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| Vindman tells impeachment hearing he reported 'improper' Trump call immediately – live | Vindman tells impeachment hearing he reported 'improper' Trump call immediately – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Key witness testifies publicly on Trump’s Ukraine call and says ‘vile’ character attacks on those testifying ‘reprehensible’ – follow the latest live | Key witness testifies publicly on Trump’s Ukraine call and says ‘vile’ character attacks on those testifying ‘reprehensible’ – follow the latest live |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| The House intelligence committee has called a five- to ten-minute break in this morning’s public impeachment hearing, which will likely become more like a 20-minute recess. | The House intelligence committee has called a five- to ten-minute break in this morning’s public impeachment hearing, which will likely become more like a 20-minute recess. |
| GOP counsel Steve Castor’s questioning to Lt Col Alexander Vindman about whether he considered an offer to become Ukraine’s defense minister seemed to be getting at some Republicans’ baseless claims of the Iraq war veteran’s dual loyalty. | GOP counsel Steve Castor’s questioning to Lt Col Alexander Vindman about whether he considered an offer to become Ukraine’s defense minister seemed to be getting at some Republicans’ baseless claims of the Iraq war veteran’s dual loyalty. |
| The Republican counsel questioned Lt Col Alexander Vindman about whether he entertained an offer to become the defense minister of Ukraine. | The Republican counsel questioned Lt Col Alexander Vindman about whether he entertained an offer to become the defense minister of Ukraine. |
| Vindman emphasized that he was an American and did not consider the offer, calling it “comical” given his current role, which he said was “not that senior.” | Vindman emphasized that he was an American and did not consider the offer, calling it “comical” given his current role, which he said was “not that senior.” |
| While the press section of the stately hearing room is packed, the public section is scattered with several open seats. The front row is reserved for members of Congress, who have filtered in and out of the hearing. | While the press section of the stately hearing room is packed, the public section is scattered with several open seats. The front row is reserved for members of Congress, who have filtered in and out of the hearing. |
| For a brief period in the morning, congressman Eliot Engel, chair of the House Foreign Affairs committee, one of the three panels leading the impeachment inquiry, sat next to congressman Lee Zeldin, a Republican and a leading defender of the president. Several lawmakers sat hunched over their phones, tapping out messages and tweets. | For a brief period in the morning, congressman Eliot Engel, chair of the House Foreign Affairs committee, one of the three panels leading the impeachment inquiry, sat next to congressman Lee Zeldin, a Republican and a leading defender of the president. Several lawmakers sat hunched over their phones, tapping out messages and tweets. |
| But when chair Adam Schiff interrupted ranking member Devin Nunes to admonish the Republican for what he said were questions designed to unmask the whistleblower, Republicans in the room grumbled loudly. | But when chair Adam Schiff interrupted ranking member Devin Nunes to admonish the Republican for what he said were questions designed to unmask the whistleblower, Republicans in the room grumbled loudly. |
| Several seats to the left of the lawmakers, a man wore a Make America Great Again hat that jarred with the ornate setting. There were few other displays of partisanship among the audience. | Several seats to the left of the lawmakers, a man wore a Make America Great Again hat that jarred with the ornate setting. There were few other displays of partisanship among the audience. |
| Schiff, presiding over the hearing, sat ramrod straight, staring ahead intently at the witnesses. | Schiff, presiding over the hearing, sat ramrod straight, staring ahead intently at the witnesses. |
| Echoing last week’s hearings, the Republican counsel on the House intelligence committee asked today’s witnesses about Hunter Biden’s qualifications to join the board of the Ukrainian company Burisma. | Echoing last week’s hearings, the Republican counsel on the House intelligence committee asked today’s witnesses about Hunter Biden’s qualifications to join the board of the Ukrainian company Burisma. |
| “I don’t know much about Mr. Hunter Biden,” Lt Col Alexander Vindman said in response to questions from GOP counsel Steve Castor. | “I don’t know much about Mr. Hunter Biden,” Lt Col Alexander Vindman said in response to questions from GOP counsel Steve Castor. |
