Trump administration blocks key witness from testifying in impeachment probe, lawyer says
Sondland's text messages with other U.S. diplomats were released last week after they were given to those House panels by former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker during his own deposition. In one exchange Sept. 9, Bill Taylor, a senior U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, told Sondland: "I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign."
"Ambassador Sondland believes strongly that he acted at all times in the best interests of the United States, and he stands ready to answer the Committee's questions fully and truthfully," Luskin said. Trump also asked Zelensky to "do us a favor though" and investigate Ukraine's connection to the Russia probe concluded earlier this year by former special counsel, Robert Mueller, after the Ukraine leader said his administration was "almost ready to buy more [Javelin missiles] from the United States for defense purposes."
House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff, D-Calif., was expected to address the situation publicly at 9:30 a.m., the time Sondland was scheduled to appear.Early this morning, the U.S. Department of State directed Ambassador Gordon Sondland not to appear today for his scheduled transcribed interview before the U.S. House of Representatives Joint Committee.
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