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Ex-Ukraine envoy accuses Trump of pushing for her removal with 'false claims' – live White House told ambassador Marie Yovanovitch not to testify to Congress – live
(32 minutes later)
The three Democratic chairman of the House committees leading the impeachment inquiry said the White House’s efforts to block Marie Yovanovitch’s testimony provided more evidence of obstruction.
Adam Schiff, Eliot Engel and Elijah Cummings said: “Last night, the Committees learned that the State Department, at the direction of the White House, directed Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch not to appear for her voluntary interview today.
“This is the latest example of the Administration’s efforts to conceal the facts from the American people and obstruct our lawful and constitutionally-authorized impeachment inquiry.
“In response, the House Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena to compel her testimony this morning. This duly authorized subpoena is mandatory, and the illegitimate order from the Trump Administration not to cooperate has no force. As is required of her, the Ambassador is now complying with the subpoena and answering questions from both Democratic and Republican Members and staff.
“Any efforts by Trump Administration officials to prevent witness cooperation with the Committees will be deemed obstruction of a co-equal branch of government and an adverse inference may be drawn against the President on the underlying allegations of corruption and coverup.”
The Democratic chairmen of the committees leading the impeachment inquiry said that the White House had directed the state department to block Marie Yovanovitch from testifying.
The committees then issued a subpoena to the former US ambassador to Ukraine. But Yovanovitch’s decision to comply with the subpoena, in spite of the White House’s opposition to it, is a first in House Democrats’ investigations of Trump.
Of NOTE: Dems for months hoped Don McGahn and other witnesses in the Mueller probe would do exactly this: comply with their subpoenas even after the WH said not to. Yovanovitch is the FIRST to follow this path. W/Sondland around the corner next week, she may not be the last. https://t.co/c56adu23d3
The House committees leading the impeachment inquiry said that Marie Yovanovitch had been directed by the state department not to appear for today’s hearing.
In response, the committees issued a subpoena, which the former US ambassador to Ukraine complied with.
NEW: House impeachment investigators say they learned last night that the WH directed Ambassador Yovanovitch not to appear today. So they issued a subpoena to compel her testimony this morning. pic.twitter.com/eJKKW552aZ
A Washington Post columnist noted that, given Trump’s ability to immediately order sanctions, Steven Mnuchin’s announcement that the administration had “authorized” sanctions against Turkey is ... effectively meaningless.
Mnuchin holds a press conference to say the US is NOT sanctioning Turkey but could if it wanted to. #facepalm
By the way, the administration doesn’t have to “authorize” sanctions, Trump can just order sanctions, so today’s announcement means exactly zero and Turkey obviously knows that.
The US and China have reportedly reached a partial deal in trade negotiations as Trump prepares to meet with the Chinese vice premier in the next hour.
Bloomberg News reports:
The U.S. and China reached a partial agreement Friday that would broker a truce in the trade war and lay the groundwork for a broader deal that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping could sign later this year, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reports.
As part of the agreement, China would agree to some agricultural concessions and the U.S. would provide some tariff relief. The pact is tentative and subject to change as Trump prepares to sit down with China’s Vice Premier Liu He later Friday.
The news that Trump may agree to ratchet down some of his tariffs on Chinese imports caused US stocks to jump.
BREAKING: U.S.-China said to reach partial trade deal that could set up a truce, scoop from @jendeben Stocks jump pic.twitter.com/PaAsPlN216
Mnuchin also dodged a question about trade talks in advance of Trump’s meeting with the Chinese vice premier this afternoon.Mnuchin also dodged a question about trade talks in advance of Trump’s meeting with the Chinese vice premier this afternoon.
I asked Secretary Mnuchin if it is possible we get to the end of the day today without any new agreements between the US and China. He declined to say. He called the discussions with China today “productive” but would not go beyond that. pic.twitter.com/I1THL9cHtxI asked Secretary Mnuchin if it is possible we get to the end of the day today without any new agreements between the US and China. He declined to say. He called the discussions with China today “productive” but would not go beyond that. pic.twitter.com/I1THL9cHtx
Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, said Trump is prepared to authorize sanctions against Turkey depending on how the country navigates its military operation in northern Syria.Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, said Trump is prepared to authorize sanctions against Turkey depending on how the country navigates its military operation in northern Syria.
But Mnuchin made it very clear that the administration is not activating sanctions at the moment. He added that financial institutions should be “on notice” that sanctions could be forthcoming.But Mnuchin made it very clear that the administration is not activating sanctions at the moment. He added that financial institutions should be “on notice” that sanctions could be forthcoming.
