Amb. Gordon Sondland’s opening statement for today’s impeachment hearing has been released and he says that President Trump did order him to link aide to Ukraine to an investigation of the Bidens:
In his opening statement, Gordon Sondland will confirm, "at the express direction of the president", that a quid pro quo preconditioning a White House meeting in exchange for an investigation into the Bidens' business dealings in Ukraine took place. https://t.co/AIb9r585G6
— Axios (@axios) November 20, 2019
Devastating testimony from Sondland: says Giuliani's requests to Ukraine for investigations were a "quid pro quo" for an Oval Office meeting with Trump for Zelenskiy. Sez he briefed Pompeo, Bolton. "Everybody knew what we were doing and why."
— Jonathan Landay (@JonathanLanday) November 20, 2019
Sondland: "I know that members of this committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’ With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.” https://t.co/wrZzmFJhUg
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) November 20, 2019
Sondland explosive opening statement: “Mr. Giuliani also expressed those requests directly to us. We all understood that these prerequisites for the White House call and White House meeting reflected President Trump's desires and requirements."
— Courtney Kealy (@courtneykealy) November 20, 2019
Over to you, Rudy Giuliani:
1.Sondland begins by expressly saying he worked with Giuliani at Trump’s express request, and that he didn’t want to work with Giuliani but felt he had to given Trump’s order. pic.twitter.com/CUC4hNmLlu
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) November 20, 2019
He’s bringing Vice President Pence. . .
Wow.
Gordon Sondland implicates Vice President Pence in the scheme to withhold military aid for investigations.#ImpeachingHearing pic.twitter.com/JKod0pkgOG
— Zac Petkanas (@Zac_Petkanas) November 20, 2019
. . .and Secretary of State Pompeo into the mix as well:
Sondland: "We kept the State Department and NSC informed of our activities. These included communications w/Pompeo, his counselor Ulrich Brechbuehl and Exec Sec Lisa Kenna w/in the State Dept and . . .
— Jonathan Landay (@JonathanLanday) November 20, 2019
You can read the entire thing here:
SONDLAND OPENING STATEMENT https://t.co/tRYQnbJmKh
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) November 20, 2019
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