And one more for the Kent story,
Never-Before-Seen Trump Tax Documents Show Major Inconsistencies
The president’s businesses made themselves appear more profitable to lenders and less profitable to tax officials. One expert calls the differing numbers “versions of fraud.”
“It really feels like there’s two sets of books — it feels like a set of books for the tax guy and a set for the lender.”
And speaking of interesting implications…
Cuomo signs law aimed at weakening Trump’s pardon power, closes ‘double jeopardy’ loophole
Lawmakers said the measure was necessary to ensure state investigations don’t get derailed by the president.
FBI Arrests Third Man at JFK Airport in Probe of Rudy Giuliani Associates
A Florida man wanted in a campaign finance case involving associates of Rudy Giuliani is in federal custody.
Spokespersons for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan and the FBI confirm that David Correia was arrested Wednesday morning after getting off a flight at JFK Airport.
Correia is named in an indictment with two Giuliani associates on charges they made illegal contributions to a congressman and a political action committee supporting President Donald Trump. The two associates were arrested last week.
Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, says he had no knowledge of illegal donations.
Prosecutors say Correia conspired with other defendants to make political donations with the aim of trying to get support for a new recreational marijuana business.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Correia would appear in Manhattan federal court Wednesday or Thursday, when his co-defendants are due for a hearing.
A lawyer for Correia is not yet listed in court records.
There’s a third man?
It’s a bit murky, but the fourth man could refer to Pete Sessions!
Giuliani’s business dealings with the men are part of the federal investigation, according to people familiar with the matter. A grand jury subpoena has been issued to former congressman Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican, who interacted with Giuliani, Parnas and Fruman.
Giuliani and Sessions have denied wrongdoing. Parnas and Fruman have not formally entered pleas yet to the charges.
The Trump Impeachment Inquiry: Latest Updates
Two top diplomatic hands — the former top aide to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the former envoy to Ukraine — are on Capitol Hill as the House’s impeachment inquiry gathers steam.
RIGHT NOW
Kurt Volker, the State Department’s former envoy to Ukraine, has returned to the Capitol to review the transcript of his closed-door testimony earlier this month.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday that the House will not formally vote to begin an impeachment inquiry, but that has not slowed progress on House efforts to gather evidence that could lead to President Trump’s impeachment. Two former diplomatic hands will be meeting with House lawmakers on Wednesday, and others plan to show up this week in defiance of the White House’s blanket rejection of any compromise with House Democrats.
Here’s what you need to know:
Summary of Impeachment Inquiry into Trump 2019
October 3rd-15th
Calendars:
- US House Committee Repository Calendar
- Congress.gov Calendars and Schedules
- Washington Post’s Impeachment Calendar
General Congressional News:
News:
- 10/03/19 Trump’s impeachment defiance spooks key voting blocs
- 10/04/19 2nd Official Is Weighing Whether to Blow the Whistle on Trump’s Ukraine Dealings
- 10/04/19 Trump’s calls with foreign leaders have long worried aides, leaving some ‘genuinely horrified’
- 10/04/19 What happened on impeachment on Friday
- 10/04/19 Holding Ukraine hostage: How the president and his allies, chasing 2020 ammunition, fanned a political storm
- 10/05/19 Perry pressed Ukraine on corruption, energy company changes
- 10/04/19 Ron Johnson says Sondland told him of possible Ukraine quid pro quo
- 10/04/19 Trump, in August Call With GOP Senator, Denied Official’s Claim on Ukraine Aid
- 10/05/19 Scoop: Trump pins Ukraine call on Energy Secretary Rick Perry
- 10/05/19 Mounting evidence buttresses claims in whistleblower complaint
- 10/05/19 Pompeo Says State Department Has Responded to Congressional Subpoena
- 10/06/19 Legal Team Says It Represents a Second Whistle-Blower Over Trump and Ukraine
- 10/06/19 Whistleblower’s attorney says team now representing ‘multiple’ officials as impeachment inquiry expands
- 10/06/19 Scoop: Trump’s private concerns of an impeachment legacy
- 10/06/19 Ex-national security officials praise Trump whistleblower, urge his or her identity be protected
- 10/06/19 Ukrainian official: We tried to correct Trump’s ‘negative impression’
- 10/06/19 Barr’s Requests for Foreign Help Prompt Backlash in Australia, Italy, U.K.