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin says POTUS is concerned about the ongoing military offensive by Turkey. Says President Trump has authorized significant authorities for new sanctions, but the US is not activating those sanctions yet. pic.twitter.com/1NfYRvu2vtTreasury Secretary Mnuchin says POTUS is concerned about the ongoing military offensive by Turkey. Says President Trump has authorized significant authorities for new sanctions, but the US is not activating those sanctions yet. pic.twitter.com/1NfYRvu2vt
By the way, Marie Yovanovitch is still being interviewed by the House committees investigating impeachment, and it looks like we can all settle in because this isn’t wrapping up anytime soon.By the way, Marie Yovanovitch is still being interviewed by the House committees investigating impeachment, and it looks like we can all settle in because this isn’t wrapping up anytime soon.
Himes, Quigley and Maloney return to the Yovanovitch deposition with Lays potato chips, Doritos and an Odwalla smoothie. This is going to be a while.Himes, Quigley and Maloney return to the Yovanovitch deposition with Lays potato chips, Doritos and an Odwalla smoothie. This is going to be a while.
One Democratic member of the House oversight committee just told reporters that Marie Yovanovitch appeared before lawmakers under subpoena.One Democratic member of the House oversight committee just told reporters that Marie Yovanovitch appeared before lawmakers under subpoena.
But no subpoena of Yovanovitch was ever publicly announced, raising the possibility that the former US ambassador to Ukraine requested one to testify.But no subpoena of Yovanovitch was ever publicly announced, raising the possibility that the former US ambassador to Ukraine requested one to testify.
This seems related too: https://t.co/kDYLjOEPWrThis seems related too: https://t.co/kDYLjOEPWr
The White House has just announced that Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, will speak to reporters in the briefing room in about 15 minutes.The White House has just announced that Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, will speak to reporters in the briefing room in about 15 minutes.
It’s not clear what Mnuchin intends to address, but multiple reporters were told that he will not be discussing the US-China trade talks.It’s not clear what Mnuchin intends to address, but multiple reporters were told that he will not be discussing the US-China trade talks.
Meanwhile, Trump’s trade meeting with the Chinese vice premier is still set for 2:45 p.m. EST.Meanwhile, Trump’s trade meeting with the Chinese vice premier is still set for 2:45 p.m. EST.
You can read Yovanovitch’s full opening statement here:You can read Yovanovitch’s full opening statement here:
Here’s where this very newsy Friday stands so far:
Marie Yovanovitch testified to House committees investigating impeachment that she was told Trump had pressured the state department to release her as the US ambassador to Ukraine.
A federal appeals court upheld House Democrats’ subpoena for eight years of Trump’s financial records from his accounting firm.
The Pentagon announced it would send more troops to Saudi Arabia, even as Trump has defended his decision to withdraw forces from northern Syria by saying that he was trying to get the US military out of the Middle East.
The blog will have much more to come, so stay tuned.
Federal authorities investigating Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman are reportedly probing the pair’s relationship to Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer.
Parnas and Fruman are facing campaign-finance charges, and the foreign-born Republican donors were arrested Wednesday night as they allegedly tried to flee the country.
ABC News reports:
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s New York field office and prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, the same U.S. Attorney’s office Giuliani ran before he became mayor of New York. ...
Parnas and Fruman, two Soviet-born, Florida-based businessmen, assisted Giuliani in his effort to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his family. The association among the three men goes back several years. Giuliani has represented Parnas and Fruman in the past.
The Wall Street Journal also reported yesterday that Giuliani had lunch with Parnas and Fruman just hours before the pair were arrested at Dulles International Airport.
The White House has just announced the nomination of John Sullivan, currently the deputy secretary of state, as the next US ambassador to Russia.
And if that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because he is the same John Sullivan who told Marie Yovanovitch that the State Department had been pressured by Trump to recall her, according to the former ambassador’s opening statement to House committees this morning.
Just reemphasizing because the timing is crazy:Literally minutes after Yovanovitch testified that Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan told her she did nothing to warrant her ouster from Ukraine, Trump announced nomination of Sullivan as the next ambassador to Russia. https://t.co/F9asTsvV22
Yovanovitch said of Sullivan: “I met with the Deputy Secretary of State, who informed me of the curtailment of my term. He said that the President had lost confidence in me and no longer wished me to serve as his ambassador.
“He added that there had been a concerted campaign against me, and that the Department had been under pressure from the President to remove me since the Summer of 2018.
“He also said that I had done nothing wrong and that this was not like other situations where he had recalled ambassadors for cause. I departed Ukraine for good this past May.”
The blog is following news on multiple fronts right now. In addition to the release of Marie Yovanovitch’s blistering opening statement to House committees, the Pentagon has just confirmed the deployment of more US troops to Saudi Arabia.
