Thread by @BBuchman_CNS

Good morning from inside the Longworth Building. In just under an hour, my live-tweet thread of impeachment inquiry testimony begins here.

https://twitter.com/BBuchman_CNS/status/1195301383609733120

Re-upping this for those who may want to review in full or search for info in transcript (which, btw, you can do with this doc). The complete transcript from Marie Yovanovitch testimony on Nov. 4 available here:
documentcloud.org/documents/6539…
cc: @KlasfeldReports
@CourthouseNews

@KlasfeldReports @CourthouseNews There is a hush that has swept over the room as we are just moments away.

As the hearing is underway the president is lashing out, denigrating a U.S. city and the Speaker.

And away we go. Yovanovitch is seated.

Chairman Schiff is delivering his opening remarks, commending the remarkable job that Yovanovitch did in her decades of service. She was widely praised and respected by colleagues, he notes. She is known as an anti-corruption champion.

In her time in Kiev, Yovanovitch was tough on corruption, too tough for some and her principled stance made her enemies, Schiff notes.

Schiff: This is not a question of whether Trump could recall an amb. w/ a stellar reputation, but why would he want to. Why did Giuliani want her gone and why did POTUS?

Giuliani - "Of course I did," when asked in a news interview if he did indeed press Ukrainian officials to investigate Joe Biden et al.
Schiff: Giuliani was "never shy" about who he was doing this work for - President of the United States Donald Trump.

Schiff: The powers of the presidency are immense. But they are not absolute & they cannot be used for corrupt purpose. American people expect their pres. to use the authority granted in the service of the nation not to destroy others, advance his personal or political interests.

Ranking member Devin Nunes is repeating similar remarks he made during Wednesday's hearing; calling the impeachment inquiry "absurd" and the workings of a "cult"
Nunes: Dems have vowed to "oust President Trump since the day he was elected."

Nunes says the impeachment hearings shouldn't occur until the following Qs are answered: what is full extent of coordination between Dems/WB; full extent of meddling into Trump campaign by Ukraine? what did H. Biden do for Burisma, did his actions effect any policy under Obama

Schiff, after Trump released the transcript of the first call, now asks the president to release all of the other documents he has refused to relinquish.
"We would ask he stop obstructing the inquiry."
Schiff asks too: why did he instruct VP Pence not to attend Zelensky inaug?

There was a bit of back and forth on points of order between Jim Jordan and Elsie Stefanik when Stefanik asked if Schiff would allow for questions to other witnesses minority seeks. Schiff controlled it deftly, shut it down with 2-3 minutes.

Yovanovitch has been sworn in and she is now delivering her opening remarks.

Yova. is relaying her background, her mother's family escaped the USSR after the Bolshevik revolution, her mother grew up in stateless Nazi Germany before coming to the U.S.
Her father fled Soviets before finding refuge in the U.S.

"Their personal histories, my personal history, gave me both deep gratitude towards the United States and empathy for others - like the Ukrainian people - who want to be free." - former U.S. amb. Marie Yovanovitch

From '16-'19, she worked to advance U.S. policy - "fully embraced by Democrats and Republicans alike" - to help Ukraine become a stable and independent democratic state, with a market economy integrated into Europe.

Ukraine has an enormous land mass, she notes, and a large population and has the potential to be a "significant commerical and political parnter for the U.S. as well as a force-multiplier on the security side."
Where U.S. sees potential, Russia sees "the risk" of their growth

Why U.S. aid matters: "Supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do. If Russia prevails and Ukraine falls to Russia dominion, we can expect to see other attempts by Russia to expand its territory and influence." - M. Yovanovitch
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Yov.: It is in America's national security interest to help Ukraine transform into a country where the rule of law governs and corruption is held in check. It was - and remains - a top U.S. priority to help Ukraine fight corruption.

Unfortunately, as the past few months have outlined, Yova. says, "not all Ukrainians embraced" the U.S. anti-corruption work that went on under her tenure.