- 10/07/19 Profit, not politics: Trump allies sought Ukraine gas deal
- 10/07/19 Rick Perry says he ‘absolutely’ asked Trump to call Zelensky – just not about the Bidens
- 10/07/19 Pentagon and OMB Subpoenaed in House Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon and OMB, expanding impeachment probe
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon, White House budget office in impeachment probe
- 10/07/19 Florida businessmen with Giuliani, Ukraine ties won’t comply with impeachment inquiry
- 10/07/19 Pence going after Democrats over impeachment — in their districts
- 10/08/19 Former Trump officials and lobbyists dined with Zelensky campaign at Trump hotel months before infamous phone call
- 10/08/19 Poll: Majority of Americans say they endorse opening of House impeachment inquiry of Trump
- 10/08/19 White House Declares War on Impeachment Inquiry, Claiming Effort to Undo Trump’s Election
- 10/08/19 White House escalates standoff with Congress, says it will not cooperate with impeachment inquiry of Trump
- 10/08/19 White House vows to block ‘illegitimate’ impeachment effort
- 10/08/19 Democrats to subpoena key witness blocked from testifying in impeachment probe
- 10/08/19 Subpoenas issued in impeachment inquiry following blocking of ambassador deposition
- 10/08/19 Bipartisan Senate report calls for sweeping effort to prevent Russian interference in 2020 election
- 10/08/19 Senate Report: Russians Used Social Media Mostly To Target Race In 2016
- 10/08/19 Russian Operative Said ‘We Made America Great’ After Trump’s Win
- 10/08/19 Ambassador to E.U. called Trump before texting ‘no quid pro quo’ to top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine
- 10/08/19 Trump’s Ukraine Call Was ‘Crazy’ and ‘Frightening,’ Official Told Whistle-Blower
- 10/08/19 White House official told whistleblower Trump Ukraine call was ‘frightening’
- 10/08/19 DOJ argues courts would decide famed Nixon Watergate case differently today
- 10/08/19 Pelosi Statement on Trump Administration Refusal to Comply with House Subpoenas
- 10/08/19 Trump-Ukraine scandal: The key players, dates and documents
- 10/09/19 First on CNN: Trump told Perry and State Department officials as early as May to talk to Giuliani about Ukraine
- 10/09/19 Trump Urged Top Aide to Help Giuliani Client Facing DOJ Charges
- 10/09/19 Biden Calls for Trump Impeachment for First Time
- 10/09/19 Scoop: House Democrats want testimony from Trump’s former Russia adviser
- 10/09/19 Trump’s Sweeping Case Against Impeachment Is a Political Strategy
- 10/09/19 Undeterred by White House Threat, Democrats Push Impeachment Inquiry Ahead
- 10/10/19 Fox News Poll: Record support for Trump impeachment
- 10/10/19 Ousted Ukraine envoy expected to testify in impeachment probe despite White House vow not to cooperate, congressional aides say
- 10/10/19 Rudy Giuliani’s Ukraine Henchmen Arrested Over Trump Group Donation
- 10/10/19 Two business associates of Trump’s personal attorney Giuliani have been arrested on campaign finance charges
- 10/10/19 2 Giuliani Associates Arrested With One-Way Tickets at U.S. Airport
- 10/10/19 Two Giuliani Associates Who Helped Him on Ukraine Charged With Campaign-Finance Violations
- 10/10/19 George Conway and other prominent conservatives call for ‘expeditious’ impeachment probe
- 10/10/19 Ukraine president: ‘No blackmail’ in conversation with Trump
- 10/10/19 Democrats subpoena Rick Perry for documents in impeachment inquiry
- 10/10/19 At least four national security officials raised alarms about Ukraine policy before and after Trump call with Ukrainian president
- 10/10/19 Two Giuliani Associates Who Helped Him on Ukraine Charged With Campaign-Finance Violations
- 10/10/19 Trump appointee put a freeze on Ukraine aid despite concerns from career officials
- 10/10/19 What Happened Today in Trump Impeachment Inquiry News
- 10/10/19 Giuliani’s Ukraine Team: In Search of Influence, Dirt and Money
- 10/11/19 Former US ambassador to Ukraine says Trump wanted her removed and blames ‘unfounded and false claims’
