Surprise!
Sondland has amended his testimony to acknowledge that Ukraine's military aid was contingent upon announcing an inquiry into Hunter Biden and Burisma. I guess his lawyers explained that he was on the same path to prison that Michael Cohen took by lying to Congress.
Sondland has amended his testimony to acknowledge that Ukraine's military aid was contingent upon announcing an inquiry into Hunter Biden and Burisma. I guess his lawyers explained that he was on the same path to prison that Michael Cohen took by lying to Congress.
"Gordon Sondland, a key witness in the impeachment inquiry, revealed that he told a top Ukrainian official that hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid would 'likely' be held up ...
"unless the country’s government announced investigations into President Donald Trump’s political rivals — a major reversal from his previous closed-door testimony.
"The acknowledgment of a quid pro quo is an explosive shift that threatens to upend claims by the president’s allies that military aid was not used as a bludgeon to advance his domestic political interests." politico.com/news/2019/11/0…
"Eight days after privately telling Yermak that military aid was contingent on Trump’s desired investigations, Sondland wrote ... to William Taylor ... that Trump had been “crystal clear” that there was no quid pro quo involving military aid and publicly announced investigations.
"Sondland told investigators that he was simply repeating what Trump had told him."
Sondland's previous testimony denying a quid pro quo for military aid was contradicted by numerous witnesses. Some Democratic Congressmen suggested that Sondland may have perjured himself, which likely led him to "remember" the critical conversation.
Sondland testified that he “assumed” that Giuliani’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate former Hunter Biden were illegal.
Sondland provided evidence of a cover up and attempts to script testimony:
White House counsel asked Sondland to come in for an interview before testifying.
Sondland said State Department leaders repeatedly tried to block him from testifying.
White House counsel asked Sondland to come in for an interview before testifying.
Sondland said State Department leaders repeatedly tried to block him from testifying.
Sondland spoke several times with Rick Perry, including on the day before he testified.
Sondland denied meeting to coordinate testimony. Instead he claimed that he wanted to refresh his recollection of events.
Sondland denied meeting to coordinate testimony. Instead he claimed that he wanted to refresh his recollection of events.
