Thread by @PantsuitPolitic

Adam Schiff has gaveled in for the testimony of Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. He is describing her distinguished career and toughness on corruption. "Her principled stance made her enemies."

Schiff is walking through the facts around Giuliani, Lutsenko, and the corruption that led to a campaign to have Yovanovitch recalled. Schiff today is linking the President to every fact. (Giuliani acted for his client, the President, etc.)

Schiff also poking at the President -- it is a more provocative opening statement than Wednesday ("the opponent he apparently feared most, Joe Biden)

Nunes saying that it's unfortunate Congress is tied up with this when there's a trade agreement, a need to fund the government, etc. Nunes noting that 5 Ds on the committee were in favor of impeachment before the whistleblower complaint.

Nunes: "Call with Zelensky used as an excuse for the Democrats to fulfill their Watergate fantasies"

Says Americans say that there was nothing but rumors on Wednesday. I think he watched a different hearing than I did.

Nunes says Ds sent a memo threatening ethics charges if Rs try to out the whistleblower. Nunes accusing Schiff of secretly meeting with the whistleblower and saying Ds obsessed with conspiracy theories.

Nunes walking through all the greatest hits: Ds funding the Steele Dossier, seeking photos, etc.

While Nunes is doing his very Nunes thing (his statement is going on longer than Schiff's, I'm pretty sure)... we'll be at this again tomorrow. Mark Sandy, a senior WH budget official, anticipates a subpoena from Ds to testify about Trump's decision to freeze $ to Ukraine.

Nunes bizarrely taking Ds to task for "putting the American people through a wrenching impeachment process without bipartisan support" as though he has no control over that.

Nunes is now reading the call transcript. I think the new strategy is to say every thing in the record is completely exculpatory.

I'm not sure who decided a non-dramatic reading by Nunes was going to capture the American attention but....

This transcript is from a call immediately after Zelenskyy's election -- not July 25. Nunes: "now the American people know the very first call President Trump had with President Zelensky."

Rep. Stefanik is back at "parliamentary inquiries" that are not real parliamentary inquiries, and Jordan is trying to be disruptive again. Schiff: "the gentleman is not recognized. The gentleman is not recognized." It's going to be quite a day.

Jordan has still not bothered to put on a jacket, in case you care about this sort of thing.

The rancor is WAY up today. This is brutal to watch.

Ambassador Yovanovitch is being sworn in. For the historic record, she has a truly awesome sparkling American flag pin.

She is giving an opening statement: "I come before you as an American citizen who has devoted the majority of my life, 33 years, to service of the country that all of us love."

Yovanovitch: "I had no agenda other than to pursue our stated foreign policy goals."

Yovanovitch: "My parents did not have the good fortune to come of age in a free society."

This is a stark contrast to the juvenile antics of our Congress members.

Yovanovitch: "There is a perception that diplomats lead a comfortable life throwing dinner parties in fancy homes. Let me tell you about my experiences..." Begins to describe serving in Mogadishu, Uzbekistan (attack on embassy by a gunman), Moscow (caught in crossfire).

Yovanovitch: "I went to the front line approximately ten times during a hot war."

Yovanovitch: "The US is the most powerful country in the history of the world in large part because of our values."

Yovanovitch: "Corrupt leaders are inherently less trustworthy."

Yovanovitch: "How could our system fail like this? How is that foreign corrupt interests could manipulate our government"

She is laying down a word.

Yovanovitch: "Our leadership depends on the power of our example and the consistency of our purpose. Both have now been open to questions."

Yovanovitch is now going through the timeline of her service and media reporting.

Yovanovitch: "The allegation that I made a do-not-prosecute list is a fabrication....Instead I advocated the US position that rule of law should prevail."

Yovanovitch on accusations that she smack-talked Trump, basically: "I did not, and I would not. Such statements would be inconsistent with my training as a foreign service officer...Partisanship of this type is incompatible with the role"

Yovanovitch: Neither Biden nor Obama administration raised the issue of Burisma with her.

"I do not understand Mr. Giuliani's motives in attacking me"

Yovanovitch: "What I can say is Mr. Giuliani should have known those claims were suspect"

Yovanovitch: "Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan told me there had been a concerted campaign against me...Neither he nor anyone else explained or sought to justify the President's concerns about me."

