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| Trump admits he pushed Ukraine for dirt on Biden and calls on China to investigate – live | Trump admits he pushed Ukraine for dirt on Biden and calls on China to investigate – live |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Our west coast colleague Maanvi Singh will take over coverage for the next few hours, and there are still a lot of news developments to come. | |
| Earlier: | |
| •Donald Trump has called for China to investigate his leading political rival, even as the president is the subject of impeachment proceedings for pressuring Ukraine to do the same. | |
| •In a press conference outside the White House, Trump said: “China should start an investigation into the Bidens because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened in Ukraine”. | |
| •The president then suggested he may specifically ask President Xi of China to begin an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden. In the same press conference he again implored Ukraine to investigate his potential 2020 rival. | |
| •Adam Schiff, the House intelligence committee chair, described Trump’s comments as “repugnant”. Schiff said Trump’s requests to China and Ukraine: “Is an illustration that if this president has learned anything from the two years of the Mueller investigation is that he feels he can do anything with impunity.” | |
| Hard on the heels of the Trump-Ukraine scandal, broken in to the open by an intelligence community whistleblower complaint, comes more breaking news this afternoon that an Internal Revenue Service official has filed a whistleblower complaint relating to either the president or the vice president’s tax returns, the Washington Post reports. | |
| The complainant reportedly says he was told that at least one political appointee in the Treasury Department tried to interfere with the annual audit of Donald Trump or Mike Pence’s tax returns. | |
| The Post attributes this to “multiple people familiar with the document” and adds that the complaint was revealed in a court filing several months ago, but details have been clouded. | |
| The report comes amid heightened tension between the treasury department and House Democrats over Trump’s tax returns, which have never been released, and the integrity of the annual audit of his and Pence’s tax returns, which is supposed to be sealed off from any partisan involvement. | |
| Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy for the Ukraine, says he warned Rudy Giuliani that information Giuliani was receiving on Joe and Hunter Biden, from Ukraine, was false, according to the Washington Post. | Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy for the Ukraine, says he warned Rudy Giuliani that information Giuliani was receiving on Joe and Hunter Biden, from Ukraine, was false, according to the Washington Post. |
| Volker gave testimony in the House this morning. According to the Post, Volker told House investigators that he had “tried to caution Guiliani that his sources, including Ukraine’s former top prosecutor, were unreliable and that he should be careful about putting faith in the prosecutor’s stories, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the closed door meeting”. | Volker gave testimony in the House this morning. According to the Post, Volker told House investigators that he had “tried to caution Guiliani that his sources, including Ukraine’s former top prosecutor, were unreliable and that he should be careful about putting faith in the prosecutor’s stories, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the closed door meeting”. |
| From the Post: | From the Post: |
| The former US special envoy for Ukraine told House investigators on Thursday that he warned President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani, that Giuliani was receiving untrustworthy information from Ukrainian political figures about former vice president Joe Biden and his son, according to two people familiar with his testimony. | The former US special envoy for Ukraine told House investigators on Thursday that he warned President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani, that Giuliani was receiving untrustworthy information from Ukrainian political figures about former vice president Joe Biden and his son, according to two people familiar with his testimony. |
| [...] | [...] |
| Volker was named in the whistleblower complaint as the diplomat who set up a meeting between Giuliani and a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. | Volker was named in the whistleblower complaint as the diplomat who set up a meeting between Giuliani and a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky amid Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. |
| A tweet: | A tweet: |
| ELECTION INTERFERENCE! | ELECTION INTERFERENCE! |
| More from Adam Schiff, who has continued to criticize Trump’s earlier exhortation for China to investigate Biden: | More from Adam Schiff, who has continued to criticize Trump’s earlier exhortation for China to investigate Biden: |
| “Once again, having the president of the United States suggesting, urging, a foreign country to interfere in our presidential elections is an illustration that if this president has learned anything from the two years of the Mueller investigation is that he feels he can do anything with impunity.” | “Once again, having the president of the United States suggesting, urging, a foreign country to interfere in our presidential elections is an illustration that if this president has learned anything from the two years of the Mueller investigation is that he feels he can do anything with impunity.” |
| Trump suggests the “pharmaceutical” industry, and other industries, could be behind what he describes as a “hoax”. | Trump suggests the “pharmaceutical” industry, and other industries, could be behind what he describes as a “hoax”. |
| I’m not sure which of the things Trump believes to be a hoax he is discussing, but it’s likely the Mueller investigation or the Ukraine scandal. | I’m not sure which of the things Trump believes to be a hoax he is discussing, but it’s likely the Mueller investigation or the Ukraine scandal. |
