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Impeachment hearing: White House Twitter account attacks Vindman's judgment – live Impeachment hearing: White House Twitter account attacks Vindman's judgment – live
(32 minutes later)
Tweet attempts to cast doubt on Lt Col Alexander Vindman testimony after he criticized Trump’s ‘improper’ call with Ukrainian presidentTweet attempts to cast doubt on Lt Col Alexander Vindman testimony after he criticized Trump’s ‘improper’ call with Ukrainian president
The first public impeachment hearing today has concluded, and the second hearing with former NSC official Tim Morrison and former Ukraine envoy Kurt Volker is scheduled to begin in about 40 minutes.
Here’s what we learned from the first hearing:
Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams provided firsthand accounts of Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president, which sparked the impeachment inquiry. Vindman said he immediately notified White House lawyers of the “improper” call because he was alarmed by Trump’s apparent efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. Williams added that Trump’s mention of Biden and his son sounded “political” to her, which was not in keeping with a typical call to a foreign leader.
Republicans on the House intelligence committee tried to undermine Vindman’s credibility by alluding to a possible loyalty to Ukraine, which he denied, and by accusing him of going outside the chain of command to report his concerns on the call, which he contradicted. But GOP members did not try to seriously contest the witnesses’ key assertions about Trump’s Ukraine call.
The White House sent a tweet raising doubts about Vindman’s judgement by quoting the closed-door testimony of Morrison. However, during the hearing, Vindman pushed back against Morrison’s concerns by quoting a glowing performance review by former White House official Fiona Hill.
Williams and Vindman denied they are “never Trumpers,” despite the president’s accusations. Vindman said he would describe himself as “never partisan.”
The blog will have much more coming up, so stay tuned.
The first of two public hearings in the House impeachment inquiry has concluded after about four and a half hours of testimony from Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams.
In his closing statement, Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, declared, “Act one of today’s circus is over.”
But committee chairman Adam Schiff used his opening statement to once again lay out the accusations against Trump and argue the witnesses’ testimony today had contradicted Republicans’ claims that the president mentioned investigations into Joe Biden and the 2016 election because he cared about Ukrainian corruption.
Democratic representative Raja Krishamoorthi expressed his concerns that Lt Col Alexnader Vindman was being attacked partly because he is an immigrant.
Krishamoorthi, a fellow immigrant, added that he hoped Vindman was as proud to be an American as he was, becoming emotional as he spoke.
Moments ago, Lt Col Alexander Vindman dismissed a conspiracy theory that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 presidential election as a “Russian narrative that President Putin has promoted.”
The US intelligence community has thoroughly confirmed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, but Republicans on the House intelligence committee have attempted to resurface the baseless allegations against Ukraine during the public impeachment hearings.
Some of those watching today’s impeachment testimony from the public seating section of the hearing room applauded after Lt Col Alexander Vindman explained why he felt comfortable publicly sharing his concerns about the president.Some of those watching today’s impeachment testimony from the public seating section of the hearing room applauded after Lt Col Alexander Vindman explained why he felt comfortable publicly sharing his concerns about the president.
“This is America,” Vindman said in response to a question from Democratic representative Sean Maloney about whether his father was concerned about him testifying. “Here, right matters.”“This is America,” Vindman said in response to a question from Democratic representative Sean Maloney about whether his father was concerned about him testifying. “Here, right matters.”
For a lighter moment in the impeachment hearing, presidential candidate Julián Castro responded to a claim from his brother, representative Joaquin Castro, that he made him grow a beard to make it easier to tell the identical twins apart.For a lighter moment in the impeachment hearing, presidential candidate Julián Castro responded to a claim from his brother, representative Joaquin Castro, that he made him grow a beard to make it easier to tell the identical twins apart.
Representative Jim Jordan, one of Trump’s closest congressional allies, used his final five minutes of questioning to accuse Democrats of trying to undo the results of the 2016 presidential election through the impeachment inquiry.Representative Jim Jordan, one of Trump’s closest congressional allies, used his final five minutes of questioning to accuse Democrats of trying to undo the results of the 2016 presidential election through the impeachment inquiry.