- 10/11/19 Ousted ambassador Marie Yovanovitch tells Congress Trump pressured State Dept. to remove her
- 10/11/19 Trump loses appeal to stop House subpoena of his tax documents
- 10/11/19 Trump’s longtime accounting firm must provide financial records to Congress, appeals court rules
- 10/11/19 Top US diplomat who called Ukraine aid freeze ‘crazy’ is asked to testify
- 10/11/19 Rudy Giuliani’s relationship with arrested men is subject of criminal investigation: Sources
- 10/11/19 More Potential Whistleblowers Are Contacting Congress
- 10/11/19 Giuliani Is Said to Be Under Investigation for Ukraine Work
- 10/11/19 Indicted Giuliani associate worked on behalf of Ukrainian oligarch Firtash
- 10/12/19 Trump tells reporters he doesn’t know if Giuliani is still his attorney
- 10/12/19 Anatomy of the phone call now imperiling Trump’s presidency
- 10/12/19 Trump’s envoy to testify that ‘no quid pro quo’ came from Trump
- 10/12/19 Ambassador to E.U. to testify he doesn’t know why Ukraine aid was held up
- 10/13/19 Trump backs Giuliani, but some aides wish he would cut ties
- 10/13/19 Trump downplays texts, denies quid pro quo with Ukraine
- 10/13/19 Gordon Sondland to Testify He Took Trump’s Denial of Ukraine Quid Pro Quo at His Word
- 10/13/19 Mark Esper: Pentagon ‘will do everything we can’ to respond to impeachment subpoena
- 10/13/19 House Democrats’ impeachment roadmap
- 10/14/19 Former White House adviser objected to ambassador’s ouster
- 10/14/19 Ex-Trump Aide Fiona Hill to Testify on Pressure to Oust Ambassador to Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Lawyer: Giuliani associate ‘being cooperative’ with House impeachment probe
- 10/14/19 Trump’s ex-Russia adviser told impeachment investigators of Giuliani’s efforts in Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Bolton Objected to Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Calling Giuliani ‘a Hand Grenade’
- 10/14/19 Bolton wanted White House lawyers alerted to Ukrainian efforts, called it ‘drug deal,’ witness tells Congress
- 10/14/19 Trump’s former Russia aide met with White House lawyer over Giuliani
- 10/14/19 Trump’s impeachment barricade begins to crumble
- 10/14/19 Recently resigned State Department adviser set to testify before Congress
- 10/15/19 Impeachment Investigators Question George Kent, State Dept. Ukraine Expert
- 10/15/19 Giuliani says he won’t comply with a congressional subpoena
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani defy demands by Congress for documents
- 10/15/19 Pence refuses House request to provide documents related to Ukraine call
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani Say They Won’t Give Congress Documents in Trump Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/15/19 Giuliani and a key federal agency defy House Democrats’ impeachment subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Ukraine Policy and the ‘Three Amigos’: Impeachment Update
- 10/15/19 Former Rep. Pete Sessions subpoenaed by grand jury investigating Giuliani and associates
- 10/15/19 New York feds subpoena ex-Texas congressman in criminal probe of Rudy Giuliani’s Ukraine dealings
- 10/15/19 White House Is Said to Open Internal Review of Ukraine Call
- 10/15/19 Giuliani pressed Trump to eject Muslim cleric from U.S., a top priority of Turkish president, former officials say
- 10/16/19 Mulvaney emerges as a key facilitator of the campaign to pressure Ukraine
- 10/16/19 FBI Nabs 3rd Man at JFK Airport in Giuliani Associates’ Case
- 10/16/19 Fourth defendant in Giuliani associates’ case arrested at New York airport
Documents:
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to DOD
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to OMB
- 10/08/19 White House letter to House Democrats
- 10/09/19 Read the whistleblower’s memo about Trump’s Ukraine call, as described to CBS News
Oversight And Reform Committee Investigations into Trump 2019:
News:
- 10/04/19 What happened on impeachment on Friday
