This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2019/oct/11/donald-trump-news-today-impeachment-inquiry-ukraine-politics-live-updates
The article has changed 23 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 9 | Version 10 |
---|---|
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/I1THL9cHtx | 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/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/1NfYRvu2vt | 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/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/kDYLjOEPWr | This 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: |