Impeachment Today: Testimony Puts Trump on Extortion Phone Call

Testimony by Ambassador William Taylor included an update on his earlier statements, namely being told by a staff member of overhearing a cell phone conversation where the President's involvement became clear.

Republicans will no doubt call this testimony hearsay. But as today's hearing was in progress, the Intelligence Committee announced additional closed door depositions.

The first--on Friday-- will be David Holmes, the aide to William Taylor who heard the phone call described below in this excerpt from his opening statement today.

Although this was the first time I had seen the details of President Trump’s July 25 call with President Zelenskyy, in which he mentioned Vice President Biden, I had come to understand well before then that “investigations” was a term that Ambassadors Volker and Sondland used to mean matters related to the 2016 elections, and to investigations of Burisma and the Bidens. 

Last Friday, a member of my staff told me of events that occurred on July 26. While Ambassador Volker and I visited the front, this member of my staff accompanied Ambassador Sondland. Ambassador Sondland met with Mr. Yermak. 

Following that meeting, in the presence of my staff at a restaurant, Ambassador Sondland called President Trump and told him of his meetings in Kyiv. The member of my staff could hear President Trump on the phone, asking Ambassador Sondland about “the investigations.” 

Ambassador Sondland told President Trump that the Ukrainians were ready to move forward. Following the call with President Trump, the member of my staff asked Ambassador Sondland what President Trump thought about Ukraine. 

Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for. At the time I gave my deposition on October 22, I was not aware of this information. I am including it here for completeness. As the Committee knows, I reported this information through counsel to the State Department’s Legal Adviser, as well as to counsel for both the Majority and the Minority on the Committee. 

Also testifying in closed door session on Saturday will be Mark Sandy, an OMB official who refused to appear last week.

Sandy --assuming this announcement means he'll appear-- would the first of 5 OMB officials sought by Democrats to testify. It is believed he'll provide insight on how the hold on military aid was handled at the highest levels of the White House budget office.

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