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| Impeachment hearings: Trump says he will 'strongly consider' testifying – live | Impeachment hearings: Trump says he will 'strongly consider' testifying – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Second round of public hearings against president begins tomorrow as Republicans sought to dismiss damning testimony from key witnesses | Second round of public hearings against president begins tomorrow as Republicans sought to dismiss damning testimony from key witnesses |
| Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has sent a letter to defense secretary Mark Esper asking him to ensure that two of the witnesses in this week’s impeachment hearing, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Laura Cooper, are protected from retaliation. | |
| “Since their identities were revealed, LTC Vindman and Ms. Cooper have been vilified and attacked by individuals in the media and elsewhere,” Schumer wrote. | |
| “Accordingly, I request that you formally notify all civilian and military personnel of their legal rights to make protected disclosures to Congress. I also request that you brief me on what actions are being taken to ensure that LTC Vindman, Ms. Cooper, and other whistleblowers like them are afforded appropriate protections—both from workplace reprisals and for their personal safety and that of their families.” | |
| Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the national security council, is scheduled to testify tomorrow morning, and Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense, will speak to impeachment investigators on Wednesday afternoon. | |
| The Federal Reserve has just announced that its chairman, Jerome Powell, met with Trump and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin in a sit-down that was not on the president’s original public schedule. | |
| The central bank said in a statement after the meeting, “At the President’s invitation, Chair Powell met with the President and the Treasury Secretary Monday morning at the White House to discuss the economy, growth, employment and inflation. | |
| “Chair Powell’s comments were consistent with his remarks at his congressional hearings last week. He did not discuss his expectations for monetary policy, except to stress that the path of policy will depend entirely on incoming information that bears on the outlook for the economy. | |
| “Finally, Chair Powell said that he and his colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee will set monetary policy, as required by law, to support maximum employment and stable prices and will make those decisions based solely on careful, objective and non-political analysis.” | |
| That final sentences appears to be a clear dig at Trump, who has tried to pressure Powell to lower interest rates more quickly by criticizing him over Twitter. | |
| However, Trump was purely positive in his latest tweet about Powell, claiming their meeting was “very good & cordial.” | |
| Testifying to Congress last week, Powell said that he was confident the Fed’s plan for lowering interest rates would help the US economy, although he acknowledged the trade war with China (among other factors) has harmed growth. | |
| Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly felt pressure to announce an investigation into Joe Biden even before his July phone call with Trump, which sparked the impeachment inquiry. | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reportedly felt pressure to announce an investigation into Joe Biden even before his July phone call with Trump, which sparked the impeachment inquiry. |
| The AP reports: | The AP reports: |
| This new reporting undermines Zelenskiy’s denials that he felt White House pressure to investigate Biden, which Republicans have repeatedly cited to push back against Democrats’ accusations in the impeachment inquiry. | This new reporting undermines Zelenskiy’s denials that he felt White House pressure to investigate Biden, which Republicans have repeatedly cited to push back against Democrats’ accusations in the impeachment inquiry. |
| A CNN reporter noted that it is smart to be skeptical of Trump’s claim that he might testify in the impeachment inquiry, given the president’s repeated promises to answer questions from special counsel Robert Mueller. | |
| Trump did eventually answer some written questions from Mueller’s team, but the president refused to sit down for an interview despite the special counsel’s requests. Mueller also said in his report that he found a number of Trump’s written answers to be incomplete or imprecise. | |
| The accelerating impeachment inquiry has reportedly created tension in the relationship between Trump and secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who has previously been considered one of the cabinet members with the most sway over the president. | The accelerating impeachment inquiry has reportedly created tension in the relationship between Trump and secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who has previously been considered one of the cabinet members with the most sway over the president. |
| NBC News reports: | NBC News reports: |
| According to his public schedule, Trump is set to meet with Pompeo at 4 p.m. today, so the subject of state department officials testifying in the inquiry may arise again. | According to his public schedule, Trump is set to meet with Pompeo at 4 p.m. today, so the subject of state department officials testifying in the inquiry may arise again. |
| Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was back on the bench today after missing one day of oral arguments last week because of a “stomach bug.” | Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was back on the bench today after missing one day of oral arguments last week because of a “stomach bug.” |
