Thread by @kyledcheney

KENT says the Pompeo letter claiming Congress was "bullying" State Department officials was inaccurate.

Kent said he was apple picking with his wife when McKinley called him about pushing state to defend its people.

KENT said Giuliani was trying to get State to issue a visa for Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin. When State was unhelpful, Giuliani called the WH and deputy chief of staff Rob Blair.

DONALD TRUMP JR's tweet attacking Yovanovitch motivated calls for a "high-level" statement of support for her from the State Department.

INTERESTING: State Dept. counsel reached out to HANNITY to ask him to stop covering allegations against Yovanovitch if he couldn't offer proof.

KENT accused GIULIANI of a "campaign of lies" -- which could be the subtitle for this whole affair.

Kent says VINDMAN told him he couldn't discuss the majority of the substance of Trump's call to Zelensky becaus eit was too sensitive.

We know thanks to @NatashaBertrand
that Vindman was told not to discuss it by NSC lawyer John Eisenberg. politico.com/news/2019/11/0…

@NatashaBertrand Interesting exahnge with Kent on why diplomats rely on WhatsApp to communicate.

@NatashaBertrand Kent said it was understood that SONDLAND's relationship with Mick Mulvaney is what got him access to high-level Ukraine meetings/debriefing.

@NatashaBertrand KENT described total chaos and confusion after Trump put a hold on Ukraine aid. He said there was "unanimity" among all agencies that the aid should go through and senators like MCCONNELL and Inhofe called Trump to press him on it.

Some questioned whether it could be illegal.

@NatashaBertrand Dems pressed Kent on whether he had ever heard of KASH PATEL, a former Nunes aide who joined Trump's NSC. Kent said he hadn't.

Notable because Patel represented himself to Trump as a Ukraine expert.

Another @NatashaBertrand special: politico.com/news/2019/10/3…