Yova.: "What continues to amaze me is that they found Americans willing to partner w/them and working together, they apparently suceeded in orchestrating the removal of a U.S. ambassador."

"The allegation that I distributed a "do not prosecute list" is a fabrication."
Former Ukr. prosecutor general Yuriy Lutsenko has acknowledged this list never existed.
She did not tell Ukr. who to prosecute, she only advocated the position that rule of law should prevail.

"I do not understand Mr. Giuliani's motives for attacking me," Yovanovitch says, adding nor can she offer a motive or opinion about why he launched his smear campaign against her.
(She only had contact with him directly 3 times.)

"I have always understood I serve at the pleasure of the president, I still find it difficult to comprehend that foreign and private interests were able to undermine U.S. intersts in this way." - Yovanovitch

"Individuals who apparently felt stymied by our efforts to promote stated U.S. policy against corruption - that is, to do the mission - were able to successfully conduct a campaign of disinformation against a sitting ambassador, using unofficial back channels." - Yovanovitch

At the closed deposition, she expressed concern about the degradation of the foreign service and failure of leadership to push back against corruption. "I remain disappointed that dept. leadership declined to acknowledge that attacks against me and others are dangerously wrong.

"This is about far far more than me or a couple of individuals," she adds. As foreign service professionals are denigrated and undermined, the insitution of the U.S. State - and much more than that - is harmed.

A notable remark from the expert ambassador

With her opening remarks wrapped, we move into 45 minute rounds of questioning. Schiff begins.

Was fighting corruption in Ukr. a key element of U.S. policy and among her top priorities. Why?
Yova.: It was imp. because corruption was undermining the integrity of governance system in Ukr. Countries w/leaders that are honest and trustworthy make better partners for US

She agrees with the assessment from George Kent from Wednesday - if you're going to fight corruption, you're going to piss off corrupt people.
Viktor Shokin was denied a visa because of his corruption, Yova. confirms.

Shokin is former prosecutor general for Ukraine, to be clear.

Yova. says she was not only smeared by Giuliani, but by Don Trump Jr. in media as well.

In the July 25 call, Trump said one of the former prosecutors was treated "Very unfairly" not her - who was smeared and recalled - what msg does that send to emb. in Kiev?
Yova: I'm just not sure what the basis of that statement would be, she responds.

Dem counsel Goldman is now taking over for questioning. Apr 24 at 10PM, she received an urgent call while she was in the middle of hosting an event in honor of anti-corruption activist in Ukr. Kateryna Handizuk who was attacked w/acid and killed.

During the call, Yova was told there was "great concern" and State was worried, "things seemed to be going on" and this was a heads up call. It was hard to react, Yova. said.

Then at 1AM in the morning, Yova was called again, reiterated "great concerns" get on the "next plane" immediately to the U.S. Yova. asked why and she said she wasn't sure but concerns of her security.

This was "extremely irregular," the former amb. notes.
Details about concerns for her security were discussed, Yova did ask if it was coming from Giuliani, but there wasn't clarity on the response.

What did the "concerted campaign" statement from dep secy of state Sullivan mean. She wasn't sure, but she took it to mean that it was the work of Giuliani and others involved in his circles. Spec. from Ukr: she thinks it was Yuriy Lutsenko, Viktor Shokin

The president is quite literally attacking Yovanovitch character as she testifies.
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Dem counsel Goldman asks if in her 30 years of experience, has she ever heard of an amb. being recalled on the basis of false allegations from the top brass?
Yovanovitch: No.

Yovanovitch was shocked and devestated that she would feature in a phone call between two heads of state in such a manner where she was referred to as "bad news" by President Trump and that she would be "going through some things."

Yovanovitch reiterates that she was "shocked" that a president of the US would "talk to any foreign official about its own amb. like that."

Trump's comment that she would be "going through some things" sounded like a threat to her.
Dem Counsel Goldman: Did she feel threatened?
Simply, Yovanovitch responds: "I did."

How so, Goldman asks.
"I didn't know exactly, it's not a very precise phrase. I don't know how to answer it any further except to say that it felt like a threat. I wondered what it meant." - Yovanovitch

We're getting into the pieces that appeared in The Hill smearing Yovanovitch.

