This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/us/politics/sondland-impeachment-testimony.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Why Discrepancies in Gordon Sondland’s Testimony in the Impeachment Inquiry Loom Large Why Discrepancies in Gordon Sondland’s Testimony in the Impeachment Inquiry Loom Large
(about 13 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Gordon D. Sondland, the American ambassador to the European Union, has emerged as a critical witness in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine. But when he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, he will have to answer for several inconsistencies that have emerged in his story so far.WASHINGTON — Gordon D. Sondland, the American ambassador to the European Union, has emerged as a critical witness in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine. But when he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, he will have to answer for several inconsistencies that have emerged in his story so far.
Mr. Sondland answered questions privately for more than nine hours in an interview last month with the House Intelligence Committee. Weeks later, he amended his testimony with a lengthy sworn statement. A hotelier and megadonor to Mr. Trump’s inauguration, he has emerged as a crucial player in Mr. Trump’s efforts to get Ukraine to announce investigations to discredit former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats. His own statements have called into question his credibility, after several other witnesses have raised doubts about his candor.Mr. Sondland answered questions privately for more than nine hours in an interview last month with the House Intelligence Committee. Weeks later, he amended his testimony with a lengthy sworn statement. A hotelier and megadonor to Mr. Trump’s inauguration, he has emerged as a crucial player in Mr. Trump’s efforts to get Ukraine to announce investigations to discredit former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats. His own statements have called into question his credibility, after several other witnesses have raised doubts about his candor.
Here are the discrepancies between Mr. Sondland’s account, his own revisions, and the testimony of others.Here are the discrepancies between Mr. Sondland’s account, his own revisions, and the testimony of others.
A witness testified that Mr. Sondland told a top Ukrainian official that the military aid the country needed to defend itself from the Russians was tied to the Ukranians publicly committing to the investigations that Mr. Trump wanted. Timothy Morrison, a former top National Security Council official who dealt with Ukraine, said that Mr. Sondland told the Ukranians that “the prosecutor general would to go the mic and announce that he was opening” an investigation into Burisma Holdings, the energy company whose board of directors at one point included Mr. Biden’s son Hunter.A witness testified that Mr. Sondland told a top Ukrainian official that the military aid the country needed to defend itself from the Russians was tied to the Ukranians publicly committing to the investigations that Mr. Trump wanted. Timothy Morrison, a former top National Security Council official who dealt with Ukraine, said that Mr. Sondland told the Ukranians that “the prosecutor general would to go the mic and announce that he was opening” an investigation into Burisma Holdings, the energy company whose board of directors at one point included Mr. Biden’s son Hunter.
Mr. Sondland testified that he “never” thought there was any precondition on the aid. But two weeks later, he amended his testimony, saying he had indeed told the Ukrainians that the military aid was tied to the investigations.Mr. Sondland testified that he “never” thought there was any precondition on the aid. But two weeks later, he amended his testimony, saying he had indeed told the Ukrainians that the military aid was tied to the investigations.
“I said that resumption of the U.S. aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anticorruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks,” Mr. Sondland said in his new statement.“I said that resumption of the U.S. aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anticorruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks,” Mr. Sondland said in his new statement.
It matters because Democrats are investigating how Mr. Trump sought to pressure the Ukrainians and who the president used to carry out the campaign. A muddy picture of how the administration sought to influence the Ukrainians makes getting to the bottom of that matter more difficult.It matters because Democrats are investigating how Mr. Trump sought to pressure the Ukrainians and who the president used to carry out the campaign. A muddy picture of how the administration sought to influence the Ukrainians makes getting to the bottom of that matter more difficult.
A witness testified that Mr. Sondland had a phone call with Mr. Trump in July while at a restaurant in Kyiv. David Holmes, a diplomat at the American embassy in Kyiv, testified that he was sitting at an outdoor table with Mr. Sondland when he spoke to Mr. Trump about President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, and that he could hear Mr. Trump’s voice.A witness testified that Mr. Sondland had a phone call with Mr. Trump in July while at a restaurant in Kyiv. David Holmes, a diplomat at the American embassy in Kyiv, testified that he was sitting at an outdoor table with Mr. Sondland when he spoke to Mr. Trump about President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, and that he could hear Mr. Trump’s voice.
“President Zelensky ‘loves your ass,’” Mr. Holmes said he heard Mr. Sondland tell the president.“President Zelensky ‘loves your ass,’” Mr. Holmes said he heard Mr. Sondland tell the president.
“I then heard President Trump ask, ‘He’s going to do the investigation?’” Mr. Holmes said.“I then heard President Trump ask, ‘He’s going to do the investigation?’” Mr. Holmes said.
“’He’s going to do it,’” Mr. Holmes said Mr. Sondland responded, adding that the ambassador said Mr. Zelensky would do whatever Mr. Trump wanted.“’He’s going to do it,’” Mr. Holmes said Mr. Sondland responded, adding that the ambassador said Mr. Zelensky would do whatever Mr. Trump wanted.
Mr. Sondland testified that he spoke with Mr. Trump before Mr. Trump’s July 25 call with Mr. Zelensky but made no mention of speaking with him the day after the call.Mr. Sondland testified that he spoke with Mr. Trump before Mr. Trump’s July 25 call with Mr. Zelensky but made no mention of speaking with him the day after the call.
