Quote

The senior U.S. diplomat in Ukraine said Tuesday he was told release of military aid was contingent on public declarations from Ukraine that it would investigate the Bidens and the 2016 election, contradicting President Trump’s denial that he used the money as leverage for political gain.

...

Taylor walked lawmakers through a series of conversations he had with other U.S. diplomats who were trying to obtain what one called the “deliverable” of Ukrainian help investigating Trump’s political rivals.

Taylor said he spoke to Ambassador Gordon Sondland, the U.S. envoy to the European Union.

“During that phone call, Amb. Sondland told me that President Trump had told him that he wants President [Volodymyr] Zelensky to state publicly that Ukraine will investigate Burisma and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election,” Taylor said in the statement.

...

“Amb. Sondland also told me that he now recognized that he had made a mistake by earlier telling the Ukrainian officials to whom he spoke that a White House meeting with President Zelensky was dependent on a public announcement of investigations — in fact, Amb. Sondland said, ‘everything’ was dependent on such an announcement, including security assistance,’” Taylor told House investigators.

“He said that President Trump wanted President Zelensky ‘in a public box’ by making a public statement about ordering such investigations.’

Quote (IceMage @ Oct 22 2019 03:25pm)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/diplomat-who-raised-alarm-about-withholding-aid-to-ukraine-testifies-in-impeachment-probe/2019/10/22/086fb850-f436-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html



:bouncy:

So I guess the one piece of exculpatory evidence that the cult can fall back on is Ukraine wasn't aware the aid was being withheld until after the Zelensky call. But that doesn't mean Trump wasn't withholding aid for corrupt purposes, just that he was doing it ineffectively.

Quote (Ghot @ Oct 22 2019 03:32pm)

If the Ukraine didn't know... which they didn't... then there's no quid prop quo. If the House HAD a case at all, Schiff wouldn't have to craft BS or need to have closed door sessions.

Quote (IceMage @ Oct 22 2019 03:38pm)

Closed door depositions are standard because you don't want to help people coordinate their stories.

Quote (IceMage @ Oct 22 2019 04:03pm)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/opening-statement-of-ambassador-william-b-taylor/6b3a6edf-f976-4081-ba7f-bce45468a3ff/

Everyone should read this.

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https://i.imgur.com/WRW4Tv2.jpg

It's not a quid pro quo. But the relationship can't move forward without an announcement into investigations into Biden and 2016 election conspiracy theory.

Quote (Ghot @ Oct 22 2019 04:11pm)

It means... meant... Wew will not deal with a corrupt govt.

Quote (IceMage @ Oct 22 2019 04:16pm)

So we won't deal with the Ukrainians(including meeting with their president and providing military aid) unless they work on corruption(by investigating Bidens and 2016 election conspiracy theory).

It was only a matter of time until this became the talking point.

Quote (IceMage @ Oct 22 2019 03:16pm)

So we won't deal with the Ukrainians(including meeting with their president and providing military aid) unless they work on corruption(by investigating Bidens and 2016 election conspiracy theory).

It was only a matter of time until this became the talking point.

Quote (Ghot @ Oct 22 2019 03:19pm)

LOL. NO.

Unless Zelensky "cleared things up" aka, left the corruption behind... the US would have nothing more to do with the Ukraine.