Details on that in my story here: courthousenews.com/yovanovitch-te…

When Yova. saw the tweets attacking her that Trump parroted on Twitter, as they made the rounds on primetime TV- she was devestated by the attack. She never bad mouthed Trump, never gave a do not prosecute list to Lutsenko. Again, allegations were recanted by Lutsenko

DEVELOPING: "The color drained from my face," ousted U.S. amb. Marie Yovanovitch says during powerful testimony about the threat she felt after a smear campaign was launched against her by Giuliani and ultimately, POTUS.
courthousenews.com/ambassador-say…

Schiff is noting how Trump is attacking Yovanovitch *today on Twitter while she is testifying.* Does she want to respond? He blamed her for conflict in Somalia etc. (scroll up for more)

"I dont think I have such powers. I think where I served over the years, I and others have demonstrably made things better for the U.S." and allies like Ukraine.

Schiff: Now the president in real time is attacking you. What effect do you think that has on other witnesses to come forward?
"It's very intimidating," Yovanovitch says.
Schiff: it's designed to intimdate, is it not?

Yova pauses, stutters for a moment. Parsing words carefully. "I can't speak to what POTUS means to do"
Schiff: Some of us here take witness intimidation very seriously.
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Dem counsel Goldman: Are you aware of allegations of Ukr. intereference in 2016 election?
Yovanovitch: There have been rumors out there about that, but there was nothing hard.
Goldman: Nothing based in fact to support the allegations?
Yovanovitch: Yes.
cc: @CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Goldman: During the July 25 call, Biden was the front runner and Trump's potential next opponent. Did Yovanovitch understand that this request to have Biden investigate was a part of official U.S. policy/part of anticorruption platform?
Yova. shakes head before saying: "No."

@CourthouseNews We're taking recess as lawmakers vote.
Stay tuned.
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Lawmakers were voting on legislation unrelated to the impeachment inquiry, for the record. (Import/export policy bills) and now they are back in committee and we will resume shortly.
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Marie Yovanovitch has returned and has taken her seat.

@CourthouseNews There is a whir of camera shutters and flashes as she eases into her chair.

@CourthouseNews We are gaveled and there is a point of order raised by minority: Yovanovitch lawyer has paper copies of slides that were displayed. Schiff says, they were given copies this morning because the screen wasn't working.
Schiff now calls on Nunes to begin 45 minute round.

@CourthouseNews The chairman's ability to shut down the distraction tactics during points of order is remarkably effective.

@CourthouseNews Ranking member Nunes is asking the former ambassador a line of questions that hinge on GOP argument that inquiry is baseless because the information given thus far by her is not "firsthand."

@CourthouseNews Nunes yielded time to Rep Stefanik. She is not recognized by Schiff, because the resolution specifies that the minority is not allowed to yield to lawmakers during the 45 minute rounds. Minority can only yield to the GOP counsel Castor.

@CourthouseNews GOP counsel Stephen Counsel speaking to Yovanovitch testimony about her understanding that "she serves at the pleasure of the president" and her comment that there were irregular back channels in Ukr.

Castor: Was her removal part of some scheme to make it easier for elements of Ukr. establishment to do things counter to US interest?
There were Americans actively doing this, she says and mentions Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman.

They were seeking an ambassador that would allow them to achieve their objectives, she notes.
Castor asks if William Taylor is the type of person who would facilitate those objectives?
Yova: No.
She acknowledges he has the highest integrity.

Castor is being very careful, gentle in questioning. There was a lot of talk about the GOP "roughing up the witness" ahead of the hearing and losing credibility in arguments as a result.

When did she first realize the relationship with Lutsenko was "adversarial?" Castor asks.
It was in March. But she rejects the characertization of adversarial. The U.S. was pushing Ukr. to do what they said they were going to do about ending corruption, establishing rule of law.