| Trump then sits down and signs his Medicare bill. Then he hands out some pens to people standing around him. He leaves the stage to the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want. (The band have repeatedly asked him not to use their music.) | Trump then sits down and signs his Medicare bill. Then he hands out some pens to people standing around him. He leaves the stage to the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want. (The band have repeatedly asked him not to use their music.) |
| A brief riff from Trump just now, floating a venture into the media business... | A brief riff from Trump just now, floating a venture into the media business... |
| Trump laments that CNN is the one U.S. cable news channel with an international presence."We ought to start our own network and put some real news out there," he says. | Trump laments that CNN is the one U.S. cable news channel with an international presence."We ought to start our own network and put some real news out there," he says. |
| This is in the midst of a speech nominally about health care https://t.co/5T9xObqggS | This is in the midst of a speech nominally about health care https://t.co/5T9xObqggS |
| Vice-president Mike Pence appears to have fallen in line with Trump. Pence has spent this afternoon defending Trump’s pressuring of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. | Vice-president Mike Pence appears to have fallen in line with Trump. Pence has spent this afternoon defending Trump’s pressuring of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden. |
| In particular, Pence said: “The American people have a right to know if the vice president of the United States, or his family, profited from his position.” Interesting. | In particular, Pence said: “The American people have a right to know if the vice president of the United States, or his family, profited from his position.” Interesting. |
| .@VP Pence defended Trump soliciting election help from Ukraine [a felony] by pressing Zelensky to investigate the Bidens. "The American people have a right to know if the vice president of the United States, or his family, profited from his position."pic.twitter.com/6Rpw1tnTZ4 | .@VP Pence defended Trump soliciting election help from Ukraine [a felony] by pressing Zelensky to investigate the Bidens. "The American people have a right to know if the vice president of the United States, or his family, profited from his position."pic.twitter.com/6Rpw1tnTZ4 |
| Trump says Republicans will never allow health insurance companies to turn away those with pre-existing conditions. | Trump says Republicans will never allow health insurance companies to turn away those with pre-existing conditions. |
| (It was Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act that stopped health insurance companies being able to refuse treatment to those with pre-existing conditions. Most Republicans voted against it.) | (It was Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act that stopped health insurance companies being able to refuse treatment to those with pre-existing conditions. Most Republicans voted against it.) |
| Trump is discussing some of his legislative achievements. Of his agenda, and vision for the country, Trump invokes botany: | Trump is discussing some of his legislative achievements. Of his agenda, and vision for the country, Trump invokes botany: |
| “It’s like a plant. It’s like a tree. Those roots have to grab hold [...] That thing has to grow and it has to get in there and then nobody’s gong to be able to take it down later on.” | “It’s like a plant. It’s like a tree. Those roots have to grab hold [...] That thing has to grow and it has to get in there and then nobody’s gong to be able to take it down later on.” |
| Trump touts waiting times compared to the UK and Canada. | Trump touts waiting times compared to the UK and Canada. |
| Just as an aside: the US spends “about twice what other high-income nations do on health care”, with significantly worse results. Check out this report from Reuters last year. | Just as an aside: the US spends “about twice what other high-income nations do on health care”, with significantly worse results. Check out this report from Reuters last year. |
| Trump is running through some of his talking points about Democrats and healthcare. The majority of Democrats running for president – according to Trump – will “slash Medicare” to “pay for socialism”. | Trump is running through some of his talking points about Democrats and healthcare. The majority of Democrats running for president – according to Trump – will “slash Medicare” to “pay for socialism”. |
| Oh, and Democrats would also drain Medicare to pay for “open borders”, Trump says. | Oh, and Democrats would also drain Medicare to pay for “open borders”, Trump says. |
| Trump is now mis-characterizing the idea of universal healthcare. He goes on to call Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas”, which is a racist slur, and riffs briefly about “Sleepy Joe”. | Trump is now mis-characterizing the idea of universal healthcare. He goes on to call Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas”, which is a racist slur, and riffs briefly about “Sleepy Joe”. |
| “Democrat lawmakers only want to wreck and destroy all the things we’ve built up over the last three years,” Trump says. | “Democrat lawmakers only want to wreck and destroy all the things we’ve built up over the last three years,” Trump says. |
| If a Democrat gets in, “the country is gonna go to hell”, Trump says. | If a Democrat gets in, “the country is gonna go to hell”, Trump says. |
| Then he brings up Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. | Then he brings up Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. |
| Trump is speaking in Florida at a healthcare rally. | Trump is speaking in Florida at a healthcare rally. |
| The president is expected to sign an executive order this afternoon that, Trump says, will protect medicare. Trump claims his administration is aiming to deliver the best quality healthcare system in the world. | The president is expected to sign an executive order this afternoon that, Trump says, will protect medicare. Trump claims his administration is aiming to deliver the best quality healthcare system in the world. |
| We’ll have to wait and see if Trump wades back into the Ukraine scandal. He roped China into the whole saga earlier. | We’ll have to wait and see if Trump wades back into the Ukraine scandal. He roped China into the whole saga earlier. |