| While Devin Nunes was questioning Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman, Adam Schiff warned his Republican colleague that he was not to use the proceedings to attempt to out the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry. | While Devin Nunes was questioning Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman, Adam Schiff warned his Republican colleague that he was not to use the proceedings to attempt to out the whistleblower whose complaint initiated the impeachment inquiry. |
| Nunes was pressing Williams and Vindman on which officials they spoke to after Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president. | Nunes was pressing Williams and Vindman on which officials they spoke to after Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president. |
| Schiff reminded Nunes that committee members were required to protect the identity of the whistleblower, prompting some jeering from Republicans in the hearing room. | Schiff reminded Nunes that committee members were required to protect the identity of the whistleblower, prompting some jeering from Republicans in the hearing room. |
| Vindman responded that he did not know the whistleblower’s identity but had been instructed not to discuss his intelligence community contacts. Nunes told him he was free to plead the Fifth, but Vindman’s attorney pushed back that such protection was not necessary. | Vindman responded that he did not know the whistleblower’s identity but had been instructed not to discuss his intelligence community contacts. Nunes told him he was free to plead the Fifth, but Vindman’s attorney pushed back that such protection was not necessary. |
| In another rather tense moment, Vindman corrected Nunes after the congressman referred to the Iraq War veteran as “Mr Vindman.” “Ranking member, it’s Lt Col Vindman, please,” he said. | In another rather tense moment, Vindman corrected Nunes after the congressman referred to the Iraq War veteran as “Mr Vindman.” “Ranking member, it’s Lt Col Vindman, please,” he said. |
| Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, is now using his time to question Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman about whether they ever leaked to the press about Trump’s Ukraine call. | Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, is now using his time to question Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman about whether they ever leaked to the press about Trump’s Ukraine call. |
| Williams and Vindman repeatedly said they only spoke to White House staffers and officials with the proper clearances about the call. | Williams and Vindman repeatedly said they only spoke to White House staffers and officials with the proper clearances about the call. |
| Adam Schiff and the Democratic counsel have concluded their 45 minutes of questions to Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman, and Republican Devin Nunes has now begun his questioning. | Adam Schiff and the Democratic counsel have concluded their 45 minutes of questions to Jennifer Williams and Lt Col Alexander Vindman, and Republican Devin Nunes has now begun his questioning. |
| The ranking member of the House intelligence committee opened his questioning by asking the witnesses about Hunter Biden’s connections to the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, even though Williams and Vindman quickly acknowledged they had very little familiarity with the matter. | The ranking member of the House intelligence committee opened his questioning by asking the witnesses about Hunter Biden’s connections to the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, even though Williams and Vindman quickly acknowledged they had very little familiarity with the matter. |
| Lt Col Alexander Vindman said his impression from Trump’s communications with the Ukrainian president was that Volodymyr Zelenskiy “would have to deliver these investigations” into Joe Biden and the 2016 election in order to secure a White House meeting. | Lt Col Alexander Vindman said his impression from Trump’s communications with the Ukrainian president was that Volodymyr Zelenskiy “would have to deliver these investigations” into Joe Biden and the 2016 election in order to secure a White House meeting. |
| Answering the Democratic counsel’s question about the placement of the Ukraine call transcript on a highly secure server, Lt Col Alexander Vindman said such decisions were “not unprecedented.” | Answering the Democratic counsel’s question about the placement of the Ukraine call transcript on a highly secure server, Lt Col Alexander Vindman said such decisions were “not unprecedented.” |
| However, the NSC official noted the decision to move the transcript of Trump’s call to a more secure server was made “on the fly.” | However, the NSC official noted the decision to move the transcript of Trump’s call to a more secure server was made “on the fly.” |