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| Impeachment hearings: only one person drove Ukraine plot, says Schiff: 'Donald J Trump' – live | Impeachment hearings: only one person drove Ukraine plot, says Schiff: 'Donald J Trump' – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Schiff delivers damning verdict in closing statement after Gordon Sondland’s bombshell testimony that blew holes in Trump’s defense – follow live | Schiff delivers damning verdict in closing statement after Gordon Sondland’s bombshell testimony that blew holes in Trump’s defense – follow live |
| Adam Schiff is delivering his opening statement now. Follow along for live updates. | |
| This hearing was scheduled for 2:30 pm ET but was delayed after Sondland’s hearing ran long. | |
| Cooper is the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia and the Western Balkans. | |
| She was one of several Pentagon officials who warned the White House against withholding aid to Ukraine. Delaying Congressionally appropriated aid for an extended time could violate the Impoundment Control Act which prevents the executive branch from unilaterally deciding on such holds. | |
| In a closed-door testimony, which was delayed after Republican storming the secure area where she was interviewed, Cooper said the White House began inquiring after the aid nearly a month before it was frozen. | |
| Gordon Sondland testified that during a July phone call with Trump, they “primarily discussed” rapper A$AP Rocky, who was awaiting trial in Sweden at the time on charges stemming from a street brawl. | Gordon Sondland testified that during a July phone call with Trump, they “primarily discussed” rapper A$AP Rocky, who was awaiting trial in Sweden at the time on charges stemming from a street brawl. |
| US diplomat David Holmes testified in the impeachment inquiry that he overheard parts of that phone call. Sondland said Holmes jogged his memory of the call with Trump, which he took from a Kyiv restaurant. | US diplomat David Holmes testified in the impeachment inquiry that he overheard parts of that phone call. Sondland said Holmes jogged his memory of the call with Trump, which he took from a Kyiv restaurant. |
| Holmes said he overheard Sondland tell Trump that the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy “loves your ass” and Ukraine would go ahead with the investigation of the Bidens and the 2016 election that Trump wanted. | Holmes said he overheard Sondland tell Trump that the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy “loves your ass” and Ukraine would go ahead with the investigation of the Bidens and the 2016 election that Trump wanted. |
| Sondland said the call was mainly about A$AP Rocky rather than the investigations or military aid to Ukraine. | Sondland said the call was mainly about A$AP Rocky rather than the investigations or military aid to Ukraine. |
| In his closed-door testimony, Holmes did mention that he overheard Sondland tell Trump that the president should let Rocky “get sentenced, play the racism card, and give him a ticker-tape when he comes home”. | In his closed-door testimony, Holmes did mention that he overheard Sondland tell Trump that the president should let Rocky “get sentenced, play the racism card, and give him a ticker-tape when he comes home”. |
| As we continue to process Gordon Sondland’s bombshell testimony saying that Trump was driving the effort to pressure Ukraine, the president’s press secretary has issued a statement titled “Ambassador Sondland Completely Exonerates President Trump of Any Wrongdoing.” | As we continue to process Gordon Sondland’s bombshell testimony saying that Trump was driving the effort to pressure Ukraine, the president’s press secretary has issued a statement titled “Ambassador Sondland Completely Exonerates President Trump of Any Wrongdoing.” |
| Earlier, an angry Trump read off a handwritten script: “I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo.” | Earlier, an angry Trump read off a handwritten script: “I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo.” |
| As we await the next round of testimony, here’s a summary of where things stand: | As we await the next round of testimony, here’s a summary of where things stand: |
| Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the European Union, blew holes in Donald Trump’s impeachment defense with testimony describing efforts to engineer a quid pro quo with Ukraine. | Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the European Union, blew holes in Donald Trump’s impeachment defense with testimony describing efforts to engineer a quid pro quo with Ukraine. |
| “Everyone was in the loop,” Sondland said. “It was no secret.” | “Everyone was in the loop,” Sondland said. “It was no secret.” |
| Trump was driving the plot in person and through Rudy Giuliani, Sondland said: “We all understood that these prerequisites for the White House call and White House meeting reflected President Trump’s desires and requirements.” | Trump was driving the plot in person and through Rudy Giuliani, Sondland said: “We all understood that these prerequisites for the White House call and White House meeting reflected President Trump’s desires and requirements.” |
| “We all understood that if we refused to work with Mr. Giuliani, we would lose an important opportunity...” he said. “So we followed the President’s orders.” | “We all understood that if we refused to work with Mr. Giuliani, we would lose an important opportunity...” he said. “So we followed the President’s orders.” |
| Republicans highlighted Sondland’s testimony that Trump told him there was no quid pro quo. | Republicans highlighted Sondland’s testimony that Trump told him there was no quid pro quo. |
| But Sondland said: “Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’ As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is ‘yes’.” | But Sondland said: “Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’ As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is ‘yes’.” |
| Republicans also battered Sondland for concluding that military aid was conditioned on an announcement of investigations, despite Trump’s never telling him that. But Sondland said the condition was not only clear to him but to others. | Republicans also battered Sondland for concluding that military aid was conditioned on an announcement of investigations, despite Trump’s never telling him that. But Sondland said the condition was not only clear to him but to others. |
| Sondland said Trump wanted an announcement of investigations more than investigations themselves. | Sondland said Trump wanted an announcement of investigations more than investigations themselves. |
| Sondland said the failure of the state department to comply with a documents subpoena had damaged his ability to testify fully. | Sondland said the failure of the state department to comply with a documents subpoena had damaged his ability to testify fully. |
| House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff declared it “a seminal moment in our investigation.” | House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff declared it “a seminal moment in our investigation.” |
| Read further: | Read further: |
| We’re advised that Cooper and Hale will begin testifying at approximately 5pm ET. | We’re advised that Cooper and Hale will begin testifying at approximately 5pm ET. |
| whooopsie | whooopsie |
| Here’s video of Schiff closing: | Here’s video of Schiff closing: |
| Everyone (on Twitter) is raving about this new Kamala Harris ad. Let’s have a gander: | Everyone (on Twitter) is raving about this new Kamala Harris ad. Let’s have a gander: |
| It does have snap, doesn’t it? | It does have snap, doesn’t it? |
| The drama continues: Will Sondland make his flight to Brussels? His lawyer had asked Schiff to make the lunchbreak short so Sondland could return to post. | The drama continues: Will Sondland make his flight to Brussels? His lawyer had asked Schiff to make the lunchbreak short so Sondland could return to post. |
| Elsewhere... | Elsewhere... |
| A former prosecutor summarizes: | A former prosecutor summarizes: |