- 10/05/19 Pompeo fails to meet House subpoena deadline to produce Ukraine documents
- 10/07/19 Pentagon and OMB Subpoenaed in House Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon and OMB, expanding impeachment probe
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon, White House budget office in impeachment probe
- 10/08/19 Democrats to subpoena key witness blocked from testifying in impeachment probe
- 10/09/19 Scoop: House Democrats want testimony from Trump’s former Russia adviser
- 10/10/19 Ousted Ukraine envoy expected to testify in impeachment probe despite White House vow not to cooperate, congressional aides say
- 10/10/19 Deutsche Bank Doesn’t Have Trump’s Tax Returns, Appeals Court Says
- 10/11/19 Ousted ambassador Marie Yovanovitch tells Congress Trump pressured State Dept. to remove her
- 10/11/19 Trump loses appeal to stop House subpoena of his tax documents
- 10/11/19 Trump’s longtime accounting firm must provide financial records to Congress, appeals court rules
- 10/11/19 Top US diplomat who called Ukraine aid freeze ‘crazy’ is asked to testify
- 10/11/19 Deutsche Bank Might Have Destroyed Physical Copies Of Trump’s Tax Returns, Cleansed Servers, Claims Former Executive: Report
- 10/12/19 Trump’s envoy to testify that ‘no quid pro quo’ came from Trump
- 10/12/19 Ambassador to E.U. to testify he doesn’t know why Ukraine aid was held up
- 10/13/19 Mark Esper: Pentagon ‘will do everything we can’ to respond to impeachment subpoena
- 10/14/19 Former White House adviser objected to ambassador’s ouster
- 10/14/19 Ex-Trump Aide Fiona Hill to Testify on Pressure to Oust Ambassador to Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Lawyer: Giuliani associate ‘being cooperative’ with House impeachment probe
- 10/14/19 Trump’s ex-Russia adviser told impeachment investigators of Giuliani’s efforts in Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Bolton Objected to Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Calling Giuliani ‘a Hand Grenade’
- 10/14/19 Bolton wanted White House lawyers alerted to Ukrainian efforts, called it ‘drug deal,’ witness tells Congress
- 10/14/19 Trump’s former Russia aide met with White House lawyer over Giuliani
- 10/14/19 Trump’s impeachment barricade begins to crumble
- 10/14/19 Recently resigned State Department adviser set to testify before Congress
- 10/15/19 Impeachment Investigators Question George Kent, State Dept. Ukraine Expert
- 10/15/19 Giuliani says he won’t comply with a congressional subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani defy demands by Congress for documents
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani Say They Won’t Give Congress Documents in Trump Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/15/19 Giuliani and a key federal agency defy House Democrats’ impeachment subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Ukraine Policy and the ‘Three Amigos’: Impeachment Update
- 10/16/19 Mulvaney emerges as a key facilitator of the campaign to pressure Ukraine
Documents:
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to DOD
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to OMB
- 10/11/19 READ: Appeals court ruling on Trump tax returns
Intelligence Committee Investigations into Trump 2019:
News:
- 10/04/19 What happened on impeachment on Friday
- 10/05/19 Pompeo fails to meet House subpoena deadline to produce Ukraine documents
- 10/07/19 Pentagon and OMB Subpoenaed in House Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon and OMB, expanding impeachment probe
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon, White House budget office in impeachment probe
- 10/08/19 Democrats to subpoena key witness blocked from testifying in impeachment probe
- 10/09/19 Scoop: House Democrats want testimony from Trump’s former Russia adviser
- 10/10/19 Ousted Ukraine envoy expected to testify in impeachment probe despite White House vow not to cooperate, congressional aides say
