UPDATE #3: Amber Phillips ofย The Washington Post has the same takeaway from today’s hearing:
Gordon Sondland has been considered a figure who could crack the impeachment inquiry wide open. Not just because he was the witness directly talking to President Trump about Ukraine but also because of who he is: a Republican and Trump donor, a high-profile ambassador unanimously confirmed by the Republican Senate.
And despite his background as a Trump ally โ the president last month called him โa very good guy and a great Americanโ โ in his opening statement Wednesday, Sondland stepped on nearly all of Republicansโ primary defenses for the president.
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UPDATE #2: President Trump delivers some (kinda) prepared remarks. Via CNN:
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UPDATE: Check out Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking Republican member on the House Intelligence Committee, sharing a concerned look with House Republican attorney Steve Castor:
Devin Nunes reaction: priceless. pic.twitter.com/n6a10fIANA
โ Thomas Schiel ๐ (@tomigun67) November 20, 2019
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Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland is testifying publicly today in the impeachment hearings against President Trump, and he’s slamming the door shut on Trump’s defense. Read all about it at The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, NBC News, Politico…
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Clearly the work of radical liberal hoards
The hardest working hoard in America . . .
Has Fox signed off the air? Will we see a test pattern when we turn to that station?
Sondland was in the Jeb Bush camp and a #NeverTrumper. You have to think Barbara Bush is smiling from above this morning ๐
You beat me to it, Michael.
She's smirking – and not from above.
Bless your heart, MADCO ๐๐๐.
I expect we will soon be told that Sondland was a Never Trumper who was a JEB! mole planted in the Trump administration courtesy of his large donation to the inaugural events planning committee. This was all part of a plot cooked up George Sr. and Babs in Kennebunkport over Christmas 2016 to punish Trump for humiliating JEB! and Shrub.
Yeah, that's the story…..
I’d really like to have them gin up the #NeverTrumper claim cuz we’ve got a home-grown Senator in our midst who can give us first-hand accounts of just how trustworthy and loyal they can be.
All our best trolls are Never Trumpers, who preferred other candidates as the Republican nominee. Andrew Carnegie wanted Rick Perry. Moderatus wanted Ted Cruz. Negev wanted Obama to seek a third term to boost gun sales. The Pear wanted Trump in 2016, but wants Tulsi Gabbard now.
Except they are all in with Trump now.
Yes, Mr. Chairman I committed a felony.
Yes, I discussed it with others and helped conceal it.
Yes, later, I called a meeting to discuss the felony and to plan how to continue concealing it and to.
No, I don't recall that other thing.
Nothing happened.
If it did, it wasn't illegal.
If it was- others did it before. And I wasn't directly involved. maybe an intern.
Ok- no one did it before. I was directly involved.
But it's not impeachable.
And even if it is – her emails.
All we got left is the last.
It will include Ben Ghazi. And Vince Foster. And accusations of Obama shirking in cowardice because he wasn't in the Oval during 911. And on and on.
I can't believe Sonderland made money. Did he buy a hotel across the street form where Disneyland got announced? How much did he inherit?
FG – he's an ambassador to anywhere?
Rudy should get indicted. Was he caerful enought o only hire foreign talent and only meet outside the
southern districtcountry?And whattabout Stone?
Flynn?
and the host of criminals and unfit people.
I hope that one of them – not the Lt Colonel from the NSC – gets a radio show and then later is president of the NRA.
โโโโโโโ
This second update is as WTF?!?! inducing as his letter to the President of Turkey.
If only it were . . .
. . . “the final word”.
. . . Yeah, I know, “Believe me Believe me.”
Has anyone heard from Powerful Pear today? Should someone do a welfare check on him?
At least Moderatus is too stupid to appreciate how bad all of this looks for his team.
Pear will be by in the next 24 hours to say that Gordon (Trump Lackey, or Trump-hating bureaucrat) Sondland did not sink Trump because Trump is still in office at this time.
OMG, OMG, OMG. You got the Trumpster now! OMG, OMG. Finally Charlie Brown will get to kick the football.
Touching, that R&R is concerned for my welfare.
Pfruit. You make me wish I made a bet on my earlier assertion about what you would do. Would have been the easiest money I ever made.
"Welfare check," in every sense of the term. is definitely more of a Moderatus thing.
Watching parts of the hearing and seeing Republican (Trump) talking points, I am, as usual, confused. The Repubs and Trump are latching onto the call from Trump to Sondland in which Trump said "I want nothing. No quid pro quo. I want Ukraine to do the right thing." That call occurred on September 9, the same day it was reported that the House Intelligence Committee was investigating Giuliani's efforts to pressure Ukraine to assist Trump's reelection campaign.
The phone call is not exculpatory, it is incriminating. It is damning. As soon as Trump realized the jig was up, he went into denial mode. It is proof that he knew what he was doing was wrong. Am I missing something?
Nope, not a thing.
My fave so far, Alva, is the hashtag you used elsewhere…#SondlandSings…It's perfect.๐
Notice the spilling of Zelensky's name in the Sharpie® memo.
He “did not know the man well” . . .
ROFL
So Trump quotes his own phone call "no quid pro quo".
Does anyone anywhere think that Trump knew what "quid pro quo" meant before that phone call with Sondland? This is a guy that speaks with the vocabulary of a standard poodle. He had to have been briefed prior to that call.
And telling Zelensky to "do the right thing"? Seriously?