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| Impeachment hearings: Sondland was ‘involved in domestic political errand’, Hill testifies – live | Impeachment hearings: Sondland was ‘involved in domestic political errand’, Hill testifies – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Russia expert says she ‘had a couple testy encounters’ with Sondland and warned him ‘this is going to blow up’ | Russia expert says she ‘had a couple testy encounters’ with Sondland and warned him ‘this is going to blow up’ |
| White House: The Democrats are “motivated by a sick hatred” for Trump | |
| Trump’s press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement: “These two witnesses, just like the rest, have no personal or direct knowledge regarding why U.S. aid was temporarily withheld.” | |
| She accused House Democrats leading the impeachment inquiry of “being motivated by a sick hatred for President Trump and their rabid desire to overturn the 2016 election.” And echoing House Intelligence chair Adam Schiff, Grisham said: “The American people deserve better.” | |
| Schiff closed the last day of scheduled public impeachment hearings by saying, “There is nothing more dangerous than an unethical president who believes they are above the law,” Schiff says. “We are better than that.” | |
| A group of Republican senators met with White House officials to discuss strategies for an impeachment trial, the Washington Post reports. | |
| If the House decides to impeach Trump, he will be tried in the Republican-controlled Senate. A group of Republican senators met with the White House counsel Pat Cipollone, the acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, as well as the president’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, and the counsellor Kellyanne Conway, to discuss strategy, the Post reports, citing officials familiar with the meeting. | |
| Schiff has closed with a strong rebuttal of each Republican line of defense and ends with a declaration. | Schiff has closed with a strong rebuttal of each Republican line of defense and ends with a declaration. |
| “In my mind, there is nothing more dangerous than an unethical president who believes they are above the law,” Schiff says. “We are better than that. Adjourned.” | “In my mind, there is nothing more dangerous than an unethical president who believes they are above the law,” Schiff says. “We are better than that. Adjourned.” |
| Gavel. Applause in the hall, as in past days. | Gavel. Applause in the hall, as in past days. |
| Nunes has delivered his closing statement, calling the hearings a “show trial” and quoting Madison on the tyranny of the majority. | Nunes has delivered his closing statement, calling the hearings a “show trial” and quoting Madison on the tyranny of the majority. |
| Schiff is delivering his closing statement. | Schiff is delivering his closing statement. |
| The fifth – and final? – day of public impeachment hearings is drawing to a close. Here are five key takeaways: | The fifth – and final? – day of public impeachment hearings is drawing to a close. Here are five key takeaways: |
| 1 Ukraine scheme ‘very clear’ | 1 Ukraine scheme ‘very clear’ |
| In perhaps the most meticulous testimony yet, Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council official, testified it was “very clear” that US officials had made a White House meeting for the Ukrainian president contingent on an announcement of investigations into Joe Biden and 2016 election interference. | In perhaps the most meticulous testimony yet, Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council official, testified it was “very clear” that US officials had made a White House meeting for the Ukrainian president contingent on an announcement of investigations into Joe Biden and 2016 election interference. |
| “It became very clear the White House meeting itself was being predicated on other issues, namely investigations and the questions about the election interference in 2016,” she said. | “It became very clear the White House meeting itself was being predicated on other issues, namely investigations and the questions about the election interference in 2016,” she said. |
| 2 A ‘domestic political errand’ in Ukraine | 2 A ‘domestic political errand’ in Ukraine |
| Hill said she clashed with Gordon Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union, who was one of the officials working to consummate the scheme. Sondland “was being involved in a domestic political errand, and we were involved in national security policy, and the two had diverged,” she said. | Hill said she clashed with Gordon Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union, who was one of the officials working to consummate the scheme. Sondland “was being involved in a domestic political errand, and we were involved in national security policy, and the two had diverged,” she said. |
| “I did say to him, ‘Ambassador Sondland, Gordon, this is going to blow up’. And here we are.” | “I did say to him, ‘Ambassador Sondland, Gordon, this is going to blow up’. And here we are.” |
| 3 ‘It was obvious what the president was pressing for’ | 3 ‘It was obvious what the president was pressing for’ |
| David Holmes, a state department aide in Kiev, described a cell phone conversation at a restaurant in which he overheard Trump ask Sondland about “investigations” and heard Sondland tell Trump the Ukrainians had agreed to them. | David Holmes, a state department aide in Kiev, described a cell phone conversation at a restaurant in which he overheard Trump ask Sondland about “investigations” and heard Sondland tell Trump the Ukrainians had agreed to them. |
| Everyone in the embassy in Kiev came to understand that Rudy Giuliani and Trump were pressing Ukraine to announce an investigation related to Joe Biden, Holmes said: “It was obvious what the president was pressing for.” | Everyone in the embassy in Kiev came to understand that Rudy Giuliani and Trump were pressing Ukraine to announce an investigation related to Joe Biden, Holmes said: “It was obvious what the president was pressing for.” |
| 4 Hill warns Republicans not to spread Russian propaganda | 4 Hill warns Republicans not to spread Russian propaganda |
| Hill warned Republicans to stop peddling Russian propaganda in the form of conspiracy theories that Ukraine tampered in the 2016 presidential election. “I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” she said. | Hill warned Republicans to stop peddling Russian propaganda in the form of conspiracy theories that Ukraine tampered in the 2016 presidential election. “I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” she said. |