Castor says the first time she aired concerns was in March. But she corrects him, says the conversations came much earlier than that. "We had discussions because we were cncerned that Ukr. policy makers and leaders were hearing I was being undermined."

.@CourthouseNews will have another story coming this afternoon as the hearing continues but in the meantime, catch up on what has happened so far. UPDATED:
courthousenews.com/ambassador-say…
cc: @KlasfeldReports
#ImpeachmentInquiry

@CourthouseNews @KlasfeldReports Yovanovitch speaking on corruption in Ukraine. She shied away from Castor's characterization that corruption is "endemic" in Ukraine. Arguably a very deft move by an experienced amb. She is stil cognizant of the interests re: Ukr. and U.S. relations in mind. Even after all this.

@CourthouseNews @KlasfeldReports Castor asking about her relationship with frmr envoy to Ukr. Kurt Volker - Did he do anything against U.S. interests?
Yov: "He tried to do what he thought was right."

Now to the military aid.
Yov. conceded it was good that U.S. eventually gave javelins to Ukr. to defend against Russia. But the more important issue is the symbolism of it, she says. It makes Ukr. adversaries "think twice" when they see U.S. is backing the nation.

When there are questions about whether security assistance will go through, it undermines the nat. security of Ukr.
Castor notes that it did ultimately go through and was paused for 55 days.
The Q.: what could have happened in that 55 days?

The props used today:

Castor questioning ends; Schiff is up before he gives the floor to lawmakers for 5 minute rounds.
Taylor replaced her after she was pushed out of the way.
Schiff notes how Taylor has integrity, would not be the one to investigate Bidens at urging from the top.

Now Schiff doesn't say his name but he is speaking of - Gordon Sondland, U.S. amb. to EU. He asks, if Taylor couldn't be in place, what about " someone who is an ambassador with ties to Europe, who is a donor, who is friendly with Giuliani"

Schiff: There are 2 calls here, the perfunctory congratulatory call, and then of course the "very problematic call" in July.
Schiff says, we're here because of what happened between Apr-July.

There was a readout from the WH where Trump discussed helping Zel. root out corruption but that is not represented anywhere in the call readout shared today. Why would the WH put out a reading that says nothing about corruption but claim it did.

The ambassador doesn't know and says can't answer that question.

Now we're into 5 minute roudns for lawmakers, she is facing questions from NY Republican Rep Stefanik

If she had remained amb. to Ukr., would she recommend to POTUS, that he ask the new Ukr. pres to investigate Crowdstrike (per his own words in rough transcript)
Yov. says no, she has maintained and maintains today: the intereference in election was by the Russians.

My most sincere apologies for any typos today, in particular those typos that do not spell the former ambassador's name correctly. I've largely abbreivated for space. But for the record: the correct spelling of her last name is: Yovanovich.

Rep Mike Conaway asking how she was mistreated at State by fellow officials after the smear campaign. She said she received a lot of support as a matter of fact. Conaway notes, from the people she respects? Yes.

Republican lawmaker entered a series of news articles into the record from September suggesting Schiff would call whistleblower to testify.
Schiff's eyes rolled briefly for a moment.
He said on Nov.10 the WB would not testify because it would be "redundant and unnecessary."

In her line of work, she says, all you have is your reputation.
She also did not wish to discuss how the smear campaign impacted her family but thanks Rep. Sewell for the question.

About her being a "Never-Trumper:" She's worked under Republican and Democrat admins for years. She also was appointed under the Reagan administration.

When asked directly if she was a Never-Trumper, former amb. Yovanovich said "No."
Reminder, she is under oath.
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Rep Mike Turner speaking on EU amb. Sondland. There's been criticism from Dems that Ukr. is not technically in her portfolio.
Yov. tried to answer but was interrupted by Turner.

@CourthouseNews "I would say all EU ambassadors deal with other countries, incl. aspiring coutnries but it is unusual to name a U.S. amb to EU to that portfolio," Yov. says.