| House intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff is less than impressed with Trump’s request that China also investigate Joe Biden... from Politico reporter Andrew Desiderio: | House intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff is less than impressed with Trump’s request that China also investigate Joe Biden... from Politico reporter Andrew Desiderio: |
| Schiff emerges from Volker deposition, won’t comment since it hasn’t concluded yet, but says Trump’s Ukraine/China comments this morning were “repugnant” and “a fundamental breach of his oath of office.” | Schiff emerges from Volker deposition, won’t comment since it hasn’t concluded yet, but says Trump’s Ukraine/China comments this morning were “repugnant” and “a fundamental breach of his oath of office.” |
| I’m sure we’ll hear more from Schiff before the day is out. | I’m sure we’ll hear more from Schiff before the day is out. |
| Here’s the Guardian’s main story on Trump’s remarkable calls for China – as well as Ukraine – to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. | Here’s the Guardian’s main story on Trump’s remarkable calls for China – as well as Ukraine – to investigate his political rival Joe Biden. |
| Trump calls on China to investigate Biden in extraordinary demand | Trump calls on China to investigate Biden in extraordinary demand |
| Washington Post political reporter Sean Sullivan reports that Bernie Sanders will appear at the next Democratic presidential debate: | Washington Post political reporter Sean Sullivan reports that Bernie Sanders will appear at the next Democratic presidential debate: |
| NEW: @BernieSanders will be at the next debate, according to a Sanders aide. The debate is on 10/15. | NEW: @BernieSanders will be at the next debate, according to a Sanders aide. The debate is on 10/15. |
| Sanders’ campaign had been silent as to when, or whether, he would return to the campaign trail. | Sanders’ campaign had been silent as to when, or whether, he would return to the campaign trail. |
| He canceled events this week after undergoing heart surgery on Tuesday. The Vermont senator had a blockage in an artery, and required two stents to be inserted. | He canceled events this week after undergoing heart surgery on Tuesday. The Vermont senator had a blockage in an artery, and required two stents to be inserted. |
| Some reaction from House intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff to Trump’s Ukraine-China debacle this morning: | Some reaction from House intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff to Trump’s Ukraine-China debacle this morning: |
| The President cannot use the power of his office to pressure foreign leaders to investigate his political opponents.His rant this morning reinforces the urgency of our work. America is a Republic, if we can keep it. https://t.co/9KDCx1hVjs | The President cannot use the power of his office to pressure foreign leaders to investigate his political opponents.His rant this morning reinforces the urgency of our work. America is a Republic, if we can keep it. https://t.co/9KDCx1hVjs |
| George Conway, husband of Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway and a persistent thorn in the president’s side, has resumed his criticism of the president in an article for the Atlantic. | George Conway, husband of Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway and a persistent thorn in the president’s side, has resumed his criticism of the president in an article for the Atlantic. |
| Conway, an attorney, has been asking questions about Trump’s mental state throughout Trump’s presidency. | Conway, an attorney, has been asking questions about Trump’s mental state throughout Trump’s presidency. |
| Now, Conway reckons, there has been “a recent escalation in Trump’s bizarre behavior, as the pressures of his upcoming reelection campaign, a possibly deteriorating economy, and now a full-blown impeachment inquiry have mounted”. | Now, Conway reckons, there has been “a recent escalation in Trump’s bizarre behavior, as the pressures of his upcoming reelection campaign, a possibly deteriorating economy, and now a full-blown impeachment inquiry have mounted”. |
| You don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, and you don’t need to be a mental-health professional to see that something’s very seriously off with Trump—particularly after nearly three years of watching his erratic and abnormal behavior in the White House. | You don’t need to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, and you don’t need to be a mental-health professional to see that something’s very seriously off with Trump—particularly after nearly three years of watching his erratic and abnormal behavior in the White House. |
| A former US special envoy for Ukraine is testifying before three House committees today – the first official to testify over the Trump-Ukraine scandal. | A former US special envoy for Ukraine is testifying before three House committees today – the first official to testify over the Trump-Ukraine scandal. |
| Kurt Volker is giving testimony to the Intelligence, Oversight and Reform and Foreign Affairs committees. The hearings are behind closed doors. | Kurt Volker is giving testimony to the Intelligence, Oversight and Reform and Foreign Affairs committees. The hearings are behind closed doors. |
| My colleague Julian Borger profiled Volker this week: | My colleague Julian Borger profiled Volker this week: |
| When Kurt Volker agreed to work for the Trump administration in 2017, he told colleagues he hoped to navigate the president’s mercurial nature and his evident attachment to Vladimir Putin, and still pursue a traditional US policy of upholding Ukrainian independence and pushing back against Moscow. | When Kurt Volker agreed to work for the Trump administration in 2017, he told colleagues he hoped to navigate the president’s mercurial nature and his evident attachment to Vladimir Putin, and still pursue a traditional US policy of upholding Ukrainian independence and pushing back against Moscow. |
| We’ll bring more if news leaks out from the hearing. | We’ll bring more if news leaks out from the hearing. |
| 'He tried to have his cake and eat it': how Trump's Ukraine envoy lost his big gamble | 'He tried to have his cake and eat it': how Trump's Ukraine envoy lost his big gamble |