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| Key Moments From the First Public Impeachment Hearing | Key Moments From the First Public Impeachment Hearing |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| William B. Taylor Jr., the top United States diplomat in Ukraine, offered a new detail in his testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday about how Mr. Trump’s preoccupation with investigating the former vice president and his family had affected his actions toward Ukraine. | |
| Mr. Taylor said that a member of his staff overheard a telephone conversation in which the president mentioned “the investigations” to Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, who told him “that the Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” After the call, the aide asked Mr. Sondland what the president thought of Ukraine, in Mr. Taylor’s telling. The ambassador “responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for.” | Mr. Taylor said that a member of his staff overheard a telephone conversation in which the president mentioned “the investigations” to Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, who told him “that the Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” After the call, the aide asked Mr. Sondland what the president thought of Ukraine, in Mr. Taylor’s telling. The ambassador “responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for.” |
| He was referring to Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, whom Mr. Taylor described as the leader of an “highly irregular” policymaking channel on Ukraine that ran counter to goals of longstanding American policy. The episode was not included in Mr. Taylor’s interview with impeachment investigators last month because, he said, he was not aware of it at the time. Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, quickly seized on it to put the president’s concern with the investigations into context. | He was referring to Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, whom Mr. Taylor described as the leader of an “highly irregular” policymaking channel on Ukraine that ran counter to goals of longstanding American policy. The episode was not included in Mr. Taylor’s interview with impeachment investigators last month because, he said, he was not aware of it at the time. Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, quickly seized on it to put the president’s concern with the investigations into context. |
| “I take it the import of that is he cares more about that than he does about Ukraine?” Mr. Schiff asked. | “I take it the import of that is he cares more about that than he does about Ukraine?” Mr. Schiff asked. |
| “Yes, sir,” Mr. Taylor responded. | “Yes, sir,” Mr. Taylor responded. |
| Much of the rest of Mr. Taylor’s testimony was consistent with what he told the panel previously, an account that included vivid details of how he discovered that Mr. Trump was conditioning “everything” about the United States relationship with Ukraine — including needed military aid and a White House meeting for Ukraine’s president — on the country’s willingness to commit publicly to investigations of his political rivals. His testimony made it clear that the Ukrainians were well aware of the prerequisite at the time. | Much of the rest of Mr. Taylor’s testimony was consistent with what he told the panel previously, an account that included vivid details of how he discovered that Mr. Trump was conditioning “everything” about the United States relationship with Ukraine — including needed military aid and a White House meeting for Ukraine’s president — on the country’s willingness to commit publicly to investigations of his political rivals. His testimony made it clear that the Ukrainians were well aware of the prerequisite at the time. |
| The revelation came as Democrats opened the first public impeachment hearing in more than two decades, moving into the public’s direct glare a historic clash between President Trump and Democrats that has so far unfolded in private. | The revelation came as Democrats opened the first public impeachment hearing in more than two decades, moving into the public’s direct glare a historic clash between President Trump and Democrats that has so far unfolded in private. |
| Mr. Taylor and George P. Kent, a senior State Department official who is also testifying, were seated next to each other at the witness table. Both men received subpoenas Wednesday morning to appear. | Mr. Taylor and George P. Kent, a senior State Department official who is also testifying, were seated next to each other at the witness table. Both men received subpoenas Wednesday morning to appear. |
| Sign up here for the Impeachment Briefing newsletter, which explains the latest developments every weeknight. | Sign up here for the Impeachment Briefing newsletter, which explains the latest developments every weeknight. |
| Mr. Kent testified that Mr. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, conducted a smear campaign against the United States ambassador to Ukraine and led an effort to “gin up politically motivated investigations,” according to a copy of his opening statement | Mr. Kent testified that Mr. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, conducted a smear campaign against the United States ambassador to Ukraine and led an effort to “gin up politically motivated investigations,” according to a copy of his opening statement |