Defense Secretary Esper: "I have ordered the deployment to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia of two additional fighter squadrons and supporting personnel" pic.twitter.com/qbnW52U0fl
The announcement comes after an attack last month on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, which Saudi and US officials have blamed on Iran.
Across the past month, US officials have announced the deployment of about 3,000 additional troops to Saudi Arabia.
Marie Yovanovitch added in her opening statement to the House committees that she was told Trump had put “pressure” on the state department for nearly a year to recall her.
The former US ambassador to Ukraine said to the lawmakers investigating impeachment: “I met with the Deputy Secretary of State, who informed me of the curtailment of my term. He said that the President had lost confidence in me and no longer wished me to serve as his ambassador.
“He added that there had been a concerted campaign against me, and that the Department had been under pressure from the President to remove me since the Summer of 2018. He also said that I had done nothing wrong and that this was not like other situations where he had recalled ambassadors for cause. I departed Ukraine for good this past May.”
In her opening statement to the House committees, Yovanovitch sought to dispel some of the smears thrown at her by far-right pundits.
The former ambassador to Ukraine said: “I want to categorically state that I have never myself or through others, directly or indirectly, ever directed, suggested, or in any other way asked for any government or government official in Ukraine (or elsewhere) to refrain from investigating or prosecuting actual corruption.
“Equally fictitious is the notion that I am disloyal to President Trump. I have heard the allegation in the media that I supposedly told the Embassy team to ignore the President’s orders ‘since he was going to be impeached.’ That allegation is false. I have never said such a thing, to my Embassy colleagues or to anyone else.”
Yovanovitch added that she never discussed Hunter Biden or his Ukrainian company with Joe Biden or any other Obama official, although she has met the former vice president on several occasions.
According to her opening statement published by the Washington Post, Marie Yovanovitch said she had few interactions with Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer.
But she noted that, based on news reports, some of Giuliani’s associates may have believed they would suffer financial losses due to the ambassador’s anti-corruption efforts.
Yovanovitch told the House committees: “With respect to Mayor Giuliani, I have had only minimal contacts with him—a total of three that I recall. None related to the events at issue. I do not know Mr. Giuliani’s motives for attacking me.
“But individuals who have been named in the press as contacts of Mr. Giuliani may well have believed that their personal financial ambitions were stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine.”
Marie Yovanovitch told the House committees investigating impeachment that Trump had pushed for her removal as ambassador to Ukraine based on “false claims”, according to the New York Times.
The Times reports:
Marie L. Yovanovitch, who was recalled as the American ambassador to Ukraine, testified to impeachment investigators on Friday that a top State Department official told her that President Trump had pushed for her removal for months even though the department believed she had ‘done nothing wrong.’
In a closed-door deposition that could further fuel calls for Mr. Trump’s impeachment, Ms. Yovanovitch delivered a scathing indictment of his administration’s conduct of foreign policy, warning that private influence and personal gain have usurped diplomats’ judgment, threatening to undermine the nation’s interests and drive talented professionals out of public service.
According to a copy of her opening statement obtained by The New York Times, the longtime diplomat said she was ‘incredulous’ that she was removed as ambassador ‘based, as far as I can tell, on unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives.’
A Democratic member of the House oversight committee, Eleanor Holmes Norton, said that Marie Yovanovitch was “acting like a true ambassador” in her closed-door interview.
Norton added that the former US ambassador to Ukraine had made no mention of anyone trying to prevent her from speaking to the House committees investigating impeachment.
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton on the ongoing Yovanovitch deposition: “She’s been testifying there for about an hour, and she’s acting like a true ambassador. So far, I think both sides are finding her credible. She has not indicated that anyone tried to keep her from testifying.”
The US is planning to send more troops, potentially numbering in the thousands, to Saudi Arabia following an attack on its oil facilities last month, which the two countries have blamed on Iran.
Reuters reports:
[Sources familiar with the matter] did not specify exactly how many troops would be deployed or specify whether they would be replacing any other American forces that might be departing elsewhere in the region in the coming weeks or months.
The Pentagon has yet to announce, for example, whether it will replace the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group when it eventually wraps up its deployment to the Middle East.
One of the sources said the United States was also considering deploying additional air defenses to Saudi Arabia. That could not be immediately confirmed, however.
The Trump administration’s decision to send more resources to Saudi Arabia stands in stark contrast to the president’s withdrawal of troops from northern Syria.
Trump said earlier this week of his Syria decision: “I campaigned on the fact that I was going to bring our soldiers home, and bring them home as rapidly as possible.”