Thread by @moscow_project

The House has released the transcript of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent's deposition. Read the key excerpts here: intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/…
Or the full transcript here: docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

This is the fourth transcript this week to explicitly confirm the quid pro quo—and, in Kent's case, he testified that it went all the way to the top. intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/…

Like his colleagues, Kent noted that Trump wanted Zelensky to *publicly announce* the investigations—which just emphasizes that Trump was interested in personal political benefit, not fighting corruption. intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/…

Kent also outlines an apparent effort by the State Department to delay their responses to congressional subpoenas—and a letter Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent to investigators with multiple inaccuracies. intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/…

The conspiracy theory Trump and Giuliani wanted Zelensky to push rests largely on the notion that Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Shokin was an anti-corruption crusader who was unjustly fired.
Here's Kent's description of Shokin (p. 45, 47): docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

The conspiracy theory also rests on the credibility of Shokin's successor, Yuriy Lutsenko. Here's what Kent had to say about him (p. 55):
docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

Kent's not alone in that assessment—here's what Volker had to say about Lutsenko in his deposition:

https://twitter.com/moscow_project/status/1191800868292702210?s=20

Lutsenko laundered many of his conspiratorial allegations through John Solomon, a conservative columnist at The Hill.
According to Kent, those allegations were, "if not entirely made up in full cloth ... primarily non-truths and non-sequiturs" (p. 58-59).
docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

According to Kent, the narrative picked up steam in part thanks to "Porokhobots," social-media trolls who pushed narratives supporting Petro Poroshenko, Volodymyr Zelensky's predecessor as Ukraine's president (p. 59). docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

George Kent runs down the four main "story lines" of the conspiracy theories Trump and Giuliani wanted Ukrainian officials to push.
"Did you believe that there was any merit to any of those four story lines?"
"I did not" (p. 63-64).
docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

Kent "described a series of complete falsehoods" against Marie Yovanovitch by Trump allies, including Trump Jr. and Giuliani.
The State Department's response was apparently to ... do nothing, aside from Sondland's suggestion that she tweet in support of Trump (p. 66-67).

The worst allegations against Yovanovitch came from—who else—Lutsenko. To Kent, that made it "an issue of believability about someone [Lutsenko] who routinely lies" (p. 71). docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

The GOP's counsel tries to lead Kent down a road suggesting Ukrainian officials colluded with Democrats to take down Paul Manafort in 2016.
Kent shoots it down: "It's, again, inaccurate, not accurate characterization" (p. 76-77).
docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

Trump, Giuliani, and their allies like to paint Biden as having single-handedly pushed Shokin out to save his son.
Kent debunked that, outlining a broad international effort to pressure Ukraine to fire the corrupt prosecutor general (98). docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG…

According to Kent, in September, Kurt Volker told a Ukrainian official that it was inappropriate for Zelensky to investigate his political rivals.
The official responded: "What? You mean the type of investigations you're pushing for us to do on Biden and Clinton?" (p. 329).

According to Kent—who learned of the conversation from Bill Taylor—that didn't stop Volker from later telling the official, "it's important that President Zelenskyy give the messages that we discussed before"—in other words, announce Trump's desired investigaitons (p. 329-330).

Schiff and Kent discuss Trump's July 25 call, where Trump never mentioned corruption—but did mention the Bidens.
Kent: "As a general principle, I do not believe the U.S. should ask other countries to engage in politically associated investigations and prosecutions" (p. 112-114).

Kent: Giuliani's "assertions and allegations against former Ambassador Yovanovitch were without basis, untrue, period" (p. 131).
apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

Kent described Yovanovitch as having been "removed through actions by corrupt Ukrainians in Ukraine"—many of whom are now helping push conspiracy theories about the Bidens—"as well as private American citizens back here" like Rudy Giuliani (p. 133-134).
apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

Kent describes a conversation with Alex Vindman in which Vindman described the July 25 call:
"It was different than any read-out call that I had received. He felt—I could hear it in his voice and his hesitancy that he felt uncomfortable" (p. 163-164). apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

Kent summarizes the smear campaign against Yovanovitch: "Lutsenko, as prosecutor general, vowed revenge, and provided information to Rudy Giuliani in hopes that he would spread it and lead to her removal"—with apparent help from Parnas and Fruman (p. 181). apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

When Kent learned that aid was being withheld, he was surprised: There was unanimous support for authorizing the aid, he said, and no reason to believe the conditions for doing so hadn't been met (p. 305-306). apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

According to Kent, the aid the U.S. sends to Ukraine is "critically important"—and if anything, even more beneficial to the U.S. than to Ukraine, making the unexplained decision to withhold the money even more confusing (p. 319-320). apps.npr.org/documents/docu…

Kent lays out why Putin and Orban have vested interests in turning Trump against Ukraine—which makes his reported decision to rely on their counsel especially troubling (p. 338-339). apps.npr.org/documents/docu…