| The liberal justice, who is the oldest member of the court at 86 years old, has had some health issues in recent months and has fought cancer several times. | The liberal justice, who is the oldest member of the court at 86 years old, has had some health issues in recent months and has fought cancer several times. |
| David Holmes, a staffer at the US embassy in Kyiv, has arrived on Capitol Hill to review his closed-door testimony in the impeachment inquiry. | David Holmes, a staffer at the US embassy in Kyiv, has arrived on Capitol Hill to review his closed-door testimony in the impeachment inquiry. |
| According to his opening statement, Holmes today impeachment investigators that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, had referenced a “Biden investigation” in Ukraine as a possible boon to the president. | According to his opening statement, Holmes today impeachment investigators that Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, had referenced a “Biden investigation” in Ukraine as a possible boon to the president. |
| The testimony undermines Sondland’s assertion to the House committees investigating impeachment that he was not aware of a connection between the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and the Bidens. | The testimony undermines Sondland’s assertion to the House committees investigating impeachment that he was not aware of a connection between the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and the Bidens. |
| Meanwhile, on the 2020 campaign trail, it was a very mixed weekend for Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. | Meanwhile, on the 2020 campaign trail, it was a very mixed weekend for Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. |
| On the plus side, the Indiana mayor surged into first place in a CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of likely Iowa caucusgoers. Buttigieg has hit 25% in the first caucus state – putting him nine points ahead of Elizabeth Warren and 10 points ahead of Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. | On the plus side, the Indiana mayor surged into first place in a CNN/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of likely Iowa caucusgoers. Buttigieg has hit 25% in the first caucus state – putting him nine points ahead of Elizabeth Warren and 10 points ahead of Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. |
| However, the Intercept also published an article on the Buttigieg campaign’s outreach (or lack thereof) to African American voters, who make up a large portion of the Democratic primary electorate. | However, the Intercept also published an article on the Buttigieg campaign’s outreach (or lack thereof) to African American voters, who make up a large portion of the Democratic primary electorate. |
| According to the Intercept, Buttigieg’s campaign recently released a list of 400 endorsers of his “Douglass Plan: A Comprehensive Investment in the Empowerment of Black America.” However, some of the most prominent endorsers said they actually had misgivings about the plan or felt their support for the proposal had been purposely misconstrued as an endorsement of Buttigieg’s candidacy. | According to the Intercept, Buttigieg’s campaign recently released a list of 400 endorsers of his “Douglass Plan: A Comprehensive Investment in the Empowerment of Black America.” However, some of the most prominent endorsers said they actually had misgivings about the plan or felt their support for the proposal had been purposely misconstrued as an endorsement of Buttigieg’s candidacy. |
| To top it all off, at least half of the people on the list were white, even though the campaign had billed the endorsements as a demonstration of support for Buttigieg within the black community. | To top it all off, at least half of the people on the list were white, even though the campaign had billed the endorsements as a demonstration of support for Buttigieg within the black community. |
| The Intercept reporter who wrote the story later added that a woman in Kenya was confused to see a picture of her used as a stock photo on Buttigieg’s website for the Douglass Plan. The campaign removed the photo and blamed the error on a contractor who helped build the website. | The Intercept reporter who wrote the story later added that a woman in Kenya was confused to see a picture of her used as a stock photo on Buttigieg’s website for the Douglass Plan. The campaign removed the photo and blamed the error on a contractor who helped build the website. |
| Long story short: Buttigieg is in a strong position in Iowa. But the question of how he will build his campaign beyond the mostly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire remains largely unanswered. | Long story short: Buttigieg is in a strong position in Iowa. But the question of how he will build his campaign beyond the mostly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire remains largely unanswered. |
| Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer echoed House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s suggestion that Trump come testify in the impeachment inquiry. | Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer echoed House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s suggestion that Trump come testify in the impeachment inquiry. |
| “If Donald Trump doesn’t agree with what he’s hearing, doesn’t like what he’s hearing, he shouldn’t tweet. He should come to the committee and testify under oath,” the New York Democrat said yesterday. “And he should allow all those around him to come to the committee and testify under oath.” | “If Donald Trump doesn’t agree with what he’s hearing, doesn’t like what he’s hearing, he shouldn’t tweet. He should come to the committee and testify under oath,” the New York Democrat said yesterday. “And he should allow all those around him to come to the committee and testify under oath.” |