- 10/11/19 Ousted ambassador Marie Yovanovitch tells Congress Trump pressured State Dept. to remove her
- 10/11/19 Top US diplomat who called Ukraine aid freeze ‘crazy’ is asked to testify
- 10/12/19 Trump’s envoy to testify that ‘no quid pro quo’ came from Trump
- 10/12/19 Ambassador to E.U. to testify he doesn’t know why Ukraine aid was held up
- 10/13/19 Mark Esper: Pentagon ‘will do everything we can’ to respond to impeachment subpoena
- 10/13/19 Schiff Says Secret Testimony Aimed at Keeping Trump in the Dark
- 10/13/19 Adam Schiff says whistleblower may not testify in impeachment probe
- 10/14/19 Former White House adviser objected to ambassador’s ouster
- 10/14/19 Ex-Trump Aide Fiona Hill to Testify on Pressure to Oust Ambassador to Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Lawyer: Giuliani associate ‘being cooperative’ with House impeachment probe
- 10/14/19 Trump’s ex-Russia adviser told impeachment investigators of Giuliani’s efforts in Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Bolton Objected to Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Calling Giuliani ‘a Hand Grenade’
- 10/14/19 Bolton wanted White House lawyers alerted to Ukrainian efforts, called it ‘drug deal,’ witness tells Congress
- 10/14/19 Trump’s former Russia aide met with White House lawyer over Giuliani
- 10/14/19 Trump’s impeachment barricade begins to crumble
- 10/14/19 Recently resigned State Department adviser set to testify before Congress
- 10/15/19 Impeachment Investigators Question George Kent, State Dept. Ukraine Expert
- 10/15/19 Giuliani says he won’t comply with a congressional subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani defy demands by Congress for documents
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani Say They Won’t Give Congress Documents in Trump Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/15/19 Giuliani and a key federal agency defy House Democrats’ impeachment subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Ukraine Policy and the ‘Three Amigos’: Impeachment Update
- 10/16/19 Mulvaney emerges as a key facilitator of the campaign to pressure Ukraine
Documents:
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to DOD
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to OMB
- 10/09/19 Read the whistleblower’s memo about Trump’s Ukraine call, as described to CBS News
Forgeign Affairs Committee Investigations into Trump 2019:
News:
- 10/04/19 What happened on impeachment on Friday
- 10/05/19 Pompeo fails to meet House subpoena deadline to produce Ukraine documents
- 10/07/19 Pentagon and OMB Subpoenaed in House Impeachment Inquiry 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon and OMB, expanding impeachment probe
- 10/07/19 Democrats subpoena Pentagon, White House budget office in impeachment probe
- 10/08/19 Democrats to subpoena key witness blocked from testifying in impeachment probe
- 10/09/19 Scoop: House Democrats want testimony from Trump’s former Russia adviser
- 10/10/19 Ousted Ukraine envoy expected to testify in impeachment probe despite White House vow not to cooperate, congressional aides say
- 10/11/19 Ousted ambassador Marie Yovanovitch tells Congress Trump pressured State Dept. to remove her
- 10/11/19 Top US diplomat who called Ukraine aid freeze ‘crazy’ is asked to testify
- 10/12/19 Trump’s envoy to testify that ‘no quid pro quo’ came from Trump
- 10/12/19 Ambassador to E.U. to testify he doesn’t know why Ukraine aid was held up
- 10/13/19 Mark Esper: Pentagon ‘will do everything we can’ to respond to impeachment subpoena
- 10/14/19 Former White House adviser objected to ambassador’s ouster
- 10/14/19 Ex-Trump Aide Fiona Hill to Testify on Pressure to Oust Ambassador to Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Lawyer: Giuliani associate ‘being cooperative’ with House impeachment probe
- 10/14/19 Trump’s ex-Russia adviser told impeachment investigators of Giuliani’s efforts in Ukraine
- 10/14/19 Bolton Objected to Ukraine Pressure Campaign, Calling Giuliani ‘a Hand Grenade’
