Democratic debates: Democrats prepare for fifth debate after key impeachment witness says Trump directed Ukraine 'quid pro quo' in bombshell testimony
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Your support makes all the difference.Gordon Sondland has implicated a number of White House officials who were “in the loop” with Donald Trump's direction to withhold aid to Ukraine in an exchange for a meeting and a public statement announcing an investigation into the president’s political opponents.
The testimony came as Democrats were preparing to hold their fifth debate of 2020 in Atlanta, where they will undoubtedly be asked about the freshly sprung impeachment inquiry that has dominated headlines.
Mr Sondland, a US ambassador to the EU, affirmed that there was a so-called quid pro quo, dropping a bombshell testimony into another pivotal hearing in the House impeachment inquiry into the president’s alleged abuses of power in his dealings with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to his testimony, Mr Sondland worked under the president’s order to work with Rudy Giuliani “not because we liked it but because it was the only constructive path” to building a relationship with a vulnerable Ukraine. In emails and other conversations with US officials — including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Energy Secretary Rick Perry — Mr Sondland established a clear link from the president, through Giuliani, and efforts to engage Ukraine with investigations into the 2016 election and Burisma.
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Mr Trump told reporters outside the White House that he barely knows Mr Sondland, who he previously called a "great American", and that he seems like a “nice guy".
The president read from a stack of papers in his hand, which included, in capital letters, his recollection of a conversation with Mr Sondland in which Trump said "I WANT NOTHING. I WANT NOTHING. I WANT NO QUID PRO QUO."
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said that "the US aid to Ukraine flowed, no investigation was launched, and President Trump has met and spoken with President Zelensky. Democrats keep chasing ghosts."
Mr Pence and Mr Perry also released statements during the hearing denying Mr Giuliani’s influence in their dealings with Ukraine. They’ve refused to testify in the impeachment probe.
Mr Trump also lashed out at his Democratic opponents conducting the House impeachment inquiry, mocked key witnesses giving testimony for their sartorial choices and denied that the onset of a heart attack was what prompted his sudden trip to hospital on Saturday.
"These people are sick. They’re sick. And the press really in this country is dangerous. We don’t have freedom of the press in this country. We have the opposite. We have a very corrupt media," the president ranted from the Cabinet Room of the White House on Tuesday.
The inquiry heard from four witnesses on Tuesday who detailed the administration’s coercion of Ukraine.
Cooper has prepared remarks. She is describing her background, and her role related to the inquiry. Says she brings a "sense of duty to national security, not any political party".
Cooper recalls working in the Pentagon on 9/11, and feeling the floor tremble.
She says that she "found meaning" by volunteering to work on Afghanistan policy, which she did for four years.
"In my current role I work to advance US national security with a focus on deterring Russian aggression" Cooper says, noting that involves strengthening US relations with Ukraine and other bordering countries to Russia.
"The human toll continues to climb in this ongoing war, with 14,000 Ukrainian lives lost" since Russia invaded the Crimean peninsula, Cooper says, setting up the importance of US military aide to Ukraine.
Cooper says that she is among those who certifies that Ukraine is OK to receive US military funds. She says that she and others did so in May of this year, before Trump held it up. She says she became aware of that hold in July.
"Let me say at the outset that I have never discussed this or any other matter with the president, and never heard directly from him about this matter," Cooper says, noting that she heard Trump wanted to hold up the funds because of his concerns about corruption in Ukraine.
She continues to note that the inter-agency consensus was that the funds should be released.
"I and others at the interagency meetings felt that the matter was particularly urgent because it takes time to obligate that amount of money," Cooper says.
Cooper says that normal routes for not giving the aide were not pursued, to her knowledge.
Cooper calls the funds for Ukraine "critical", and thanks members of the House committee for holding the hearing.
She says she only has documentation of hearing about Ukrainians knowing that the aide was being held up on 5 September.
She also says that her staff has provided her with additional information since her testimony was made public. They told her that on July 25 that an email said the Ukrainian embassy was then asking about security assistance. Another email from later that day notes that The Hill and the Ukrainian embassy knew about the hold.
This hearing is skipping committee counsel sessions we've heard before. We are just going to have five minute rounds from each member.
Schiff says that they informed Republicans about this change last night.
Schiff also says it is "not accurate" that they have not allowed Republican witnesses, but says that Hale being here tonight was a Republican requested witness. Kurt Volker, yesterday, was a Republican witness as well. Morrison was also a Republican requested witness.
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