Yovanovitch describing how corrupt individuals used an unofficial back channel to undermine US policy. "These events should concern everyone in this room."

Yovanovitch: "If our chief representative is knee-capped, it limits our effectiveness. ... This is especially important now when the international landscape is more complicated and more competitive than since the dissolution of the Soviet Union."

Yovanovitch: expressed concerns during closed deposition about the impact of the State Department declining to acknowledge how dangerously wrong the campaign against her was. "The institution is also being degraded."

Yovanovitch: State Dept doesn't get attention and respect of Pentagon, but without diplomacy US will inevitably have to use other tools that are blunter, more expensive, and not universally effect

Yovanovitch is NOT holding back on the travesty happening at State. "The State Department is being hollowed out from within...this is not a time to undercut our diplomats."

"Congress has a responsibility to reinvest in our diplomacy."

Yovanovitch is making a moving, calm but impassioned plea for respect for diplomats across the world, invoking people who have given their lives in service of the country.

"What Americans need to know is that while thankfully most of us answer the call to duty in far less dramatic ways, every foreign service officer runs the same risk, and sometimes our families do, too."

Schiff: "We count ourselves lucky to have you serve the country as you have for decades."

In response to Schiff's question, Amb. Yovanovitch is explaining why America cares about corruption in Ukraine

We are now walking through all of the corrupt people Yovanovitch has "pissed off" -- Schiff adopting Kent's characterization.

Schiff is taking Yovanovitch through the events of her recall. I want to compliment Schiff here because he knows that this is deeply emotional for the Ambassador (she had to take a quick break during this questioning in her depo) and is managing to be careful but direct.

Yovanovitch says her recall was a big hit for morale both in Kiev and in the broader State Department.

I think this matters because two things are true at one time: The President has the absolute right to remove Ambassadors. It is also sometimes wrong and harmful to do so.

Yovanovitch describing the death of an individual who fought corruption in Ukraine by acid and an event held in her honor -- the "Women of Courage" award.

She stepped away from THAT event to take the call that the State Department was concerned about the President's rancor escalating. "Hard to know how to react to something like that."

Yovanovitch describing that she argued about being asked to come home immediately based on vague "concerns about her security" and concerns from the White House.

"That was a terrible thing to hear" when Yovanovitch was told "the President has lost confidence in you."

She was not provided any understanding of why the President had lost confidence and received no indication that the State Department had lost confidence in her.

"After 33 years of our country, it was terrible. It's not the way I wanted my career to end." - Yovanovitch

"I was worried about our policy but also our personnel. I asked him, 'how are you going to explain this to people in the State Dept, the press, the public, the Ukrainians, because everybody is watching'" - Yovanovitch

She said the Deputy Secretary said those were good questions and he would get back to her. The following day, the conversation "was really more to see how I was doing and what would I do next."

Goldman: "Have you ever heard of a President of the United States recalling another ambassador without cause based on allegations the State Department knew to be false?"

Yovanovitch: No

When she saw the call memo from July 25, she was "shocked and devastated...It was a terrible moment. A person who saw me reading the transcript said the color drained from my face...Even now words kind of fail me."

Split screen of the President calling Amb. Yovanivitch "bad news" on a call with Zelensky and Amb. Yovanovitch herself -- smart, soft-spoken, sad -- it's really something all Americans should see.

"She's going to go through some things...It didn't sound good. It sounded like a threat." - Yovanovitch describing feeling concerned and threatened. She's shaking her head, struggling for words, trying to be precise.

Goldman now reviewing the part of the call where Trump says that a very good prosecutor was shut down in Ukraine and how badly that prosecutor was treated. Yovanovitch says the embassy's belief was that the prosecutor referred to was corrupt.

She is incredulous trying to explain how it felt to hear this description of the prosecutor. "It wasn't based on anything anyone in the State Department would have reported or frankly anyone else in the US government."

Goldman reviewing media allegations about Amb. Yovanovitch. "Were these articles and allegations then promoted by others associated with the President?"

Yovanovitch: "They seemed to be promoted by those around Mayor Giuliani."

Goldman shows a tweet from the President promoting one of the articles (tagging Hannity and Fox), then a tweet from Don Jr. promoting calls to remove her.

You can see Yovanovitch still grappling with how to respond to the fact that the President and his son were tweeting lies about her. Showing a ton of restraint her in trying to be precise, factual, answer only the question asked. I can only imagine what's going on in her mind.