- 10/14/19 Bolton wanted White House lawyers alerted to Ukrainian efforts, called it ‘drug deal,’ witness tells Congress
- 10/14/19 Trump’s former Russia aide met with White House lawyer over Giuliani
- 10/14/19 Trump’s impeachment barricade begins to crumble
- 10/14/19 Recently resigned State Department adviser set to testify before Congress
- 10/15/19 Impeachment Investigators Question George Kent, State Dept. Ukraine Expert
- 10/15/19 Giuliani says he won’t comply with a congressional subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani defy demands by Congress for documents
- 10/15/19 Pence, Giuliani Say They Won’t Give Congress Documents in Trump Impeachment Inquiry
- 10/15/19 Giuliani and a key federal agency defy House Democrats’ impeachment subpoena
- 10/15/19 Senior State Dept. Ukraine Expert Says White House Sidelined Him
- 10/15/19 Ukraine Policy and the ‘Three Amigos’: Impeachment Update
- 10/16/19 Mulvaney emerges as a key facilitator of the campaign to pressure Ukraine
Documents:
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to DOD
- 10/07/19 the letter and subpoena schedule to OMB
Other House and Senate Committees:
News:
- 10/08/19 U.S. Senate panel chairman says will probe Ukraine, invites Giuliani
- 10/08/19 Lindsey Graham invites Giuliani to testify before Senate Judiciary panel
- 10/08/19 Bipartisan Senate report calls for sweeping effort to prevent Russian interference in 2020 election
- 10/08/19 Senate Report: Russians Used Social Media Mostly To Target Race In 2016
- 10/08/19 Russian Operative Said ‘We Made America Great’ After Trump’s Win
Documents:
Timeline has been updated. Breaking news starts below.
This rebuke from Congress feels like it would be considered an impeachable offense. It reflects that a majority of the House does not support T.
So am placing it here.
House overwhelmingly condemns Trump’s Syria decision
The House voted 354-60 on Wednesday on a resolution condemning President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria, which paved the way for Turkey to lead a military offensive against Kurdish forces who allied with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS.
Why it matters: It’s a significant bipartisan rebuke of Trump’s decision, which he defended at a press conference earlier Wednesday where he said the Kurds are “not angels.” The resolution calls on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to cease his military operation and urges the White House to “present a clear and specific plan for the enduring defeat of ISIS,” which could see a resurgence as the U.S. plans a total withdrawal from Syria.
The big picture: AP notes that the House debate on the resolution was “extraordinary for the intensity of lawmakers’ opinions.” In the Senate, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) plan to introduce a bill as early as Thursday that would introduce crippling sanctions against Turkey for its military operation.
- Trump has already authorized sanctionsagainst some Turkish officials, but he made clear on Wednesday that he does not regret the decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria.
- “Our soldiers are not in harm’s way, as they shouldn’t be, as two countries fight over land that has nothing to do with us,” Trump said at a press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. “And the Kurds are much safer now. The Kurds know how to fight, and as I said, they’re not angels.”
Statement from Pelosi
Going back to the story about the 4th Giuliani associate being arrested, it turns out to be Andrey Kukushkin, who somehow we all missed.
And suddenly John Bolton’s “drug deal” comment gets interesting… cause this guy’s a marijuana kingpin!
U.S. House Intelligence chairman says impeachment transcripts to be public
U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Wednesday the committee will make public transcripts of interviews conducted with witnesses in the impeachment probe of President Donald Trump.