The Ohio Republican did not ask a single question to today’s witnesses, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams.The Ohio Republican did not ask a single question to today’s witnesses, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams.
The White House tweet raising doubts about the judgement of Lt Col Alexander Vindman is particularly shocking considering the Iraq war veteran still serves on the national security council.The White House tweet raising doubts about the judgement of Lt Col Alexander Vindman is particularly shocking considering the Iraq war veteran still serves on the national security council.
Meanwhile, over on Trump’s Twitter account, the president is resharing messages from Republican accounts downplaying the testimony from Vindman and Jennifer Williams.Meanwhile, over on Trump’s Twitter account, the president is resharing messages from Republican accounts downplaying the testimony from Vindman and Jennifer Williams.
The White House Twitter account has just sent a message raising doubts about the judgement of Lt Col Alexander Vindman as the NSC official testifies in the impeachment inquiry.The White House Twitter account has just sent a message raising doubts about the judgement of Lt Col Alexander Vindman as the NSC official testifies in the impeachment inquiry.
The White House tweet quoted the closed-door testimony from Tim Morrison, who was Vindman’s superior on the national security council.The White House tweet quoted the closed-door testimony from Tim Morrison, who was Vindman’s superior on the national security council.
However, asked about Morrison’s testimony earlier, Vindman cited his glowing performance review from former White House official Fiona Hill, who praised the Iraq war veteran’s “brilliant” and “unflappable” demeanor.However, asked about Morrison’s testimony earlier, Vindman cited his glowing performance review from former White House official Fiona Hill, who praised the Iraq war veteran’s “brilliant” and “unflappable” demeanor.
Representative Joaquin Castro got a laugh during the impeachment hearing by making a joke about being an identical twin, as Lt Col Alexander Vindman is.Representative Joaquin Castro got a laugh during the impeachment hearing by making a joke about being an identical twin, as Lt Col Alexander Vindman is.
Castro said it was “great to talk to a fellow identical twin” and added he hoped Vindman’s brother was “nicer to you” and doesn’t “make you grow a beard.”Castro said it was “great to talk to a fellow identical twin” and added he hoped Vindman’s brother was “nicer to you” and doesn’t “make you grow a beard.”
The Texas congressman’s brother, Julián Castro, is currently running for president, and Joaquin grew a beard in part to help tell the two apart.The Texas congressman’s brother, Julián Castro, is currently running for president, and Joaquin grew a beard in part to help tell the two apart.
Under questioning from Republican representative Elise Stefanik, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams both acknowledged there was the potential for the appearance of a conflict of interest in Hunter Biden’s work for the Ukrainian company Burisma.Under questioning from Republican representative Elise Stefanik, Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams both acknowledged there was the potential for the appearance of a conflict of interest in Hunter Biden’s work for the Ukrainian company Burisma.
George Kent, the state department official who raised concerns about the appearance of a conflict of interest in Biden’s work for Burisma in 2015, testified last week that he never saw any effort by US officials to shield the company from scrutiny.George Kent, the state department official who raised concerns about the appearance of a conflict of interest in Biden’s work for Burisma in 2015, testified last week that he never saw any effort by US officials to shield the company from scrutiny.
Republican representative Chris Stewart pressed Lt Col Alexander Vindman on why he corrected Devin Nunes after the GOP ranking member incorrectly called the Iraq war veteran “Mr Vindman.”Republican representative Chris Stewart pressed Lt Col Alexander Vindman on why he corrected Devin Nunes after the GOP ranking member incorrectly called the Iraq war veteran “Mr Vindman.”
“You always insist on civilians calling you by your rank?” Stewart asked. Vindman, a Purple Heart recipient, replied that he considered the correction appropriate given that he is in his military uniform and because he has been the subject of attacks meant to “marginalize” his service.“You always insist on civilians calling you by your rank?” Stewart asked. Vindman, a Purple Heart recipient, replied that he considered the correction appropriate given that he is in his military uniform and because he has been the subject of attacks meant to “marginalize” his service.
Trump also touched on Vindman’s correction of Nunes when speaking to reporters during his cabinet meeting this afternoon.Trump also touched on Vindman’s correction of Nunes when speaking to reporters during his cabinet meeting this afternoon.