"It seemed to me that if the President's son is saying things like this, it would be hard to continue in my position and have any authority in Ukraine unless the State Department came out pretty strongly." - Amb. Yovanovitch

The State Department would not issue a statement of support for Ambassador Yovanovitch because they were worried about a tweet from the President of the United States.

Schiff is reading the President's tweets happening during Yovanovitch's testimony and giving her the opportunity to respond. Her response "I actually think that where I've served over the years, I and others have made things better both for the US and the countries."

She gives credit to Ukrainians, the work of the US, and her work for significant improvements in Ukraine.

Schiff cites her courage to testify today notwithstanding implicit threats from President and the President "in real time attacking you. What effect do you think that has on other witnesses' willingness to come forward?"

Yovanovitch: It's very intimidating

Schiff: "I want you to know that some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously."

This a big deal, friends.

Goldman concluding with Yovanovitch explaining how Zelensky would interpret a request for a "favor." She says anyone so dependent on the US would "lean in" to see what they could do. She's answering carefully -- "I'm sure there are limits...but we are an important relationship"

Goldman: "Are you familiar with these allegations of Ukrainian interference in the 2016 elections?"

Yovanovitch: there were rumors, but nothing hard out there "The US intelligence community has concluded that it was Russia"

Goldman pointing out that Vladmir Putin himself has promoted a theory of Ukrainian election interference.

Going to be really something to see Republicans follow this up by promoting the same theory.

Yovanovitch describes Putin's attempt to create an alternative narrative absolving Russia's role as "classic."

Goldman had used the word "concluding" a few minutes ago, but he's definitely not finished.

Now they are taking a break. I cannot fathom what's going to happen next here.

Beginning again: Nunes is grotesquely congratulating Yovanovitch on "graduating" from the secret deposition to the public hearing after Conway makes an embarrassing inquiry about Yovanovitch's counsel having paper copies of exhibits because the witness screens aren't working

Nunes asking Yovanovitch a series of questions designed to say that she has nothing to contribute to the hearing. I am losing my ability to describe this without showing how angry Nunes makes me.

Nunes yields to Stefanik, but Schiff says he can't yield time to Stefanik. Schiff says she is not recognized. Schiff says Nunes or majority counsel are recognized. Schiff is D-O-N-E.

Castor, Republican counsel, says the hearing room has been turned into a television studio. He's trying to both be gracious to Yovanovitch and shitty to Democrats, and it's a tough needle to thread.

Castor: "No one disputes that the President decides who is his envoy to other countries, right?"

Yovanovitch: "I stated that clearly."

Castor asking Yovanovitch if her work at Georgetown is "rewarding." She says "I'm very grateful for that opportunity." It's very uncomfortable to watch.

Castor reiterating that Yovanovitch wasn't part of the July 25 call or planning, the suspension of aid to Ukraine.

Castor: "Do you believe that President Trump was aiming to weaponize corruption in Ukraine by using you?"

Yovanovitch: "I don't know the answer to that."

Yovanovitch: "Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman who have recently been indicted by the SDNY indicated that they wanted to change out the ambassador and they must have had some reason for that."

Castor: "Is Amb Taylor the type of person who would facilitate those objectives?"

Yovanovitch: No.

Yovanovitch calls Taylor a man of the highest integrity, also explains to Castor that Taylor is not the Ambassador to Ukraine but the Charge de'Affaires.

Castor now asking Yovanovitch about Ukrainian officials alerting her to Giuliani's campaign against her.

Castor: "did you have any awareness at that time of why they were seeking your ouster?"

Yovanovitch: "I had never met Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman and it was unclear to me why they were doing this."

Yovanovitch explains that Parnas and Fruman never came to the US embassy on a liquified natural gas business, and it was unusual...that would usually be the first stop.

Castor asking Yovanovitch why she didn't confront Lutsenko about this campaign against her. She said there was no purpose to it: "He clearly had an animus for doing this and he was working with Americans, so I reached out to the American side."

Yovanovitch says she was pushing Lutsenko to do what he said he was going to do when he entered the office, clean up the prosecutor general's office, repatriate $40 billion that former president left the country with. But he never did those things.

Castor: "In hindsight, did you do enough inside the State Department to alert them to this mounting campaign against you?"

