https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/sondland-deposition-impeachment-inquiry/index.html
Trump loyalist and appointee Gordon Sondland:
"Let me state clearly: Inviting a foreign government to undertake investigations for the purpose of influencing an upcoming U.S. election would be wrong," Sondland will say. "Withholding foreign aid in order to pressure a foreign government to take such steps would be wrong. I did not and would not ever participate in such undertakings. In my opinion, security aid to Ukraine was in our vital national interest and should not have been delayed for any reason."
US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was directed by President Donald Trump to work with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine, he plans to tell Congress Thursday, and was left with a choice: Abandon efforts to bolster a key strategic alliance or work to satisfy the demands of the President's personal lawyer.
Sondland plans to say he wasn't aware until "much later" that Giuliani's agenda might have included an effort to "prompt the Ukrainians" to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter and to involve the Ukrainians in the President's campaign, according to his opening statement, which was obtained by CNN.
Sondland's revealing testimony is a clear break with Trump over Giuliani — he said he was "disappointed" that Trump wouldn't commit to a meeting sought by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until they spoke with Giuliani, who was pursuing an investigation into Biden, a potential political rival in Trump's reelection campaign. And the ambassador's testimony showcases how Trump put on hold an effort to strengthen relations with Ukraine until top US officials were in contact with his personal attorney.
"Based on the President's direction, we were faced with a choice: We could abandon the goal of a White House meeting for President Zelensky, which we all believed was crucial to strengthening U.S.-Ukrainian ties and furthering long-held U.S. foreign policy goals in the region; or we could do as President Trump directed and talk to Mr. Giuliani to address the President's concerns," Sondland will testify.
Sondland also plans to say that Pompeo, another potentially key player in the Ukraine effort who is so far refusing to turn over documents to the Hill, was aware of all his efforts on Ukraine policy and set him to work on the country from his first day on the job. Ukraine wouldn't naturally be the responsibility of the US's European Union expert, since it's not a member nation, Sondland's critics have said. Sondland will counter Thursday that conflicts in Ukraine especially over its Crimean Peninsula are major security crises for Europe and the US.
"I understand that all my actions involving Ukraine had the blessing of Secretary Pompeo as my work was consistent with long-standing U.S. foreign policy objectives. Indeed, very recently, Secretary Pompeo sent me a congratulatory note that I was doing great work, and he encouraged me to keep banging away," Sondland says, according to his prepared statement.
Those of you who have called for a "fair" and "open" inquiry can now rest assured that Trump is being allowed to have his own witnesses testify before the committee.
Will Trump demand that his witnesses Mulvaney, Pompeo, Pence, Eisenberg, Perry, Esper, Barr, Guiliani and his "plumbers" also be allowed to testify before the committee to set the record straight?
Will Trump also testify before the committee to set the record straight?
Will Trump release all documents related to the committee's work?
Trump loyalist and appointee Gordon Sondland:
"Let me state clearly: Inviting a foreign government to undertake investigations for the purpose of influencing an upcoming U.S. election would be wrong," Sondland will say. "Withholding foreign aid in order to pressure a foreign government to take such steps would be wrong. I did not and would not ever participate in such undertakings. In my opinion, security aid to Ukraine was in our vital national interest and should not have been delayed for any reason."
US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was directed by President Donald Trump to work with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine, he plans to tell Congress Thursday, and was left with a choice: Abandon efforts to bolster a key strategic alliance or work to satisfy the demands of the President's personal lawyer.
Sondland plans to say he wasn't aware until "much later" that Giuliani's agenda might have included an effort to "prompt the Ukrainians" to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter and to involve the Ukrainians in the President's campaign, according to his opening statement, which was obtained by CNN.
Sondland's revealing testimony is a clear break with Trump over Giuliani — he said he was "disappointed" that Trump wouldn't commit to a meeting sought by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until they spoke with Giuliani, who was pursuing an investigation into Biden, a potential political rival in Trump's reelection campaign. And the ambassador's testimony showcases how Trump put on hold an effort to strengthen relations with Ukraine until top US officials were in contact with his personal attorney.
"Based on the President's direction, we were faced with a choice: We could abandon the goal of a White House meeting for President Zelensky, which we all believed was crucial to strengthening U.S.-Ukrainian ties and furthering long-held U.S. foreign policy goals in the region; or we could do as President Trump directed and talk to Mr. Giuliani to address the President's concerns," Sondland will testify.
Sondland also plans to say that Pompeo, another potentially key player in the Ukraine effort who is so far refusing to turn over documents to the Hill, was aware of all his efforts on Ukraine policy and set him to work on the country from his first day on the job. Ukraine wouldn't naturally be the responsibility of the US's European Union expert, since it's not a member nation, Sondland's critics have said. Sondland will counter Thursday that conflicts in Ukraine especially over its Crimean Peninsula are major security crises for Europe and the US.
"I understand that all my actions involving Ukraine had the blessing of Secretary Pompeo as my work was consistent with long-standing U.S. foreign policy objectives. Indeed, very recently, Secretary Pompeo sent me a congratulatory note that I was doing great work, and he encouraged me to keep banging away," Sondland says, according to his prepared statement.
Those of you who have called for a "fair" and "open" inquiry can now rest assured that Trump is being allowed to have his own witnesses testify before the committee.
Will Trump demand that his witnesses Mulvaney, Pompeo, Pence, Eisenberg, Perry, Esper, Barr, Guiliani and his "plumbers" also be allowed to testify before the committee to set the record straight?
Will Trump also testify before the committee to set the record straight?
Will Trump release all documents related to the committee's work?