“I don’t know him,” Trump said of Vindman. “I don’t know, as he says, ‘Lt Colonel.’ I understand somebody had him the misfortune of calling him ‘Mr’ and he corrected them. I never saw the man. I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in. No, I don’t know Vindman at all.”“I don’t know him,” Trump said of Vindman. “I don’t know, as he says, ‘Lt Colonel.’ I understand somebody had him the misfortune of calling him ‘Mr’ and he corrected them. I never saw the man. I understand now he wears his uniform when he goes in. No, I don’t know Vindman at all.”
It’s worth noting that active duty service members are required to wear their military uniforms when appearing before Congress.It’s worth noting that active duty service members are required to wear their military uniforms when appearing before Congress.
Lt Col Alexander Vindman testified that after he reported his concerns on Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president, he was excluded from several meetings he usually would have attended in his capacity as the top Ukraine expert on the NSC.
Vindman said he could not make a determination on whether that exclusion constituted retaliation after he raised concerns, but he felt it was unusual.
Republican representative Brad Wenstrup, an Army reserve officer, accused Lt Col Alexander Vindman of going outside the chain of command by reporting his concerns on Trump’s Ukraine call to the White House counsel’s office rather than Tim Morrison, his direct superior.
Vindman testified that Morrison did not make himself available, but Wenstrup pushed back against that. This line of questioning will almost certainly be picked up again this afternoon, when Morrison testifies.
Committee chairman Adam Schiff pushed back against Republican representative John Ratcliffe’s line of questioning, which was meant to argue that none of the impeachment witnesses had testified to a bribery scheme in Trump’s communications with Ukraine.
Schiff said that those testifying during the impeachment hearings are fact witnesses and cannot reach a determination on bribery, pointing out that House members will be required to use their own judgment on the matter.
Asked about Rudy Giuliani’s unofficial efforts to influence US-Ukrainian policy, Lt Col Alexander Vindman said that the maneuvers by the president’s personal lawyer were unhelpful to the country’s national security.
The next Republican questioner at today’s public impeachment hearing was representative John Ratcliffe, who largely avoided asking the witnesses questions in his five minutes.
Instead, he pointed to the ten closed-door depositions he had printed out and argued none of the witness testimony in the inquiry mentioned “bribery” when describing Trump’s communications with Ukraine.
However, a number of witnesses discussed a potential “quid pro quo” in connection to Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and the 2016 election.
After another flare-up over protecting the identity of the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry, Democratic representative Jim Himes asked Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman whether they are “never Trumpers.”
The president has previously claimed the witnesses in the impeachment inquiry are only testifying because they are politically opposed to him.
But Williams said she did not identify as a “never Trumper,” and Vindman told Himes, “I’d call myself never partisan.”
Republican representative Jim Jordan began his questioning of Lt Col Alexander Vindman by quoting former NSC official Tim Morrison’s closed-door testimony raising doubts about the Iraq war veteran’s reputation.
Vindman responded by quoting his performance review from former White House official Fiona Hill just before she left the adminsitration, which applauds Vindman’s “brilliant” and “unflappable” demeanor.
On the question of whether he ever leaked to the press, Vindman called the query “preposterous” and reiterated he would never share sensitive information with the media.
Describing Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president, Lt Col Alexander Vindman said there was no ambiguity in his mind that the commander-in-chief was asking Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate Joe Biden and his son.
The public impeachment hearing has resumed, and Lt Col Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams will now take series of five-minute questions from members of the House intelligence committee.
However, it appears that Trump’s congressional allies have so far been unconvinced by the two officials’ damning testimony about the president’s Ukraine call.
As the hearing takes a short break, it’s a good time to return to one answer that Jennifer Williams, an aide to the vice president, provided at the beginning of the House intelligence committee’s questioning.
When chairman Adam Schiff asked Williams about Mike Pence’s Sept. 18 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the longtime foreign service officer said she could not take questions about it because the White House had determined the conversation to be classified.
Williams said she would be willing to discuss the call in a classified setting or through a written statement to House members.
Williams previously testified about the call in her closed-door deposition and said the two leaders had a “very positive” conversation that did not include discussion of investigations into Joe Biden or the 2016 election.