Yovanovitch: "I did what I could"

"Once it became a public political story here in the United States, the tenor of everything changed because the State Department felt it wasn't manageable anymore." - Yovanovitch

Castor's whole line of questioning right now boils down to "if it was all so bad, why didn't you shout it from the rooftops?"

And if she had shouted it from the rooftops, he would be destroying her credibility as a witness right now. So, heads-I-win, tails-you-lose.

Castor: "Are oligarchs a big part of the problem in Ukraine?"

Yovanovitch: "Probably because so much wealth is concentrated in the hands of a very few, 6, 7, individuals, and they also have political power and control of media"

Castor is now talking about Burisma, referencing Kent's testimony. Yovanovitch: "I've heard about it, this was before my arrival."

Castor: during your tenure in Ukraine, has there ever been any focus on reexamining allegations against Burisma or other powerful interests...? Trying to lean on the various prosecutors general to clean up the oligarchical system

Yovanovitch: Yes, there have been some efforts

Yovanovitch: US was welcoming of Lutsenko because we were hoping he would clean that up...It's kind of hard to explain to a US audience, but in Ukraine and the former Soviet Union more broadly, including Russia, the justice system...are used as a tool of a political system

Yovanovitch on Burisma: this did not loom large when I arrived but over time my understanding was that the case was sort of on a pause...it wasn't an active case but also not fully closed. That is a way, as I mentioned before, for those in power to keep a little hook into Burisma

Castor asking if Hunter Biden is a genius on the corporate governance front "or was he just added to the board because he was the VP's son" and was this a concern.

Yovanovitch says it was not a focus in the timeframe she served

Castor talking about Ukrainians advocating against then-candidate Trump - were there discussions at State about that

Yovanovitch: Actually, there weren't. We didn't see it that way.

Castor: did you aim to get to the bottom of [reporting about Chalupa in Politico]?

Yovanovitch says what he's describing, if true, took place in the United States. So if there were concerns about what Ms. Chalupa was doing, that would have been handled here.

Castor now asking about the Manafort black ledgers. "Was there anything about that issue when it was occurring that concerned you?"

Yovanovitch says Ukrainian interest wasn't so much about Manafort but about money.

Yovanovitch says journalist got access to the black ledger and published it as journalists would do, and "I don't have any information to suggest that that was targeting President Trump"

It's noteworthy that in this hearing Manafort is closely tied to Trump -- so much that this reporting created what Castor is describing as a reasonable belief by Trump that Ukrainians were against him.

Castor asking Yovanovitch about Ukrainian ambassador's op-ed in the Hill advocating against candidate Trump. Yovanovitch says her recollection was that ambassador was critical of Trump's policy position on Crimea. "That's a tremendously sensitive issue in Ukraine"

Castor says ambassador from Ukraine said real nasty things about Trump

Yovanovitch: "Sometimes that happens on social media."

Yovanovitch, like Taylor, is distinguishing between individuals in Ukraine criticizing President Trump and the official position of the Ukrainian government.

"I would just remind again that our own US intelligence community has determined conclusively that those who interfered in the election are in Russia." - Yovanovitch. A good reminder that this hearing is being watched all around the world.

About Volker "I think that he tried to do what he believed was right." - Yovanovitch

Castor now steering us back to how the Trump administration has provided weapons to Ukraine that the Obama administration did not.

Castor asks if we are giving Ukraine enough money. She said it's a hard question because can always use more money but Congress has been very generous.

Castor almost seems relieved that his 45 minutes is up. Now there will be 5 minute rounds from members of Congress.

Schiff begins by saying that this wasn't just a matter to be referred to HR because the President talked about Yovanovitch specifically.

Despite being questioned by Schiff who is much friendlier to her than Castor, Yovanovitch seemed more comfortable fielding policy questions from Castor than dealing again with the President's comments about her. You can see the impact that the President's tweets have had on her

Schiff says we all agree that Amb Taylor is a remarkable public servant. And then, what if the President can put into place someone with no experience, a donor, whose portfolio doesn't include Ukraine... referring to Sondland.

Schiff asks if Yovanovitch is aware that security assistance wasn't released until after whistleblower complaint and after congressional investigation opened.

Nunes: "are you against political appointed ambassadors?"

Yovanovitch: "I am not against political ambassadors."