| In his opening statement, Mr. Kent said that he concluded by mid-August that Mr. Giuliani’s efforts to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to open investigations into Mr. Trump’s rivals “were now infecting U.S. engagement with Ukraine, leveraging President Zelensky’s desire for a White House meeting.” | |
| Mr. Kent also assailed what he called a “campaign to smear” American officials serving in Ukraine, which succeeded with the ouster of Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine. | Mr. Kent also assailed what he called a “campaign to smear” American officials serving in Ukraine, which succeeded with the ouster of Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine. |
| “It was unexpected, and most unfortunate however, to watch some Americans — including those who allied themselves with corrupt Ukrainians in pursuit of private agendas — launch attacks on dedicated public servants advancing U.S. interests in Ukraine,” Mr. Kent said in his opening statement. “In my opinion, those attacks undermined U.S. and Ukrainian national interests and damaged our critical bilateral relationship.” | “It was unexpected, and most unfortunate however, to watch some Americans — including those who allied themselves with corrupt Ukrainians in pursuit of private agendas — launch attacks on dedicated public servants advancing U.S. interests in Ukraine,” Mr. Kent said in his opening statement. “In my opinion, those attacks undermined U.S. and Ukrainian national interests and damaged our critical bilateral relationship.” |
| When it was their turn to ask questions, Republicans on the Intelligence panel peppered the witnesses with rapid-fire questions, working to undercut their accounts as hearsay and supposition, and noting that neither had interacted directly with Mr. Trump. | When it was their turn to ask questions, Republicans on the Intelligence panel peppered the witnesses with rapid-fire questions, working to undercut their accounts as hearsay and supposition, and noting that neither had interacted directly with Mr. Trump. |
| Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a fiery inquisitor who was temporarily moved to the Intelligence Committee to play that role in the impeachment hearings, repeatedly challenged Mr. Taylor’s version of events, which he dismissed as secondhand at best. | |
| After Mr. Taylor testified that military aid for Ukraine was withheld and conditioned on Ukraine launching the investigations that Mr. Trump wanted, Mr. Jordan jumped on him, noting that the military aid eventually was delivered. | After Mr. Taylor testified that military aid for Ukraine was withheld and conditioned on Ukraine launching the investigations that Mr. Trump wanted, Mr. Jordan jumped on him, noting that the military aid eventually was delivered. |
| “What you heard did not happen,” Mr. Jordan said. “It’s not just could it have been wrong, the fact is it was wrong, because it did not happen.” | “What you heard did not happen,” Mr. Jordan said. “It’s not just could it have been wrong, the fact is it was wrong, because it did not happen.” |
| The aid was released in September, after the White House had become aware that an intelligence whistle-blower had filed a complaint alleging that the freezing of the money had been part of a scheme by Mr. Trump to enlist Ukraine to help him in the 2020 election. | The aid was released in September, after the White House had become aware that an intelligence whistle-blower had filed a complaint alleging that the freezing of the money had been part of a scheme by Mr. Trump to enlist Ukraine to help him in the 2020 election. |
| Representative John Ratcliffe of Texas demanded that Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kent weigh in on whether the president should be impeached for what he said on the July 25 call with Mr. Zelensky. | Representative John Ratcliffe of Texas demanded that Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kent weigh in on whether the president should be impeached for what he said on the July 25 call with Mr. Zelensky. |
| “Are either of you here today to assert there was an impeachable offense in that call?” Mr. Ratcliffe demanded. “Shout it out — anyone?” | “Are either of you here today to assert there was an impeachable offense in that call?” Mr. Ratcliffe demanded. “Shout it out — anyone?” |
| Mr. Taylor reiterated a statement he had made earlier, saying he was not there to take sides, but to share what he knew. | Mr. Taylor reiterated a statement he had made earlier, saying he was not there to take sides, but to share what he knew. |
| “I’m not here to do anything having to do with to decide about impeachment,” the ambassador said. “That is not what either of us are here to do. This is your job.” | “I’m not here to do anything having to do with to decide about impeachment,” the ambassador said. “That is not what either of us are here to do. This is your job.” |
