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The Trump Impeachment Inquiry: Latest Updates The Trump Impeachment Inquiry: Latest Updates
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Michael McKinley, who until last week was a top aide to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, was grilled on Wednesday about why he abruptly left his post at the State Department, as closed-door testimony to the House’s impeachment inquiry continues to gather momentum. A former top aide to Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, told impeachment investigators on Wednesday that he resigned because he was upset that the Trump administration had wrestled Ukraine policy away from career diplomats, according to three people familiar with his closed-door deposition to the House Intelligence Committee.
The veteran diplomat was not expected to shed direct light on the activities of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, to pressure Ukraine’s government to dig up damaging information about Mr. Trump’s political rivals, or on Gordon Sondland, the Trump loyalist and ambassador to the European Union. In several hours of continuing testimony, Michael McKinley, who until last week was a senior adviser to Mr. Pompeo, described his mounting frustration with how politicized the State Department had become under President Trump, saying that the last straw for him was the ouster of Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine whom Mr. Trump ordered removed.
But he appears to have joined others in condemning what has been called the politicization of the diplomatic corps under the Trump administration. Again, the removal of Marie Yovanovitch as the ambassador to Ukraine loomed large. Mr. McKinley’s testimony was the latest in a string of accounts given by top career diplomats and administration officials to impeachment investigators about how experts were sidelined as the president pursued his own agenda on Ukraine, including in a July telephone call when Mr. Trump asked President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats.
Mr. Sondland is scheduled to appear before the committees Thursday. While Mr. McKinley told lawmakers that he did not have detailed knowledge about the Ukraine matter, he said the handling of the issue was emblematic of a troublesome trend at the State Department, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe a closed-door deposition. Mr. McKinley said he was alarmed at how poorly diplomats were treated.
But Mr. McKinley is the latest in a steady stream of diplomats and White House officials to appear before the committees despite Mr. Trump’s vow not to cooperate with the inquiry. His role as a senior State Department leader could help shed light on Mr. Pompeo’s knowledge of the activities by Mr. Giuliani and others.
In the past week, witnesses have described a shadow foreign policy led by Mr. Giuliani, Mr. Sondland and Rick Perry, the secretary of energy, that was designed to sideline the diplomats with formal responsibility over relations with Ukraine.
Mr. Pompeo has defended the administration’s actions regarding Ukraine, saying that the impeachment inquiry has sparked a “silly gotcha game” in Washington.Mr. Pompeo has defended the administration’s actions regarding Ukraine, saying that the impeachment inquiry has sparked a “silly gotcha game” in Washington.
A former top White House foreign policy adviser told House impeachment investigators this week that she viewed Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, as a potential national security risk because he was so unprepared for his job, according to two people familiar with her private testimony.A former top White House foreign policy adviser told House impeachment investigators this week that she viewed Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, as a potential national security risk because he was so unprepared for his job, according to two people familiar with her private testimony.
The adviser, Fiona Hill, did not accuse Mr. Sondland of acting maliciously or intentionally putting the country at risk. But she described Mr. Sondland, a hotelier and Trump donor-turned-ambassador, as metaphorically driving in an unfamiliar place with no guardrails and no GPS, according to the people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss a deposition that took place behind closed doors.The adviser, Fiona Hill, did not accuse Mr. Sondland of acting maliciously or intentionally putting the country at risk. But she described Mr. Sondland, a hotelier and Trump donor-turned-ambassador, as metaphorically driving in an unfamiliar place with no guardrails and no GPS, according to the people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss a deposition that took place behind closed doors.
Ms. Hill, the former senior director for European and Russian affairs at the White House, also said that she raised her concerns with intelligence officials inside the White House, one of the people said.Ms. Hill, the former senior director for European and Russian affairs at the White House, also said that she raised her concerns with intelligence officials inside the White House, one of the people said.
In her testimony, Ms. Hill described her fears that Mr. Sondland represented a counterintelligence risk because his actions made him vulnerable to foreign governments who could exploit his inexperience. She said Mr. Sondland extensively used a personal cellphone for official diplomatic business and repeatedly told foreign officials they were welcome to come to the White House whenever they liked.In her testimony, Ms. Hill described her fears that Mr. Sondland represented a counterintelligence risk because his actions made him vulnerable to foreign governments who could exploit his inexperience. She said Mr. Sondland extensively used a personal cellphone for official diplomatic business and repeatedly told foreign officials they were welcome to come to the White House whenever they liked.
Mr. Sondland’s lawyer declined to comment.Mr. Sondland’s lawyer declined to comment.
