Thread by @PaulaChertok

When Everything Is Illuminated, it will show #Putin Firtash Parnas Giuliani & #Trump wanted #Yovanovitch gone b/c her success in helping #Ukraine create independent ANTI-#corruption institutions make corrupt gas deals & fake investigations a thing of the past
#Holmes #Impeachment

#Holmes: #Yovanovitch helped #Ukraine achieve hard-fought establishment of independent anti-#corruption court. This strained relations w prosecutor Lutsenko who resisted fully empowering truly indep anti-c institutions that would help ensure nobody was above the law. #Impeachment

🔥Stunning #Holmes, p2: In March 2019, US policy of supporting Ukraine's democratic reform & resistance to Russia "became overshadowed by a political agenda being promoted by Rudy Giuliani and a cadre of officials operating with a direct channel to the White House." #Impeachment

#Holmes: Lutsenko said Yovanovitch destroyed him by insisting he follow thru w/ anti-corruption commitments & stop using prosecutor posn for personal gain—L pocketed $4.4M in US funds! Thus began a Yovanovitch disinformation campaign—bought+sold by Giuliani to Trump. #Impeachment

#Holmes lays out the false allegations & motives—so obvious, you can feel #Yovanovitch lament "How could our system fail like this? How is it that foreign corrupt interests could manipulate our govt?"

Trump world is so easy, Lutsenko knew just what buttons to push
#Iimpeachment

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1195771637448114176

Lutsenko tried to save his job by smearing Yovanovitch, w/ lies Trump would like. He said Y was advancing Democrats' goals. That investigations were aimed to hurt GOP & Trump personally. Lies abt Shokin, Burisma, Biden. Even said she'd have "serious problems"
#Holmes #Impeachment

Lutsenko also claimed a Ukrainian official (anti-corruption agency head, conveniently🙄) was "on tape" "trying to help Hillary Clinton win the 2016 election." The thing is, Ukrainians didn't buy this BS. But Giuliani & Trump? Propaganda hook line & sinker🎣
#Holmes #Impeachment

#Holmes testimony directly contradicts Trump's whack claim blaming Zelensky for not liking #Yovanovitch. Holmes says he was present at 3 meetings Yovanovitch had w/ Zelensky. All were "cordial, pleasant & signaled their mutual desire to work together."
#Impeachment #UkraineGate

#Holmes on the propaganda machine pushing disinformation: "The barrage of allegations directed at Ambassador Yovanovitch, a career ambassador, which included aggressive reporting against her in the U.S. media, is unlike anything I have seen in my professional career" #Impeachment

#Holmes hasn't even gotten to the part where he witnessed Trump bellowing about Biden "investigations" to Sondland on an unsecured cell phone in Ukraine. You can already see corrupt motives driving people & propaganda for personal benefit, against national interests. #Impeachment

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1195496904789909504

#Holmes contradicts Trump on Sondland too: With #Yovanovitch out of the way, Sondland—the "conduit" to Trump & Mulvaney w/ "direct & frequent access"—said the 3 Amigos WOULD TAKE THE LEAD coordinating #Ukraine policy & engagement w/ Zelensky. So State Dept sidelined.
#Impeachment

Imagine the dread in #Ukraine in May. A new president & your key ally fires the anti-corruption Amb. Pence cancels your inauguration. US delegation shrinks to 5. Giuliani—lawyer to POTUS who loves Putin—is ranting about Zelensky "surrounded by Trump enemies." #Holmes #Impeachment

So the anti-corruption Amb #Yovanovitch is out. 3 Amigos in. But Giuliani's now guiding US foreign policy on Ukraine.🤯"Someone named Giuliani" contacted Zelensky's friend saying he was advisor to Pence! Even Sondland said "Dammit Rudy…f*cks everything up."
#Holmes #Impeachment

Now that Giuliani & Trump's disinformation campaign got anti-corruption #Yovanovitch fired, Rick Perry swoops in, hands #Ukraine's green new President Zelensky a list of "people he trusts"😉for energy advice. Why not? The foxes set up shop in the henhouse!
#Holmes #Impeachment

Rick Perry was holding meetings w/ key Ukrainian energy-sector contacts & excluding Embassy personnel. These guys literally booted Ambassador Yovanovitch focused on rooting out corruption in Ukraine & w/in hours were planting the seeds for their own schemes.
#Holmes #Impeachment

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1195847440571625472

Ukraine's new president wanted a White House meeting to be his first trip. It was "critical" to show US support to advance his major anti-corruption agenda, to encourage Putin to take his peace efforts seriously, & generally to succeed. Still hasn't happened.
#Holmes #Impeachment

Besides Rudy contacting the future head of Ukraine's FBI saying he was "Giuliani, advisor to the Vice President," THIS is the weirdest event #Holmes relates so far: @JayLeno was a guest at a dinner for Zelensky hosted by Sondland in Brussels. For US Independence Day. On June 4.🤷‍♀️

@jayleno I mean, I get it. Jay Leno's a comedian. Zelensky was a comedian before being elected president of Ukraine. Even writing it here sounds weird. But I suppose there were inherent limitations. The pool of Republican comedians who would celebrate July 4th in June is probably small 😬

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1195857246929838081

#Holmes: Zelensky needed so asked for a meeting & call with Trump "as soon as possible" in May, but nothing. When Taylor arrived in mid-June, his focus was on coordinating WH visit. By then, it seems Giuliani's agenda had sucked up the month vacuum w/o #Yovanovitch.
#Impeachment