@CourthouseNews Rep. Carson asks what concerned her re: state of corruption in Ukr; the prosecutor's office chief concern. There wasn't progress in stamping out corrupt activities. She specifically notes how "no one" was held accountable for deaths in 2014. Bckgrnd here: nytimes.com/2014/02/21/wor…

@CourthouseNews Rep. Wenstrup asked if Russians had much greater offensive military options w/o Ukr. having javelins?
Yov. says yes, and without tanks, etc. Then she moves to clarify something:

Yov: "I don't dispute the right of POTUS to remove an amb. but I want to know why its nec. to smear my reputation."
Rep. Wenstrup: "I wasn't asking about that but thank you very much."
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews Thus far, the bulk of questioning in 5 minute rounds from GOP members of committee have revolved around Obama, and their belief that Dems have had a"campaign to impeach Trump" since he was elected.

Representative Chris Stewart of Utah says he believes the American public will be less supportive of impeachment by the end of this inquiry than they were at the start.

Rep Quigley is up for questions and cracks wise, referencing her fellowship at Georgetown since she was ousted from State.
"It's like a Hallmark movie, you ended up at Georgetown, this is all OK!"
@CourthouseNews

@CourthouseNews "There's nothing wrong with Georgetown. It's a fine place. But it's your only choice after a distinguished career. It's not the end of a Hallmark movie, it's the end of a really bad TV show brought to you by someone who knows alot about that." - Rep. Quigley to Yovanovich

@CourthouseNews Yov was told to "go big or go home" by Sondland; told to praise POTUS. Her reaction? She was sure he meant well, but it wasn't advice she could follow. "It felt partisan and political. It was not something I thought was in keeping with my role as ambassdor in foreign services."

@CourthouseNews Schiff notes how victims often unjustly blamed. When they're asked, "well, couldn't you have done more etc." He asks, how would you respond: She did "everything she could." In a nutshell: ultimately "wasn't on her" she says to rectify the corruption she believed was unfolding

@CourthouseNews Rep. Stefanik calls Schiff and Dems duplicitous after reading off, again, like Mike Turner did earlier, the list of articles from September where Schiff said the WB would testify.
Rep Swalwell up, says things have changed a lot since then.

Swalwell: WB has been corroborated by testimony, mainly. Much has come out.
Swalwell asks to put items in record, are articles reporting Trump's suggestion that whistleblower is treasonous, should be punished, worse, put to death.

Swalwell: Whistleblower has right to anonymity and has told attorneys he fears for his life.

Swalwell notes how military aid only released to Ukr. AFTER whistleblower complaint was released.
Calls Trump's tweet "disgusting."
He smeared you when you were in Ukr. he smeared you in that phone call with Zel. in July 25, he's smearing you now while you're testifying.

Swalwell: Are his smears going to stop you from fighting corruption?
I will continue, she says.
Swalwell: And if her coutnry asked her again to fight corruption, would she?
Yes, she says, shrugging as if that answer should be obvious.

Rep Castro: Most Americans agree POTUS shouldn't fire an amb. or recall her, because she is standing in way of a corrupt activities.
He asks:

Castro: Did anyone at WH ever tell her why she was recalled? Ever consult w/her about who good guys/bad guys were in Ukr.? Did Secy. Pompeo ever tell her why recalled?

To all, her answer is simply: No.

Castro speaking on Kent's comments about selective prosecutions and what it means going forward for U.S.. He wants to consider that precedent. If there is no consequence for Trump, or any POTUS after, what does that mean?

Not just a pres. candidate or someone in politics, how about biz. men too?
Yov: Investigations, prosecutions, properly should remain with investigators, prosecutors and the courts.

There should be no politics involved, she says.

Rep Ratcliffe is asking about the mock q&a that Obama State Dept arranged for Yov. when she had to practice fielding questions about perceived conflicts of interest around H. Biden and his role at Burisma.

Ratcliffe: Asks Yov. if she understands that Kent was also concerned about perceived conflict of int. re: Biden and Burisma. Does she agree with that? That it was a legit concern to raise?
Yov: Yes, it could raise the appearance of a conflict.

Let's revisit this factually.