Stefanik: "before I was interrupted I wanted to thank you for your service"

Stefanik trying to establish that Yovanovitch served at the pleasure of the president -- which is not a controversy here

Stefanik: "Georgetown students are lucky to have you"

Stefanik talking about Yovanovitch's preparation for confirmation hearing during which Burisma came up. "President Obama's own state department was so concerned about potential conflicts of interest that they raised it themselves in prepping this wonderful ambassador"

Stefanik trying to make the case that Republicans should be able to call Hunter Biden and concludes as though she really landed a hard blow. It's a bizarre thing to behold.

Himes: I'm supposed to be dispassionate but I'm angry. "I'm not just angry for you. I'm angry for every foreign service officer, every military officer, every intelligence officer who might be concerned that right now a lifetime of service could be ignored...or attacked by POTUS"

Himes: troubled by idea of absolute right of President to fire people

Himes walking through an example of how there are standards that govern people who act on behalf of the United States. I can't believe we need this example, but apparently...

Himes: would you have recommended to the President of the United States that he ask the new Ukrainian president to investigate Crowdstrike or the server?

Yovanovitch: No -- the US intelligence community has concluded that it was the Russians...

Himes: would you have recommended to the President that he ask the new President to Ukraine to find out about Biden's son?

Yovanovitch: no

Conway: "I for one want to thank you so very much for long service, exemplary service"

Conway asking about what happened after she was recalled. Yovanovitch: "again, I am grateful that deputy Sullivan asked" and that she was able to land at Georgetown

Conway: how many classes do you teach, how many students are in her classes, and her other responsibilities at the state department. Yovanovitch: "I will tell you that all of this has kept me very busy."

Conway: has your compensation been affected?

Yovanovitch: no

Conway: are you shunned by your colleagues at State?

Yovanovitch: I've actually received an outpouring of support

Conway says George Kent sure does think she's awesome. Nothing to see here everyone! She gets to teach at Georgetown and smart people like her! Nevermind that the President is publicly trashing her and she was humiliatingly recalled from her post in the middle of the night!

Turner is spending his time entering documents from media into the record. His time expired.

Sewell (one of the most interesting people to watch during these hearings): did you always know that you wanted to be in the foreign service? I look at your background and it is perfectly suited for what you're doing. (goes through education)

We are rapidly proving, yet again, that once counsel has gone through 45 minutes, the members of Congress don't have much of substance to add.

Yovanovitch: It's been a difficult time. I'm a private person. I don't want to put all of it out there. But it's been very, very difficult.

Yovanovitch: There's a question as to why the kind of campaign to get me out of Ukraine happened because all the President has to do is to say he wants a different ambassador. In my line of work...all we have is our reputation.

Sewell asks how this has impacted her family. Yovanovitch: I don't want to get into that but thank you for asking." Holds back tears.

"I think it has had exactly that, a chilling effect. Not only in Embassy Kiev but throughout the State Dept."

Sewell: for the record, are you a Never Trumper?

Yovanovitch: No.

Sewell talks about Yovanovitch serving under FOUR republican presidents.

"Our work is essentially non-partisan." - Yovanovitch
"Politics should stop at the water's edge, and I think that's exactly right because while obviously the competition of ideas in a democracy is hugely important" when it comes to nat sec, we have to be non-partisan

Turner again: same line he used with Taylor and Kent -- ambassadors have great responsibility but little authority. Talking about the rest of Yovanovitch's portfolio.

Turner seems to be laying framework for Sondland appropriately being involved in Ukraine because of ties to EU? I think that's the point here but I'm not sure

Yeah, that's what this is.

Yovanovitch: "it is unusual to name the US ambassador to the EU to be responsible for all aspects of Ukraine" Turner strangely arguing with her about this.

Turner: a member of John Kerry's campaign team traveled to Ukraine in 2004 and met with the US ambassador. Would you have taken that meeting?

Yovanovitch: I guess it would depend on what the purpose of that meeting was.

Turner seems to be trying to say no big deal about Giuliani. That was strange.

Carson quoting Kent on pissing off corrupt people again. Oh, George Kent.

Yovanovitch has such command of Ukrainian history and policy. It's impressive.

Yovanovitch: There is a strong belief that Victor Yanukoyvch made off with $40 billion. Maybe $1 billion has been repatriated but the rest is still missing.