“As I said, I spoke with President Trump before I got on the plane, I believe, to Kyiv and it was a nothing call,” Mr. Sondland said. “I said we’re headed to Kyiv to go see Zelensky and he was like, ‘Oh, great,’ whatever. That was sort of the end of the call. We never discussed anything substantive.”“As I said, I spoke with President Trump before I got on the plane, I believe, to Kyiv and it was a nothing call,” Mr. Sondland said. “I said we’re headed to Kyiv to go see Zelensky and he was like, ‘Oh, great,’ whatever. That was sort of the end of the call. We never discussed anything substantive.”
Mr. Sondland also testified: “I think I called him and said I’m headed to Kyiv to meet President Zelensky and Ambassador Volker. Is there anything you want me to share? And he just didn’t want to discuss it. ‘No, go. I don’t know why you’re going.’ ”Mr. Sondland also testified: “I think I called him and said I’m headed to Kyiv to meet President Zelensky and Ambassador Volker. Is there anything you want me to share? And he just didn’t want to discuss it. ‘No, go. I don’t know why you’re going.’ ”
It matters because it shows that Mr. Sondland did not share key details with the committee that point to how enmeshed he had become in the efforts to convey to the Ukrainians Mr. Trump’s desire for investigations he saw as politically advantageous.It matters because it shows that Mr. Sondland did not share key details with the committee that point to how enmeshed he had become in the efforts to convey to the Ukrainians Mr. Trump’s desire for investigations he saw as politically advantageous.
Witnesses testified that in a July meeting at the White House, Mr. Sondland told senior National Security Council staff and Ukrainian officials that the Ukrainians would have to commit to the investigations in order to receive an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Trump.Witnesses testified that in a July meeting at the White House, Mr. Sondland told senior National Security Council staff and Ukrainian officials that the Ukrainians would have to commit to the investigations in order to receive an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Trump.
“What did you hear Sondland say?” an impeachment investigator asked Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the council’s top Ukraine expert.“What did you hear Sondland say?” an impeachment investigator asked Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the council’s top Ukraine expert.
“That the Ukrainians would have to deliver an investigation into the Bidens,” Colonel Vindman said.“That the Ukrainians would have to deliver an investigation into the Bidens,” Colonel Vindman said.
Mr. Sondland testified that he “never made the connection between Burisma and the Bidens until the very end.”Mr. Sondland testified that he “never made the connection between Burisma and the Bidens until the very end.”
“I heard the word ‘Burisma,’ but I didn’t understand that Biden and Burisma were connected,” Sondland said. “Again, I recall no discussions with any State Department or White House official about former Vice President Biden or his son. Nor do I recall taking part in any effort to encourage an investigation into the Bidens.”“I heard the word ‘Burisma,’ but I didn’t understand that Biden and Burisma were connected,” Sondland said. “Again, I recall no discussions with any State Department or White House official about former Vice President Biden or his son. Nor do I recall taking part in any effort to encourage an investigation into the Bidens.”
It matters because it indicates that Mr. Sondland knew that the request from the president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, for the Ukrainians to investigate Burisma Holdings were essentially political in nature, and not a product of more general concerns by the president about corruption in Ukraine, as Mr. Trump has insisted. It matters because it indicates that Mr. Sondland knew that the request from the president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, for the Ukrainians to investigate Burisma Holdings was essentially political in nature, and not a product of more general concerns by the president about corruption in Ukraine, as Mr. Trump has insisted.
A witness testified that Mr. Sondland suggested to Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine, that praising the president on Twitter would help after Mr. Giuliani and others publicly criticized her as disloyal to Mr. Trump.A witness testified that Mr. Sondland suggested to Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine, that praising the president on Twitter would help after Mr. Giuliani and others publicly criticized her as disloyal to Mr. Trump.
“He said, you know, ‘You need to go big or go home. You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the President, and that all these are lies and everything else,’ ” she testified.“He said, you know, ‘You need to go big or go home. You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the President, and that all these are lies and everything else,’ ” she testified.
Mr. Sondland testified “I honestly don’t recall,” when asked whether he had spoken with Ms. Yovanovitch about her job.Mr. Sondland testified “I honestly don’t recall,” when asked whether he had spoken with Ms. Yovanovitch about her job.
It matters because Democrats are investigating why Mr. Trump pushed to have Ms. Yovanovitch removed as ambassador, and whether it had anything to do with his broader campaign to pressure Ukraine to pursue the investigations he wanted. Given Mr. Sondland’s role in the efforts to lean on the Ukrainians, investigators want to know what he knew about Ms. Yovanovitch’s effort to preserve her job and any involvement he had in those efforts.It matters because Democrats are investigating why Mr. Trump pushed to have Ms. Yovanovitch removed as ambassador, and whether it had anything to do with his broader campaign to pressure Ukraine to pursue the investigations he wanted. Given Mr. Sondland’s role in the efforts to lean on the Ukrainians, investigators want to know what he knew about Ms. Yovanovitch’s effort to preserve her job and any involvement he had in those efforts.