Kent in his opening remarks threw cold water on insinuations by Republicans that Hunter Biden’s activities on the board were corrupt.

When Kent raised concerns in 2015 w/Ukraine’s prosecutor general about why the investigation of Burisma’s owner, Mykola Zlochevsky, was nixed, he speculated that the prosecutors who closed the investigations had been bribed to do so.

It wasn’t until long after he raised those concerns that Kent even learned Hunter Biden sat on the board, he said. Once armed with that knowledge, he made a call.

Kent reached out to national security staff in former Vice President Joe Biden’s office at the time and said he expressed concerns over the “perception of conflict of interest.”

Kent began "Let me be clear....

"I did not witness any efforts by any U.S. official to shield Burisma from scrutiny. In fact, I & other US officials consistently advocated reinstituting a scuttled investigation of Zlochevsky, Burisma’s founder & holding corrupt prosecutorswho closed the case to account.”-Kent

We are on a 5 minute break.
Will resume live-tweeting shortly.

We are back with Jim Jordan.

Jordan built on a line of questions to cast doubt on Yov's assertion she held no bias toward Trump. When Trump was being criticized in 2016, (referencing this op-ed from another U.S. amb here: thehill.com/blogs/pundits-…) did she do anything?

She did not go to anyone at the time, she says.
Jordan says, you can see why POTUS was concerned, he was being criticized by several people in state. Cant she see he was justified?

Schiff calls order, says his patience is wearing thin with Jordan. Jordan shoots back, our patience ran thin with you a long time ago.
Spectators booed Jordan as he was answering.

Yov: I can't speak for POTUS, she says. But from her POV, U.S. politicians often criticize policies - especially during elections. It happens.

Sondland's transcript came out, Rep Welch notes, and Sondland indicated, "everything hinged" on the deal - the WH mtg, the announcement - all of it hinged on Zel. invstgn for Trump
Welch: That was something you weren't willing to do? But Sondland was?
Yov. nodding: Yes.

Observation: I have noticed Yov. has conferred with her lawyer VERY infrequently as she testifies. Perhaps, in all the hearings I have covered where a witness had counsel, she has conferred the fewest number of times.

Rep Val Demings calls the amb. "an inspiration for women around the world."
Notes how Trump referred to her as "the woman." Demings say, its as if he insinuated she should just be happy with whatever she is left after removal.

Mar 20 2019 Trump tweeted a letter from ex Sen. Pete Sessions that baselessly claimed Yov. made disparaging remarks about Trump or made comments about her disdain.

Val Demings: Why would POTUS want to push such a lie?
Yov: (Shaking her head) I don't know, I don't know.

Rep. Krishnamoorthi drives home why military aid is crucial not just for nat sec of Ukr. but for U.S. interests as well. If Ukr. doesn't have assistance w/Russia at its doorstep, conflict not out of question. No aid could potentially draw U.S. troops into that region for war.

We are about to wrap. Nunes offers closing remarks, calling this a "show trial." They are preparing to head down to the SCIF next where they will take closed door testimony from David Holmes.

Schiff now closing. Offering thanks for her standing up and speaking out. He calls this a "great public service" in answering call of subpoena and testifying today.

Schiff says he is profoundly grateful for everything she, Taylor and Kent have done to show American people the face of our diplomacy and what they have done to prevent us from going to war.

Schiff continues: Sometimes you are disparaged as the deep state, but what you are is what holds this country together, what holds our foreign policy together, what makes it work.

Chairman Schiff: "The fact that they failed in this solicitation of bribery doesn't make it any more or less corrupt. It just means it was unsuccessful."
#impeachmentinquiry

Schiff: Giuliani made it abundantly clear, he was on a plane, for the president, to investigate the Bidens and you were an obstacle that had to go. Not just by Giuliani, but by the POTUS. And if they have doubt about that, then read the transcripts.

As we adjourn, applause rang out for roughly a minute, standing ovation.

Part of the applause:

STORY UPDATED.
courthousenews.com/ambassador-say…
@CourthouseNews
CC: @KlasfeldReports