| Mr. Schiff, the Intelligence Committee chairman, opened the hearing by summarizing the damning facts about President Trump’s conduct that have been laid out privately by witnesses thus far, asking, “If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?” He zeroed in on the public admission by Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, that Mr. Trump tied aid for the Ukrainians to their willingness to announce investigations into his political rivals. | Mr. Schiff, the Intelligence Committee chairman, opened the hearing by summarizing the damning facts about President Trump’s conduct that have been laid out privately by witnesses thus far, asking, “If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?” He zeroed in on the public admission by Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, that Mr. Trump tied aid for the Ukrainians to their willingness to announce investigations into his political rivals. |
| “I have news for everybody: Get over it,” Mr. Mulvaney said during a White House briefing last month, before later recanting. “There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy. That is going to happen.” | “I have news for everybody: Get over it,” Mr. Mulvaney said during a White House briefing last month, before later recanting. “There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy. That is going to happen.” |
| Mr. Schiff described the statement as breathtaking, and cast the hearings now underway as a referendum on Mr. Mulvaney’s assertion that Americans should accept Mr. Trump’s actions as proper and befitting a president. | Mr. Schiff described the statement as breathtaking, and cast the hearings now underway as a referendum on Mr. Mulvaney’s assertion that Americans should accept Mr. Trump’s actions as proper and befitting a president. |
| “If he sought to condition, coerce, extort or bribe an ally into conducting investigations to aid his re-election campaign, and did so by withholding official acts — a White House meeting or hundreds of millions of dollars of needed military aid — must we simply ‘get over it?’” Mr. Schiff asked. “Is this what Americans should now expect from their president?” | “If he sought to condition, coerce, extort or bribe an ally into conducting investigations to aid his re-election campaign, and did so by withholding official acts — a White House meeting or hundreds of millions of dollars of needed military aid — must we simply ‘get over it?’” Mr. Schiff asked. “Is this what Americans should now expect from their president?” |
| Mr. Schiff said the questions at issue in the hearing on Wednesday are about whether Mr. Trump’s abuses of power are compatible with the office of the presidency. | Mr. Schiff said the questions at issue in the hearing on Wednesday are about whether Mr. Trump’s abuses of power are compatible with the office of the presidency. |
| “The matter is as simple, and as terrible as that,” he said. | “The matter is as simple, and as terrible as that,” he said. |
| The top Republican on the Intelligence panel accused the witnesses of working against Mr. Trump, casting previous testimony by diplomats and national security officials about the president’s actions toward Ukraine as nothing more than unfounded, second- or thirdhand allegations from members of a “politicized bureaucracy.” | The top Republican on the Intelligence panel accused the witnesses of working against Mr. Trump, casting previous testimony by diplomats and national security officials about the president’s actions toward Ukraine as nothing more than unfounded, second- or thirdhand allegations from members of a “politicized bureaucracy.” |
| Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California, opened his party’s defense of the president by charging that the allegations were coming from a group of civil servants who “have decided that they, not the president, are really in charge.” | Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California, opened his party’s defense of the president by charging that the allegations were coming from a group of civil servants who “have decided that they, not the president, are really in charge.” |
| Facing the two veteran diplomats at the witness table, Mr. Nunes said they had been convinced, “wittingly or unwittingly,” to be part of a corrupt investigation that he called a “televised theatrical performance, staged by the Democrats.” | Facing the two veteran diplomats at the witness table, Mr. Nunes said they had been convinced, “wittingly or unwittingly,” to be part of a corrupt investigation that he called a “televised theatrical performance, staged by the Democrats.” |
| “The main performance, the Russia hoax, has ended, and you’ve been cast in the low-rent Ukrainian sequel,” Mr. Nunes said. He said diplomats in the State Department had worked to undercut the president, and in the process had “lost the confidence of millions of Americans who believe that their vote should count for something.” | “The main performance, the Russia hoax, has ended, and you’ve been cast in the low-rent Ukrainian sequel,” Mr. Nunes said. He said diplomats in the State Department had worked to undercut the president, and in the process had “lost the confidence of millions of Americans who believe that their vote should count for something.” |
| Republicans sought to defend Mr. Trump at Wednesday’s impeachment hearings by repeatedly raising unproven theories about Mr. Biden’s son and allegations that Ukraine conspired with Democrats to interfere in the 2016 election on behalf of the president’s rival. | Republicans sought to defend Mr. Trump at Wednesday’s impeachment hearings by repeatedly raising unproven theories about Mr. Biden’s son and allegations that Ukraine conspired with Democrats to interfere in the 2016 election on behalf of the president’s rival. |
