Rep. Devin Nunes in his opening statement at House impeachment hearing: 'This spectacle is doing great damage to our country. It's nothing but an impeachment process in search of a crime.' ImpeachmentHearings
The historic first public impeachment hearing began Wednesday as Democrats hoped to make their case to millions of Americans watching on television that President Donald Trump's conduct has been so serious he deserves to be removed from office.
Taylor said he responded to Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, “President Trump should have more respect for another head of state.” The top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, Taylor is telling a House Intelligence Committee that it would be “crazy” for the U.S. to withhold military aid. In his phone call to Ukraine’s president, Trump said Yovanovitch was “bad news” and was “going to go through some things.”
This statement addresses the unsubstantiated claim from Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, that Biden might have been working in his son’s best interests when leading U.S. policy in Ukraine as vice president. “In late September, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was not given an explanation as to why the aid was held up after Congress approved it, but said he was glad the aid was eventually released to help “our friends” in Ukraine defend themselves against Russia.
“Democrats will be under immense pressure to unearth new information from witnesses whose accounts are already widely known and to generate new headlines so as not to lose the public’s attention. Consider: If impeachment is going to succeed, the moments that get it there almost certainly haven’t happened yet. As a Democratic House member texted me last night: “I think our members need to talk less.
He also dismissed other witnesses"secondhand" and"thirdhand" accounts of the president's phone call, and defended Trump's ability to fire his ambassadors. “Our answer to these questions will affect not only the future of this presidency but the future of the presidency, itself,” he said, asking, whether"such an abuse of his power is incompatible with the office of the presidency."
“Neither of these investigations were in the U.S. national interests,” but were in Trump’s personal interests, including his reelection, Schiff said.Republicans and Democrats set up displays of exhibits they plan to use to support their argument ahead of the hearing - Mulvaney’s presser for Dems, and a number of quotes and comments about the whistleblower from Republicans.
"Is today a make or break moment for Democrats regarding the impeachment inquiry? What are the stakes at play today?" Parkinson asked. ABC News’ Ben Siegel reported the first person in line to watch the hearing in person was Ed Ingber from Sarasota, who extended his vacation to Washington so he could see the proceedings in person. Ingber and others started to line up outside the hearing room at 3:30 a.m.
"It is important to underscore that the House's impeachment inquiry, and the Committee, will not serve as venues for any Member to further the same sham investigations into the Bidens or into debunked conspiracies about 2016 U.S. election interference that President Trump pressed Ukraine to undertake for his personal political benefit," Schiff, D-Calif., asserted in a memo to all Intelligence Committee members on Tuesday.
Tayor also affirmed that it was his"clear understanding" that"everything" from the U.S., including a White House meeting with Trump, was contingent upon Ukraine launching an investigation. He even testified that he believed the"irregular" diplomatic channel employed by Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, was used to benefit Trump.
Republicans outline four key pieces of evidence they plan to center their questions around, including a summary memorandum memorializing Trump's July 25 phone call with Zelenskiy, arguing the absence of a quid pro quo by showing"no conditionality or evidence of pressure."
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