not only interrupts and limits Republican questions. But also our important parliamentary questions.”We can expect to hear more from her.
Trump has sent off a two-part tweet questioning the professional reputation of Maria Yovanovitch as the former US ambassador to Ukraine publicly testifies in the impeachment inquiry.
Yovanovitch, a longtime diplomat, has served in several “hardship posts,” including Somalia as the country was suffering a civil war.
“Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” Trump tweeted. “She started off in Somalia, how did that go?”
In reality, Yovanovitch has been widely lauded by her fellow diplomats as a model civil servant, and even deputy secretary of state John Sullivan told her she had “done nothing wrong” when he dismissed her from Kyiv.
In her opening statement, Maria Yovanovitch also criticized the current leadership of the state department for not defending its staffers amid attacks.
“At the closed deposition, I expressed grave concerns about the degradation of the Foreign Service over the past few years and the failure of State Department leadership to push back as foreign and corrupt interests apparently hijacked our Ukraine policy,” Yovanovitch said.
“The State Department is being hollowed out from within at a competitive and complex time on the world stage. This is not a time to undercut our diplomats. It is the responsibility of the Department’s leaders to stand up for the institution and the individuals who make that institution the most effective diplomatic force in the world.”
Yovanovitch did not mention Mike Pompeo by name, but the longtime diplomat’s testimony was clearly aimed at the secretary of state and will likely spark more questions about his leadership at the department.
Maria Yovanovitch closed her opening statement by offering a robust defense of foreign service officers and their commitment to the United States.
“We are professionals, public servants who by vocation and training pursue the policies of the President, regardless of who holds that office or what party they affiliate with,” Yovanovitch said.
“We handle American Citizen Services, facilitate trade and commerce, work security issues, represent the U.S., and report to and advise Washington, to mention just a few of our functions. And we make a difference every day.”
In her opening statement, Maria Yovanovitch criticized the Americans willing to partner with corrupt Ukrainians to orchestrate her ouster, in an apparent reference to Rudy Giuliani.
“How could our system fail like this? How is it that foreign corrupt interests could manipulate our government?” Yovanovitch asked. “Such conduct undermines the U.S., exposes our friends, and widens the playing field for autocrats like President Putin.”
The former US ambassador to Ukraine also denied that she had circulated a “do not prosecute” list in connection to Ukrainian corruption or that she instructed staffers to ignore Trump’s wishes, as some far-right websites alleged.
Yovanovitch went on to specifically address Giuliani’s efforts to have her removed. “I do not understand Mr. Giuliani’s motives for attacking me, nor can I offer an opinion on whether he believed the allegations he spread about me,” Yovanovitch said.
“What I can say is that 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.”
Maria Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, has been sworn in and is now delivering her opening statement to the House intelligence committee.
Yovanovitch opened her statement by recounting her family’s history of fleeing the Soviet Union and her own career serving in several “hardship” posts as a diplomat.
The White House said in a statement that Trump was only briefly watching today’s public impeachment hearing and would then return to work.
“The President will be watching Congressman Nunes’ opening statement, but the rest of the day he will be working hard for the American people,” said Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s press secretary.
However, the White House made a similar statement on Wednesday before Trump went on to repeatedly retweet messages from Republicans about the hearing.
Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, used his opening statement to criticize the impeachment inquiry and accuse his Democratic colleagues of scheming to remove Trump from office.
The California Republican said Democrats were engaging in “day-long TV spectacles” to “fulfill their Watergate fantasies,” even though many members of the House Democratic caucus only came around to supporting an impeachment inquiry after the September revelation of the whistleblower complaint on the Ukraine call.
Nunes also read the full transcript of Trump’s first call with the Ukrainian president, which was released just as the hearing began. Nunes’ reading of the transcript minutes late indicates that the document’s release may have been coordinated with Republicans on the House intelligence committee.
Echoing Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi applauded the long diplomatic career of Maria Yovanovitch moments before the former US ambassador to Ukraine was set to start testifying in the second public impeachment hearing.
Trump was also tweeting minutes before the hearing began, accusing Pelosi of ignoring other priorities as the impeachment inquiry advances.