| Schumer argued Trump’s refusal to cooperate with the inquiry, as well as his efforts to block aides from testifying, beg the question: “What is he hiding?” | Schumer argued Trump’s refusal to cooperate with the inquiry, as well as his efforts to block aides from testifying, beg the question: “What is he hiding?” |
| Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU who is set to testify on Wednesday, reportedly kept some senior administration officials aware of the campaign to pressure Ukraine to open investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election. | Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU who is set to testify on Wednesday, reportedly kept some senior administration officials aware of the campaign to pressure Ukraine to open investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election. |
| The Wall Street Journal reports: | The Wall Street Journal reports: |
| Sondland will almost be certainly be pressed on who in the White House knew what and when during his public testimony in the impeachment inquiry on Wednesday. | Sondland will almost be certainly be pressed on who in the White House knew what and when during his public testimony in the impeachment inquiry on Wednesday. |
| Trump is using his light schedule today to tweet out more criticism of Democrats for their handling of the House impeachment inquiry. | Trump is using his light schedule today to tweet out more criticism of Democrats for their handling of the House impeachment inquiry. |
| However, the president interestingly said he would “strongly consider” testifying in the impeachment inquiry, possibly in writing. | However, the president interestingly said he would “strongly consider” testifying in the impeachment inquiry, possibly in writing. |
| Nancy Pelosi suggested that Trump testify while appearing on “Face the Nation” yesterday. “If he has information that is exculpatory, that means ex, taking away, culpable, blame, then we look forward to seeing it,” the House speaker said. | Nancy Pelosi suggested that Trump testify while appearing on “Face the Nation” yesterday. “If he has information that is exculpatory, that means ex, taking away, culpable, blame, then we look forward to seeing it,” the House speaker said. |
| Pelosi added that Trump “could come right before the committee and talk, speak all the truth that he wants if he wants.” | Pelosi added that Trump “could come right before the committee and talk, speak all the truth that he wants if he wants.” |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| The second round of public hearings in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump begins tomorrow, and Republicans’ defenses of the president’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, are going to be put to the test. | The second round of public hearings in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump begins tomorrow, and Republicans’ defenses of the president’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, are going to be put to the test. |
| Republicans on the House intelligence committee sought to dismiss last week’s damning testimony from Bill Taylor, Gorge Kent and Maria Yovanovitch as secondhand information because none of the state department officials spoke directly to Trump as the Ukraine controversy unfolded. | Republicans on the House intelligence committee sought to dismiss last week’s damning testimony from Bill Taylor, Gorge Kent and Maria Yovanovitch as secondhand information because none of the state department officials spoke directly to Trump as the Ukraine controversy unfolded. |
| However, Trump’s congressional allies will need to devise a new defense this week. Some of this week’s most anticipated witnesses – Lt Col Alexander Vindman, who will testify tomorrow, and Gordon Sondland, who will testify Wednesday – did speak to Trump directly about the pressure campaign. Vindman was even on Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president that sparked the initial whistleblower complaint. | However, Trump’s congressional allies will need to devise a new defense this week. Some of this week’s most anticipated witnesses – Lt Col Alexander Vindman, who will testify tomorrow, and Gordon Sondland, who will testify Wednesday – did speak to Trump directly about the pressure campaign. Vindman was even on Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president that sparked the initial whistleblower complaint. |
| As the hearings get closer and closer to the White House, congressional Republicans will have to quickly work out a new strategy if they want to protect Trump from the accelerating inquiry. | As the hearings get closer and closer to the White House, congressional Republicans will have to quickly work out a new strategy if they want to protect Trump from the accelerating inquiry. |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on today: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on today: |
| Trump has no public events today but will meet with secretary of state Mike Pompeo this afternoon. | Trump has no public events today but will meet with secretary of state Mike Pompeo this afternoon. |
| Democratic presidential candidate Deval Patrick will make his first visit to Iowa since launching his campaign. | Democratic presidential candidate Deval Patrick will make his first visit to Iowa since launching his campaign. |
| The House and the Senate are back in session. | The House and the Senate are back in session. |
| That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. | That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. |