Carson: let me get this straight. You were effective at fighting corruption in Ukraine. Fighting that corruption was important to the security of the United States. And you were punished for it

Yovanovitch: it's important to have career non-partisan foreign service officers because it's not about what's good for a particular party at a particular time. It has to be about our security in what is frankly an increasingly dangerous world.

Yovanovitch: establishing positive, constructive relations with former Soviet countries is important. Three basic areas - security, economic, political.

Wenstrup: I just want to start by saying I appreciate your years of service and enduring years of moving around the world to dangerous places and hearing you here today I realize we share some of the same feelings and experiences. Talking about how he was an army surgeon

Wenstrup: I understand that shocking feeling that can come with an abrupt change like that...I served in Iraq at one of the bloodiest times in the war....They craved a non-corrupt government, and sadly today...they still have corruption concerns in Iraq

Wenstrup is back to how the Trump administration and Congress have been generous to Ukraine

Wenstrup: "I agree that lethal assistance was very significant and I thank you for that, and I thank Mr. Volker and I thank Mr. Taylor"

Wenstrup: You know President Obama had the right to make his own foreign policy, right? ... as do all Presidents, correct? So we have one President, Obama, who denied lethal aid all together in spite of ambassadors and boots on the ground making that recommendation

Wenstrup, cont: and another President, Trump, who provided that aid.

Yovanovitch thanks Wenstrup for his service. "While I don't dispute that the President has a right to withdraw an ambassador at any time for any reason, I do wonder why it was necessary to smear my reputation."

Wenstrup: well, I wasn't asking about that

Speier: it appears that back in 2018, the President was already making noises that he wanted you out of there, and Parnas was at a fundraiser for the President and wanted you removed, then pictured at a WH dinner, then made a contribution of 325k illegally to reelection campaign

Speier re-reading portions of Yovanovitch opening statement and saying she's worried about all of the foreign service and their awareness that "maybe the President has a back channel of interests he's promoting that's diametrically opposed to our policy"

Speier refers to the "tres amigos" which impacts Yovanovitch's body language in a way that suggests she finds the whole thing simultaneously ridiculous and infuriating (or maybe that's just my perception)

Speier: you deserve more from the American people and you deserve more from Congress in supporting you

Stewart: Welcome to year 4 of the impeachment proceedings. I'm sorry you've gotten dragged into this.

Calls Russian collusion nonsense. He is doing this after Speier has just said Yovanovitch deserves better from Congress. Just noting.

Stewart: do you have any information regarding the President of the United States accepting any bribes?

Yovanovitch: no

Stewart: The American people know this is nonsense.

Sarah and I are American people and we do not know that.

Stewart: do you think it's the right policy (that the President can have ambassadors serve at his will)?

Yovanovitch: yeah, it probably is

Yovanovitch says it's appropriate to investigate corruption if it's part of our strategy. We have a process for doing that, talking about MLATs.

Stewart talking about Biden calling for the firing of Ukrainian prosecutor and Biden "bragging" about it. Then yields to Turner for more articles going into the record. For people who think that media sucks, they are putting a ton of reporting into the record.

Quigley: It's like a hallmark movie, you ended up at Georgetown! It's all ok! (elicits her first smile of the day)

Quigley: It wasn't your preference to be ousted at the pinnacle of your career?

Yovanovitch: Correct

Quigley: It's not the end of a Hallmark movie. It's the end of a really bad reality tv show brought to you by someone who knows a lot about that.

Quigley asking Yovanovitch about her outreach to Sondland for advice. Sondland told her to "go big or go home. The best thing to do would be send out a tweet, praise the president, that sort of thing."

Yovanovitch: I'm sure he meant well but it was not advice that I could follow. It felt partisan. It felt political. That was not something I thought was in keeping with my role as ambassador and a foreign service officer.

Schiff: you were asked do you think you could have done more to push back against the smear campaign...sometimes victims are asked, aren't you responsible for your own victimization. What would you say to people who say isn't it your fault that you didn't fight your own smear?

Yovanovitch: Just like the military, we have our own culture. I did everything that I could. And asked the State Department to support me when it was important to do so because it was also about supporting the policy. I think it was for others to support me.

Stefanik: I am going to read for the record many of the chairman's comments on the importance of hearing from the whistleblower.

Sarah's face

Yovanovitch's face

Schiff's face, not really, but it's what I imagine is in his head

Jordan winding himself up talking about how all the transcripts aren't released yet.