| “They accuse President Trump of malfeasance in Ukraine when they, themselves, are culpable,” Mr. Nunes, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, said of Democrats in his opening statement. “The Democrats cooperated in Ukrainian election meddling and they defend Hunter Biden’s securing of a lavishly paid position with a corrupt Ukrainian company.” | “They accuse President Trump of malfeasance in Ukraine when they, themselves, are culpable,” Mr. Nunes, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, said of Democrats in his opening statement. “The Democrats cooperated in Ukrainian election meddling and they defend Hunter Biden’s securing of a lavishly paid position with a corrupt Ukrainian company.” |
| His allegations were part of the Republican strategy to defend Mr. Trump by attempting to shift the conversation away from the mountain of evidence that Democrats have assembled about the president’s conduct, and instead focus on his grudges. | His allegations were part of the Republican strategy to defend Mr. Trump by attempting to shift the conversation away from the mountain of evidence that Democrats have assembled about the president’s conduct, and instead focus on his grudges. |
| Democrats have so far refused requests for witnesses who Republicans claim would bolster their theories, including Hunter Biden, but Republican lawmakers did not let that stop them from pressing Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kent to back them up. Both of them largely declined, saying they knew little about any allegation of corruption involving Hunter Biden’s service on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. | Democrats have so far refused requests for witnesses who Republicans claim would bolster their theories, including Hunter Biden, but Republican lawmakers did not let that stop them from pressing Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kent to back them up. Both of them largely declined, saying they knew little about any allegation of corruption involving Hunter Biden’s service on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. |
| Asked by a Republican lawyer about Mr. Biden’s qualifications to serve on the company’s board, Mr. Kent demurred. | Asked by a Republican lawyer about Mr. Biden’s qualifications to serve on the company’s board, Mr. Kent demurred. |
| “I have no idea what Hunter Biden studied at university or what his C.V. says,” Mr. Kent responded. “I have no awareness or knowledge of what his background was.” | “I have no idea what Hunter Biden studied at university or what his C.V. says,” Mr. Kent responded. “I have no awareness or knowledge of what his background was.” |
| Mr. Trump fired off several tweets about the impeachment hearing as it got underway Wednesday even as his press secretary said Mr. Trump was not watching the drama play out on Capitol Hill. | Mr. Trump fired off several tweets about the impeachment hearing as it got underway Wednesday even as his press secretary said Mr. Trump was not watching the drama play out on Capitol Hill. |
| “He’s in the Oval in meetings,” Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, told reporters about an hour after the hearing was gaveled open. “Not watching. He’s working.” | “He’s in the Oval in meetings,” Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, told reporters about an hour after the hearing was gaveled open. “Not watching. He’s working.” |
| Moments after Ms. Grisham said that, Mr. Trump retweeted several posts from House Republicans attacking the hearings. Earlier, the president tweeted: “New Hoax. Same swamp” shortly before the hearings opened. | Moments after Ms. Grisham said that, Mr. Trump retweeted several posts from House Republicans attacking the hearings. Earlier, the president tweeted: “New Hoax. Same swamp” shortly before the hearings opened. |
| As the hearings unfolded, Mr. Trump was scheduled to host President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at the White House for a daylong visit. Mr. Trump is scheduled to hold a joint news conference with Mr. Erdogan at about 3 p.m. | As the hearings unfolded, Mr. Trump was scheduled to host President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey at the White House for a daylong visit. Mr. Trump is scheduled to hold a joint news conference with Mr. Erdogan at about 3 p.m. |
| Mr. Trump has repeatedly shown his willingness to use such appearances with foreign leaders to engage directly with reporters, especially at moments when his administration is engulfed in controversy. The news conference with Mr. Erdogan could provide him with an opportunity to rail against the impeachment hearings, setting up the possibility of a compelling split-screen moment from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. | Mr. Trump has repeatedly shown his willingness to use such appearances with foreign leaders to engage directly with reporters, especially at moments when his administration is engulfed in controversy. The news conference with Mr. Erdogan could provide him with an opportunity to rail against the impeachment hearings, setting up the possibility of a compelling split-screen moment from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. |