— Nicholas Fandos and Adam Goldman— Nicholas Fandos and Adam Goldman
Read more: Ex-Aide Saw Gordon Sondland as a Potential National Security RiskRead more: Ex-Aide Saw Gordon Sondland as a Potential National Security Risk
Kurt Volker, who served as Mr. Trump’s envoy to Ukraine before resigning late last month, was back at the Capitol Wednesday after testifying two weeks ago for more than eight hours.Kurt Volker, who served as Mr. Trump’s envoy to Ukraine before resigning late last month, was back at the Capitol Wednesday after testifying two weeks ago for more than eight hours.
Mr. Volker’s return on Wednesday, which had not been disclosed earlier, was for the purpose of reviewing the transcript of his earlier deposition, according to a person familiar with the situation. It is not unusual for witnesses in congressional investigations to be given an opportunity to review the official transcript of what they said.Mr. Volker’s return on Wednesday, which had not been disclosed earlier, was for the purpose of reviewing the transcript of his earlier deposition, according to a person familiar with the situation. It is not unusual for witnesses in congressional investigations to be given an opportunity to review the official transcript of what they said.
Mr. Volker was not expect to provide additional testimony to lawmakers on Wednesday.Mr. Volker was not expect to provide additional testimony to lawmakers on Wednesday.
David Correia, who was charged last week in a campaign finance scheme along with associates of President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, was arrested on Wednesday morning in New York, officials said. Mr. Correia, 44, surrendered to F.B.I. agents at 10:30 a.m. at Kennedy International Airport after he returned from an unidentified foreign country, officials said. He is charged with participating in a scheme to conceal the source of hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations, according to the indictment unsealed last week.David Correia, who was charged last week in a campaign finance scheme along with associates of President Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, was arrested on Wednesday morning in New York, officials said. Mr. Correia, 44, surrendered to F.B.I. agents at 10:30 a.m. at Kennedy International Airport after he returned from an unidentified foreign country, officials said. He is charged with participating in a scheme to conceal the source of hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations, according to the indictment unsealed last week.
— William K. Rashbaum and Michael Gold— William K. Rashbaum and Michael Gold
While some political pundits suggest Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., or Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota won the Democratic debate on Tuesday, President Trump weighed in early Wednesday morning and declared no winners — and then he tied the presidential race to impeachment.While some political pundits suggest Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., or Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota won the Democratic debate on Tuesday, President Trump weighed in early Wednesday morning and declared no winners — and then he tied the presidential race to impeachment.
Among the 12 candidates vying to be the presidential nominee to face Mr. Trump in 2020, Mr. Trump said “You would think there is NO WAY” any could be president.Among the 12 candidates vying to be the presidential nominee to face Mr. Trump in 2020, Mr. Trump said “You would think there is NO WAY” any could be president.
The candidates on Tuesday said words “impeach” or “impeachment” 27 times in the three-hour debate. In a series of early morning Twitter posts on Wednesday, Mr. Trump denounced the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as “totally illegal and absurd” and threatened that the economy would tank if any of the Democratic candidates won the election.The candidates on Tuesday said words “impeach” or “impeachment” 27 times in the three-hour debate. In a series of early morning Twitter posts on Wednesday, Mr. Trump denounced the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as “totally illegal and absurd” and threatened that the economy would tank if any of the Democratic candidates won the election.
“Our record Economy would CRASH, just like in 1929, if any of those clowns became President!,” he tweeted.“Our record Economy would CRASH, just like in 1929, if any of those clowns became President!,” he tweeted.
President Trump repeatedly pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate people and issues of political concern to Mr. Trump, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Here’s a timeline of events since January.President Trump repeatedly pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate people and issues of political concern to Mr. Trump, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Here’s a timeline of events since January.
A C.I.A. officer who was once detailed to the White House filed a whistle-blower complaint on Mr. Trump’s interactions with Mr. Zelensky. Read the complaint.A C.I.A. officer who was once detailed to the White House filed a whistle-blower complaint on Mr. Trump’s interactions with Mr. Zelensky. Read the complaint.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in September that the House would open a formal impeachment proceeding in response to the whistle-blower’s complaint. Here’s how the impeachment process works.Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced in September that the House would open a formal impeachment proceeding in response to the whistle-blower’s complaint. Here’s how the impeachment process works.
House committees have issued subpoenas to the White House, the Defense Department, the budget office and other agencies for documents related to the impeachment investigation. Here’s the evidence that has been collected so far.House committees have issued subpoenas to the White House, the Defense Department, the budget office and other agencies for documents related to the impeachment investigation. Here’s the evidence that has been collected so far.