Jordan: the Democrats have asserted this whole thing with Ambassador Yovanovitch was part of some sinister scheme with the WH...if recalling Yovanovitch was part of some scheme...why would they replace her with the Democrat's star witness, Bill Taylor?

Swalwell pointing out that a lot has changed since the whistleblower came forward. (1) WB statement has been corroborated by witnesses; (2) President "who my colleagues continue to shamelessly defend" continues to threaten the WB. Enters his own media stuff into record.

Swalwell: "I wish my colleagues would join me in protecting the WB's right to anonymity."

Swalwell making the point that Giuliani was constantly describing himself as Trump's lawyer, and that lawyers act on behalf of clients, and that Trump knew what Giuliani was doing

Swalwell saying Trump doesn't get points for releasing aid after "getting your hand caught in the cookie jar"

Swalwell: "finally I want to put up the disgusting tweets from the President today"

"Are the president's smears going to stop you from fighting corruption?"

Yovanovitch: "I will continue to do my work"

Hurd is up and points out that she is "tough as nails and smart as hell and a great example of what our ambassadors should be like. You're an honor to your family and an honor to the foreign service and an honor to this country."

Hurd reviewing Ukrainian history. Asking about what officials in Ukraine Giuliani met with. Knows about Lutsenko and Yermak. If Giuliani is trying to influence Zelenskyy regime, why is he talking to Lutsenko, who doesn't have much credibility with them?

Hurd: was Giuliani talking to people who have credibility with Zelensky regime?

Yovanovitch reminds Hurd that she was bounced before Zelensky really had a regime

Castro making the point that presidents do not ask diplomats to help get foreign governments to investigate Americans.

Castro talking about how damaging selective prosecutions are for the country. I was critical of his questioning on Wednesday. He's asking important questions well today.

Ratcliffe going back to Obama state dept prepping Yovanovitch to handle questions about Burisma in her confirmation hearing. She says she was prepped to say "I would refer you to the Vice President's office on that."

Ratcliffe really leaning into what a problem Hunter Biden's service was.

Ratcliffe starts to renew request to have Hunter Biden testify. Schiff: "The gentleman's time has expired."

Heck: I think the facts are pretty clear.

Heck is practically shouting now. He's really wound himself up.

Heck is very unhappy with the President. Yovanovitch seems somewhat pleased by his righteousness, which I understand.

Heck has mentioned McCain and the Khan family now. Laying it on thick about how offensive the President's bullying of public servants is.

Heck tells Yovanovitch that nothing the President says or does diminishes her service or Congress's gratitude for it.

Heck: What does it mean to Ukraine when the US engages in the behavior we're trying to stop them from doing?

Yovanovitch: Ukraine like many countries looks to us for the power of our example. When we engage in questionable activities, it raises a question. It emboldens those who are corrupt.

Five minute recess.

Jordan: "should ambassadors ever try to influence host country elections?"

Yovanovitch thinks about this for a while and says no.

Jordan then talks about Ukrainian ambassador op-ed on Trump. "It wasn't just that attack on the President...we had former Ukrainian PM who criticized candidate Trump..."

Jordan talking about others in Ukraine who didn't like candidate Trump and manages to work in the Steele dossier. "What I want to know ambassador, when this was all happening, did you go talk to anyone in the Ukrainian government about this?

Yovanovitch: no

Jordan talking about all the testimony underscoring the importance of bipartisan support for Ukraine. "In 2016, when we know the majority of Ukrainian politicians want Clinton to win...nobody goes to tell them to knock it off."

Jordan saying that the President is reasonably concerned about sending money to Ukraine.

Yovanovitch: I'm sorry is there a question?

Schiff: I've indulged you with extra time, but my indulgence is wearing out.

Jordan: Our indulgence with you wore out a long time ago, Mr. Chairman.

Yovanovitch says she can't speak for the president but there wasn't a Ukrainian government strategy to interfere in the elections. US politicians often criticize politics of foreign counterparts even during elections.

Welch, talking about Trump tweets this morning, "blaming you for Somalia": "other people out there can expect the Trump treatment if they come forward."

Welch points out that Sondland was willing to do something a professional foreign service officer was unwilling to do.

