Uh oh. Another nail in Trump from the Impeachment Inquiry
Today is was revealed that a key witness, Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the European Union, reversed his testimony.Previously, it was apparent, that he TRIED to protect the president, but inconsistencies and illogical statements did more damage than good for the (so called) president. Thus, he finally spoke the truth after.
"refreshing" his memory.
In response to:
Key Donald Trump impeachment witness changes testimony over Ukraine 'quid pro quo'
Nick Allen
5 November 2019 • 8:57 PM
A key witness in the Donald Trump impeachment inquiry has reversed his evidence, indicating he did believe there was a quid pro quo in which US military aid would be denied to Ukraine unless it publicly launched a corruption investigation into Joe Biden.
Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, had initially denied any knowledge of a link between the $391 million in aid and Mr Trump's request that Ukraine launch an inquiry into his political rival.
But in a revised statement Mr Sondland said: "In the absence of any credible explanation for the suspension of aid, I presumed that the aid suspension had become linked to the proposed anti-corruption statement."
Mr Sondland said that, after "refreshing my recollection," he remembered telling a senior Ukrainian official on September 1 that the aid would "likely" be stopped unless there was an investigation into Mr Biden and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
His private testimony, and the amended statement, were released by the Democrat-led committee pursuing the impeachment inquiry.
The impeachment inquiry is primarily focused on a July 25 conversation between Mr Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Mr Trump froze the US military assistance to Ukraine shortly before speaking to Mr Zelenskiy, prompting accusations from Democrats that he had misused taxpayer money destined for a vulnerable US ally for personal political gain.
Mr Sondland detailed how at one point Mr Trump nearly hung up on him when he asked whether the White House was withholding the aid in return for an inquiry into Mr Biden.
He said Mr Trump told him: "I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. I want Zelenskiy to do the right thing."
Mr Sondland said Mr Trump was in a "bad mood". He added: "I wouldn't say he hung up me, but it was almost like he hung up on me."
The diplomat said on September 1 he discussed the matter with Andriy Yermak, an adviser to Mr Zelenskiy.
Mr Sondland said: “I said that resumption of the US aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti- corruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks."
He said he believed the plan was "ill-advised" but he did not know "when, why or by whom the aid was suspended."
Mr Sondland was asked by the committee if he thought the idea was illegal. He said: "I'm not a lawyer, but I assume so."
When asked a second time he said it would be "improper" and added: "I don’t know the law exactly. It doesn’t sound good."
Congressional Democrats also released testimony from Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine
He said Mr Trump had told him to "talk to Rudy" - his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani - about Ukraine matters.
Mr Volker said the president told him: "They are all corrupt, they are all terrible people. I don't want to spend any time with that."
Key Donald Trump impeachment witness changes testimony over Ukraine 'quid pro quo'
Nick Allen
5 November 2019 • 8:57 PM
A key witness in the Donald Trump impeachment inquiry has reversed his evidence, indicating he did believe there was a quid pro quo in which US military aid would be denied to Ukraine unless it publicly launched a corruption investigation into Joe Biden.
Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, had initially denied any knowledge of a link between the $391 million in aid and Mr Trump's request that Ukraine launch an inquiry into his political rival.
But in a revised statement Mr Sondland said: "In the absence of any credible explanation for the suspension of aid, I presumed that the aid suspension had become linked to the proposed anti-corruption statement."
Mr Sondland said that, after "refreshing my recollection," he remembered telling a senior Ukrainian official on September 1 that the aid would "likely" be stopped unless there was an investigation into Mr Biden and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
His private testimony, and the amended statement, were released by the Democrat-led committee pursuing the impeachment inquiry.
The impeachment inquiry is primarily focused on a July 25 conversation between Mr Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Mr Trump froze the US military assistance to Ukraine shortly before speaking to Mr Zelenskiy, prompting accusations from Democrats that he had misused taxpayer money destined for a vulnerable US ally for personal political gain.
Mr Sondland detailed how at one point Mr Trump nearly hung up on him when he asked whether the White House was withholding the aid in return for an inquiry into Mr Biden.
He said Mr Trump told him: "I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. I want Zelenskiy to do the right thing."
Mr Sondland said Mr Trump was in a "bad mood". He added: "I wouldn't say he hung up me, but it was almost like he hung up on me."
The diplomat said on September 1 he discussed the matter with Andriy Yermak, an adviser to Mr Zelenskiy.
Mr Sondland said: “I said that resumption of the US aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti- corruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks."
He said he believed the plan was "ill-advised" but he did not know "when, why or by whom the aid was suspended."
Mr Sondland was asked by the committee if he thought the idea was illegal. He said: "I'm not a lawyer, but I assume so."
When asked a second time he said it would be "improper" and added: "I don’t know the law exactly. It doesn’t sound good."
Congressional Democrats also released testimony from Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine
He said Mr Trump had told him to "talk to Rudy" - his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani - about Ukraine matters.
Mr Volker said the president told him: "They are all corrupt, they are all terrible people. I don't want to spend any time with that."
Comments (19)
It appears we know how this constitutional procedure will end.
Trump will be president until he dies.
As a president he can't wear silver bracelets.
Dude,you seriously need to get yourself a hobby!
It is clear from the testimonies, that Trump asked Ukraine to investigate Biden's son,
or there wouldn't be aid for them.
Sondland originally tried to make it sound like what he did was not quid pro quo.
However, now he is clear that it is.
You can call him a liar, if you like.
But, I am just letting you updates on the impeachment inquiry.
So, calling me a liar is truly out of place.
the aid would likely be stopped unless there was an investigation into Mr Biden and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma
Again, how do you know he never said that ? Are you with him 24/7 ?
no live witness
By the way, Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council
was ON THE CALL and DID testify. He also attempted to make Trump's supposed 'transcript' (notes)
more accurate, but that was refused by the White House. So, let go of your fantasies and open your mind to reality - quid pro quo. The actual reason Sondland changed his testimony, is because he didn't want to get hit with charges of lying to Congress under oath. He likely originally thought that everyone was going to lie to protect Trump and quickly realized, that wasn't the case.
Would you, could you, in a box? Would you, could you, live on fox? Will you give me dirt on Joe? Will you do the quid pro quo?..
He is far better than Leno, Carson, Letterman and the others. However, I do like John Oliver and Trevor Noah a lot too.
as I hadn't seen it yet.
I saw the interview with Nicole and was pleased to see her disgust for the unethical behavior
of her fellow Republicans. Sometimes it almost seems that Justin Amash and Kelly Conway's husband are the only 2 Republicans remaining with integrity. The others simply don't admit that a crime is a crime and instead try to divert attention to something else.