#Holmes: Taylor worked to deliver things Trump might care about—commercial deals benefitted the US. Still no WH meeting. June 27: Sondland told Taylor Zelensky had to assure Trump he wasn't blocking "investigations." Action on Biden/Burisma were preconditions to mtg.
#Impeachment

Making Biden/Burisma investigation a *precondition* was so shocking to Taylor & staff, #Holmes says they feared "it wouldn't go well," and discussed whether to stop seeking a WH meeting altogether. (Note: they were right, judging by July "do us a favor though" call)
#Impeachment

The next shock was the military aid freeze. At the end of July 18 mtg, OMB official said Ukraine security aid was on hold—ORDER HAD COME FROM THE PRESIDENT—conveyed by Mulvaney. No explanation. NSC "could not determine the cause of the hold or how to lift it"
#Holmes #Impeachment

Then came the July 25 Trump-Zelensky call. So "perfect" Embassy staff didn't even get a readout per protocol! #Holmes didn't know the contents until WH released the transcript memo on Sept 25. Holmes says he was deeply disappointed Trump brought up NO policy issues…
#Impeachment

In July 26 mtgs in Ukraine: Zelensky COS said Trump expressed interest in President Zelensky's "personnel decisions related to the Prosecutor General's Office" in July25 call.😱Z said Trump raised "some very sensitive issues" 3x. #Holmes was clueless w/o the readout.
#Impeachment

Now the infamous Kyiv restaurant mtg where Sondland & loud grumpy Trump spoke by cell phone, a conversation heard by #Holmes (& Russian intel). The lunch w/ Sondland, Holmes & 2 staffers was largely social, discussing "marketing strategies for his hotel business"😬
#Impeachment

#Holmes: Sondland called to update Trump about Zelensky mtg. Trump was so loud, Holmes believes others heard this convo too:

Sondland: Zelensky loves your ass.
Trump: So he's gonna do the investigation?
Sondland: He's gonna do it. He'll do anything you ask him.

#Impeachment

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1195496904789909504

The comic relief? Sondland talked to Trump about jailed rapper A$AP Rocky. Sondland said he was "kind of f-d" and advised Trump to let Sweden sentence him, play the "racism card" (sic), give him a "ticker-tape" [parade] & "tell the Kardashians you tried"😳

#Holmes #Impeachment

#Holmes asked Sondland for candid impression of Trump's views on Ukraine. S said it was true: Trump didn't "give a s* about Ukraine" or its war w/ Russia. Sondland said he only cared about "big stuff" that benefits him like "Biden investigation" Giuliani was pushing.
#Impeachment

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1195496904789909504

😨#Holmes & staff plugged away to find a way to explain Ukraine's importance in terms compelling to Trump. To get Zelensky the WH meeting he needed to be successful. Meanwhile Trump met w/ Putin at G20, "sending a further signal of lack of support for Ukraine."
#Impeachment

Talk about jerking Ukraine's chain! Nobody senior from Trump admin even showed up for Ukrainian Independence Day, August 24—another bad sign for Ukraine & Zelensky. Bolton visits Aug 27 w/ good news Trump agreed to meet Sept 1 in Warsaw. Then Trump bailed.😡
#Holmes #Impeachment

Bolton told Taylor & Morrison he was frustrated but resigned to Giuliani's influence on Trump. "Nothing he could do." Bolton suggested Ukraine's prosecutor open channel to BARR instead of Giuliani.

Why I don't trust Bolton. He knew all this & pulled in Barr?
#Impeachment #Holmes

After Trump bailed on Warsaw trip & Zelensky meeting, #Holmes wrote 1st person cable from Taylor to Pompeo explaining importance of security aid. (Pompeo didn't know?? WHAT??)

#Holmes was starting to see that the hold was being used as leverage on Ukraine.

#Impeachment

Zelensky meets w/ Senators Murphy & Johnson Sept 5. They stressed bipartisan support for Ukraine. Johnson tells Zelensky Trump had a negative view of Ukraine & Zelensky would have difficulty overcoming it. He said Trump had neg reaction in May about WH mtg.
#Impeachment #Holmes

🥵My blood's boiling reading #Holmes' testimony. The whistleblower & others are coming forward b/c the goddam WH Russian asset is a clear & present danger! Why's he hate Ukraine?? B/c Putin does. That's insane! If Ukraine fails, kleptocracy & fascism is our future.
#Impeach45ASAP

Taylor hold #Holmes "now they're insisting Zelensky commit to an investigation in an interview on CNN." Surprised the reqt was so specific & concrete, H sees the outrageous hypocrisy of telling Ukraine to follow rule of law. As Trump demands Zelensky investigate Trump rival on TV

#Holmes: Even after security aid was released Sep 11, Sondland pressed for public announcement of Biden investigation! Taylor told Ukraine NOT to do the CNN interview. Zelensky aid Yermak was resigned, he had no choice. The Ukrainians believed they had to do it. What a nightmare.

After reports of hearsay & officials maybe acting w/o Trump's knowledge, #Holmes realized he witnessed the president knowing those officials were using levers of diplomatic power to induce Ukraine's new president to announce opening a criminal investigation. #Impeachment

#Holmes concludes noting Ukraine's achievements since 2014 Revolution of Dignity, amazing given the stress of war & occupation. Ukraine is a genuine & vibrant democracy, an example to other post-Soviet countries & beyond—from Moscow to Hong Kong. (Why Russia wants them to fail!)

👏#Holmes: We have no better friend than Ukraine—scrappy, unbowed, determined, dignified, standing up to Russian authoritarianism & aggression. It's critical to our national security to stand to support their freedom. Ppl are watching the example we set of democracy & rule of law