Maloney: Your testimony broke the damn. You were the first thought the stone wall the president was trying to set up. There's an old expression that the first person through the wall gets bloody, and I can imagine you understand that in a new way. Thank you.

Maloney returning to the anecdote about honoring the Ukrainian activist who was murdered for fighting corruption when she got the call from Perez that trouble was coming from the White House

Maloney: why was this person killed with acid? (describes that it was a slow, painful death) "That's what happens when you go up against corruption in Ukraine."

Maloney: you've just been honoring a woman who was killed for fighting corruption [when you got this call telling you to get on the next plane]

Maloney citing her opening statement -- how could this have happened? "I want you to know ma'am that is the very question we are determined to get an answer for"

Demings: "Everyone in this room should be thankful for your service to this nation. I have 4 little girls in my life and as I sit here thinking about them and as a woman I could not be prouder of you and I consider you an inspiration for women around the world"

Demings: I think it's disgraceful to hear my colleagues refer to your testimony as a performance and to "basically suggest that the woman should be thankful for whatever she was left with, smear campaign and all after you were recalled

(and I STOOD UP AND CHEERED)

Demings taking it to Mulvaney now for saying this whole thing was appropriate.

Demings ask if Yovanovitch is concerned about political influence in foreign policy.

She says it's important that we keep political influence out in favor of our common interests in security.

Yovanovitch: "there are morale issues at the State Department"

Demings citing the Sessions letter saying that Yovanovitch had been speaking about disdain for administration. Yovanovitch says she did not do this and doesn't know why that lie was being pushed.

Demings knows how to make the most of five minutes, I'm just saying.

Krishanmoorthi thanks the ambassador and her family and turns to consistent US policy on keeping Russia at bay and maintaining peace in Europe

Krishnamoorthi: suspending aid and weakening Ukraine could lead to Americans having to return to a war in Europe. He's doing a good job demonstrating the gravity of aid to Ukraine.

Krishnamoorthi -- apologies for the typo

Krishnamoorthi: Isn't it the case that your departure and the one month gap between the time you left and when Amb Taylor arrived provided the perfect opportunity for other people to basically take over Ukraine policy

Yovanovitch: a quiet, sad "yeah"

Krishnamoorthi refers to today's news that prosecutors in New York are looking at Giuliani's personal interest in liquified natural gas company

Krishnamoorthi: are you concerned that these irregular channels of diplomacy may be at work elsewhere?

Yovanovitch: I think it's a possibility

Krishnamoorthi references Yovanovitch's bio and calls her an authority on authoritarianism and walks her through how Trump's actions are features of authoritarianism.

Nunes concluding remarks: we're headed down now to the basement of the capitol hiding behind closed doors interviewing more witnesses that you may or may not be able to see in the public. I hate to break it to my colleagues but tv ratings must be plummeting right now.

Nunes says house should focus on passing trade agreement because "this is an embarrassment"

Schiff concluding remarks: thanks Yovanovitch. "What you did in coming forward and answering a lawful subpoena was to give courage to others who witnessed wrongdoing"

Schiff: in your long and distinguished career you have done another great public service in answering the call of our subpoena

Schiff: we not only grieve for what you went through but for what damage is being done to the state department and career foreign service officers all over the country

Schiff expresses gratitude to her, Kent, Taylor for showing America the face of our diplomatic corp. "I'm glad they got to see you because you're often vilified as bureaucrats or diplomacy is dismissed as unimportant...when it's your efforts that often prevent us from...war"

Schiff: Kent and Taylor gave us the broad outlines of this story about efforts to coerce a foreign country to do the dirty work of the President (I'm not getting every word but this is the thrust of it)

Schiff: the fact that they failed in this solicitation of bribery doesn't make it less bribery, doesn't make less immoral or corrupt. And we owe it to other public servants who blew the whistle.

Schiff: And I think it's appalling that my colleagues want to out the WB so he can be punished by the President.

Schiff: abundantly clear that Giuliani was in Ukraine, for the president, to get an investigation of the Bidens, and Yovanovitch was an obstacle. If people have any doubt about it, read the transcript. The president praises the corrupt and condemns the just.

Schiff: there is no camouflaging that corrupt intent. We are adjourned.

Conway tries to interrupt. Schiff excuses the witness, and Yovanovitch walks out to BIG applause.

And with that, my friends, I'm going to speak at a conference about podcasting. Love to you all.