| Nevertheless the top Republican on the committee, Devin Nunes, and others pursued lines of questioning to advance various strands of the theory. | Nevertheless the top Republican on the committee, Devin Nunes, and others pursued lines of questioning to advance various strands of the theory. |
| 5 What comes next | 5 What comes next |
| After five days and 12 public witnesses, the public phase of impeachment hearings appeared to draw to a close. In concluding remarks, Nunes called the hearings “a show trial.” | After five days and 12 public witnesses, the public phase of impeachment hearings appeared to draw to a close. In concluding remarks, Nunes called the hearings “a show trial.” |
| But House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff said that the mountain of witness testimony added up to a compelling and urgent case that “Trump put his personal and political interest above the United States”. The committee was expected to begin work immediately on a report to be submitted to the judiciary committee, which could then draft and vote on articles of impeachment. | But House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff said that the mountain of witness testimony added up to a compelling and urgent case that “Trump put his personal and political interest above the United States”. The committee was expected to begin work immediately on a report to be submitted to the judiciary committee, which could then draft and vote on articles of impeachment. |
| Hill tells Democrat Sean Maloney that she does not buy Sondland’s claim that he, Sondland, did not understand for much of the summer that “Burisma” meant “Biden”. | Hill tells Democrat Sean Maloney that she does not buy Sondland’s claim that he, Sondland, did not understand for much of the summer that “Burisma” meant “Biden”. |
| “It is not credible to me that he was oblivious,” Hill said. “He did not say Bidens however, he said Burisma.” | “It is not credible to me that he was oblivious,” Hill said. “He did not say Bidens however, he said Burisma.” |
| The White House and Senate Republicans have met and agreed that a trial in the Senate would be better than an abrupt dismissal in case of impeachment, Politico scoops: | The White House and Senate Republicans have met and agreed that a trial in the Senate would be better than an abrupt dismissal in case of impeachment, Politico scoops: |
| A “factual affirmative defense on the merits” – what would that look like? The Republicans have so far failed to summon any such thing | A “factual affirmative defense on the merits” – what would that look like? The Republicans have so far failed to summon any such thing |
| Republican Will Hurd – who is retiring – starts out saying something that does not hew to the Republican line, that the impeachment hearings have revealed conduct that “undermined our national security and undercut Ukraine.” | Republican Will Hurd – who is retiring – starts out saying something that does not hew to the Republican line, that the impeachment hearings have revealed conduct that “undermined our national security and undercut Ukraine.” |
| “I disagree with this sort of bungling foreign policy,” Hurd says. | “I disagree with this sort of bungling foreign policy,” Hurd says. |
| But the he gets directly in Nunes’ draft: “There’s a lot we do not know. We have not heard from Rudy Giuliani, Hunter Biden or the whistleblower,” Hurd says. | But the he gets directly in Nunes’ draft: “There’s a lot we do not know. We have not heard from Rudy Giuliani, Hunter Biden or the whistleblower,” Hurd says. |
| He says impeachment requires overwhelming evidence – suggesting he does not believe the last two weeks amount to that – and “I have not heard evidence proving that the president committed bribery or extortion.” | He says impeachment requires overwhelming evidence – suggesting he does not believe the last two weeks amount to that – and “I have not heard evidence proving that the president committed bribery or extortion.” |
| Republican Elise Stefanik is up. She mentions that she plans to ask a question of the witnesses. But she spends a minute attacking the process of impeachment. | Republican Elise Stefanik is up. She mentions that she plans to ask a question of the witnesses. But she spends a minute attacking the process of impeachment. |
| “Thank you Dr Hill for your comments on the personal attacks,” Stefanik says. Then she asks a question of Hill. Were you on the 25 July call? It’s been established that Hill was not. | “Thank you Dr Hill for your comments on the personal attacks,” Stefanik says. Then she asks a question of Hill. Were you on the 25 July call? It’s been established that Hill was not. |
| Stefanik turns to Holmes. “Good to see you again” – as Holmes noted, he had helped host Stefanik and a delegation in Ukraine. | Stefanik turns to Holmes. “Good to see you again” – as Holmes noted, he had helped host Stefanik and a delegation in Ukraine. |
| Then Stefanik goes back to Hill. There is a string of yes-no questions. Didn’t Ukraine receive the aid? Isn’t it true there was no investigation of the Bidens? Didn’t Trump and Zelenskiy meet at the UN? | Then Stefanik goes back to Hill. There is a string of yes-no questions. Didn’t Ukraine receive the aid? Isn’t it true there was no investigation of the Bidens? Didn’t Trump and Zelenskiy meet at the UN? |
| Holmes pushes back a bit, pointing out that Trump and Zelenskiy never met in the Oval Office. | Holmes pushes back a bit, pointing out that Trump and Zelenskiy never met in the Oval Office. |
| But didn’t they meet at the UN? Stefanik presses. | But didn’t they meet at the UN? Stefanik presses. |
| Affirmative. | Affirmative. |
| A third consecutive Republican, Chris Stewart, makes a speech without asking a question. They’ve seemingly decided that the best strategy from here is to minimize the witnesses’ speaking time. | A third consecutive Republican, Chris Stewart, makes a speech without asking a question. They’ve seemingly decided that the best strategy from here is to minimize the witnesses’ speaking time. |
| Good anecdote from Hill, in reply to a question from Democrat Jackie Speier: | Good anecdote from Hill, in reply to a question from Democrat Jackie Speier: |