In a letter to House colleagues, the Democratic chairman said the transcripts would be made public, subject to redactions, at some points in the future. Some Republicans have been complaining they have been unable to see transcripts.
The Trump Impeachment Inquiry: What Happened Today
Another official spoke with investigators, and Congress settled in before a big day of testimony.
- Michael McKinley told investigators he resigned last week as a top aide to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo out of frustration with an increasingly politicized State Department — particularly the way the Trump administration wrestled Ukraine policy away from career diplomats. He warned that efforts to pressure Ukraine “to procure negative information on political opponents” would “have a serious impact on foreign service morale and the integrity of our work overseas.”
- Senator Mitch McConnell , the majority leader, outlined the next few months of impeachment at the Senate Republicans’ weekly lunch. He said House Democrats wanted to move expeditiously, possibly approving articles of impeachment by Thanksgiving. Chief Justice John Roberts would then preside over the Senate trial, which Mr. McConnell hoped would be completed by Christmas.
- At a private meeting in the Capitol on Tuesday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked her caucus whether the House should take a formal vote to authorize the impeachment investigation. The idea was quickly shot down, according to a Democratic aide in the room. Representative Anthony Brindisi of New York said a vote was not required by the Constitution and warned it would play into Republicans’ hands. “You said it perfectly,” Ms. Pelosi told him.
Perry pins in on Giuliani who is directed by T…and so on…everyone looking for their ‘out.’ Guliani is being investigated up to his eyeballs…so yeah, pin it on him.
WASHINGTON—Energy Secretary Rick Perry said he sought out Rudy Giuliani this spring at President Trump’s direction to address Mr. Trump’s concerns about alleged Ukrainian corruption, a sign of how closely the president’s personal lawyer worked with the administration on Ukraine policy.
Mr. Perry, in an exclusive interview with The Wall Street Journal, said he contacted Mr. Giuliani in an effort to ease a path to a meeting between Mr. Trump and his new Ukrainian counterpart. He said Mr. Giuliani described to him during their phone call several concerns about Ukraine’s alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. election, concerns that haven’t been substantiated.
Mr. Perry also said he never heard the president, any of his appointees, Mr. Giuliani or the Ukrainian regime discuss the possibility of specifically investigating former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential contender, and his son Hunter Biden. Mr. Trump’s request for a probe of the Bidens in a July 25 call with Ukraine’s president has sparked the impeachme
Mr. Giuliani, in an interview, confirmed the spring phone call and said he was telling Mr. Perry to be careful with regards to the new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. “Everything I said there I probably said on television 50 times,” he said.
Mr. Giuliani has repeatedly accused Ukraine of interfering in the election on Democrat Hillary Clinton’s behalf, allegations that Democratic lawmakers and others say are a way to undermine U.S. intelligence agencies’ conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 election on Mr. Trump’s behalf—a finding about which the president has repeatedly expressed skepticism.
Mr. Perry’s phone call to Mr. Giuliani came after a May meeting at the White House following the inauguration of the Ukrainian president. U.S. officials at that meeting, including Mr. Perry and Kurt Volker, the U.S. envoy for Ukraine negotiations, urged Mr. Trump to meet his new counterpart. Mr. Trump told officials there that they needed to work with Mr. Giuliani to resolve his concerns before he would agree to such a meeting, according to people familiar with the matter.
Mr. Trump said he wasn’t comfortable that the Ukrainians had “straightened up their act,” a concern that Mr. Perry later understood to be related to Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign, Mr. Perry said, quoting Mr. Trump. “Visit with Rudy,” Mr. Perry said the president told him.
In a tragic event, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Rep. Elijah Cummings passed away last night. He fought right up until the end. He will be dearly missed.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/10/17/elijah-cummings-dies-baltimore/
Witnesses report that Sondland met with Ukrainians and explicitly told them that Trump would meet with Zelensky only if he would investigate “corruption” (Biden).
Quid pro quo.
Sondland testifies before Congress on today.
Sondland asked Ukrainian officials during private White House talk about gas firm linked to Hunter Biden
Sondland’s meeting with Ukrainian officials just steps from the White House Situation Room came minutes after a larger meeting that included John Bolton.
RIP…Elijah Cummings…and a tribute to his words and what others have said about him.
I just want to pull some details out of that NBC story. Sondland seems to be in deep here.
Lawmakers plan to grill Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland on Thursday about a private discussion he had with top Ukrainian officials in the White House in which he explicitly mentioned the Ukrainian gas company linked to Hunter Biden, amid negotiations over granting Ukraine’s new president an audience with President Donald Trump, NBC News has learned.
Sondland’s meeting with the Ukrainians just steps away from the White House Situation Room came minutes after a larger West Wing meeting that included then-National Security Adviser John Bolton, who had been noncommittal about scheduling a meeting between Trump and new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Sondland directly contradicted Bolton by telling the Ukrainians that in fact, Trump was committed to meeting with Zelenskiy on the condition he open a corruption investigation, two people told about the matter tell NBC News.
Bolton abruptly ended the meeting.
But, the individuals say, Sondland then invited the Ukrainian officials to continue the conversation separately, escorting them to a private room in the White House basement, the individuals said. That’s when Sondland was overheard discussing Burisma Holdings, whose board of directors former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden joined in 2014.
Sondland’s explicit conditioning of a meeting between Zelenskiy and Trump prompted Bolton to direct then-Trump Russia adviser Fiona Hill to report the situation to White House lawyers. Although some details about the meeting had been previously disclosed, this account provides the most extensive chronology to date of the chain of events that led Bolton to call the shadow Ukraine policy aimed at advancing Trump’s political interests “a drug deal,” as NBC News has reported.
CNN includes a copy of his opening statement
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.
According to a copy of his opening statement obtained by The New York Times, Mr. Sondland will say that Mr. Trump refused to take the counsel of his top diplomats, who recommended to him that he meet with the new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, without any preconditions. The president said that the diplomats needed to satisfy concerns both he and Mr. Giuliani had related corruption in Ukraine, Mr. Sondland will say.
“We were also disappointed by the president’s direction that we involve Mr. Giuliani,” Mr. Sondland will say, according to the 18-page prepared statement. “Our view was that the men and women of the State Department, not the president’s personal lawyer, should take responsibility for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine.”
His account is at odds with testimony from some foreign policy officials who have portrayed Mr. Sondland as a willing participant who inserted himself into Ukraine policy and was a central player in Mr. Trump’s efforts to win a commitment from the new Ukrainian government to investigate his political rivals.
Mr. Sondland arrived on Capitol Hill on Thursday morning to take his turn in the secure rooms of the House Intelligence Committee, as the latest top foreign policy official to appear before impeachment investigators who are digging into a whistle-blower complaint about Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. His testimony, which the Trump administration initially sought to block, is a matter of intense interest for the investigators as they try to fill out a picture of what transpired this summer as Mr. Trump and Mr. Giuliani ratcheted up the pressure on the Ukrainians to investigate former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats.
Testimony from career diplomats and a former top White House foreign policy adviser in recent days have suggested that Mr. Sondland, a wealthy hotelier from Oregon who had no political experience, was at the heart of the effort to go around normal diplomatic channels to pressure the Ukrainians.
But his prepared remarks offer a more complicated account, casting him as a well-meaning and at times unwitting player who was trying to conduct American foreign policy with Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Trump standing in the way.
Mr. Sondland will say that Mr. Trump put him and top diplomats and administration officials dealing with Ukraine in an impossible position, as they tried to conduct diplomacy with an important European ally.
“Please know that I would not have recommended that Mr. Giuliani or any private citizen be involved in these foreign policy matters,” he planned to say. “However, given the president’s explicit direction, as well as the importance we attached to arranging a White House meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelensky, we agreed to do as President Trump directed.”
Sondland is going to throw Trump and Giuliani under the bus today to save his own skin. Interesting