Thread by @PantsuitPolitic

Schiff notes that the witnesses are testifying in response to subpoenas.

"It will be up to us to decide if those acts are compatible with the power of the presidency." - Schiff

Nunes is up. Says he'd like to address the American people, who probably noticed a disconnect between what they saw last week and mainstream media coverage.

I watched all of the hearings and did not notice this disconnect.

"This is the same preposterous reporting the media offered for three years on the Russian hoax." - Nunes

Reminder that Roger Stone was just convicted on 7 counts of federal crimes related to the Russia investigation.

Nunes is now reading headlines from the Mueller investigation that were false.

Nunes said, from the dias, in his capacity as ranking member of the intelligence committee, that media is a puppet of the Democratic Party.

He is now harping on the whistleblower and suggesting that because the whistleblower isn't testifying, it's obvious that the whistleblower is biased and coordinated the complaint with democrats.

Nunes's discussion of the whistleblower makes the point that whistleblowers need protection because without it no one would ever come forward and subject themselves to this kind of partisan attack.

Nunes praises John Soloman's reporting, despite the fact that one of his most important sources recanted his accusations toward Ambassador Yovanovitch.

Nunes also praising Ken Vogel's reporting.

So the media is awful except when it reports things Nunes likes. Got it.

Nunes is hilariously criticizing Democrats for changing from "quid pro quo" to bribery and then says if they care about bribery, they should care about Burisma paying Hunter Biden $83k/month.

Nunes says inaccurately that half the country voted for President Trump while criticizing fake news.

Schiff says nothing following Nunes opening statement and introduces the witnesses.

Jennifer Williams opening statement: I have had the privilege of working as a foreign service officer for 14 years, working for three administrations - 2 republican and one democratic.

Williams says she was sworn in by a personal hero, Condoleezza Rice.

Williams says it was the greatest honor of her career to be asked to serve the Vice President as a special advisor.

Williams: On April 23, VP Pence called Zelensky to congratulate him and accepted invitation to attend his inauguration.

Williams: On May 13, Williams learned that the President had decided the VP would not attend the inauguration. She did not know why.

Williams: On July 3, I learned that the OMB placed a hold on a tranche of security assistance designated for Ukraine.

Williams attended meetings where the hold was discussed. OMB representatives said that Mulvaney directed that the hold be placed on the funding, over objections of State and NSC staff.

Williams participated in the July 25 call. "I found the July 25 call unusual because unlike other presidential calls I have observed" it appeared to involve domestic politics (I didn't get this word for word)

Williams: Zelensky asked Pence on Sept 1 about US media reports of the funding hold. Pence told Zelensky that Ukraine had the US's unwavering support.

Lt. Col. Vindman: "I've dedicated my entire professional life to the United States of America"

Lt. Col. Vindman: "The committee has heard from many of my colleagues about the strategic importance of Ukraine as a bulwark against Russian aggression."

Lt. Col. Vindman says supporting Ukraine has been a consistent bipartisan objective and that Zelensky's election presented a huge opportunity to further those objectives.

The paper Vindman is reading from is visibly shaking. He is speaking rapidly, and I feel terribly sorry that we are asking him to do this for America.

Vindman describing Bolton cutting the meeting with Ukrainian officials short when Sondland emphasized the importance of Ukraine "delivering the investigations." Vindman told Sondland that it was inappropriate and had nothing to do with national security.

Vindman was on the July 25 call. "I was concerned by the call. What I heard was inappropriate...it is improper for the President of the United States to demand that a foreign government investigate a US citizen and a political opponent."

Vindman was also concerned that Ukraine would lose bipartisan support because of the investigations, which would harm US national security.

Vindman says he raised concerns through the proper channels and out of a sense of duty. "My only thought was to act properly and carry out my duty."

Vindman "I focused on what I have done throughout my career - promoting America's national security interests."

Vindman says the personal attacks on others who have testified are reprehensible. "I am humbled to come before you today as one of many who serve in the most capable military in the world."

"Next month will mark 40 years since my family arrived in this country as refugees." The combination of earnestness, nervousness, humility, competence, pride in his family, and duty from Vindman is heartbreakingly compelling.

Vindman notes that his testimony would not be tolerated in many countries around the world. Expressing concerns like this in Russia would "certainly cost me my life."

"Dad, I'm sitting here today in the US Capitol talking to our elected officials is proof that you made the right decision...do not worry, I will be fine for telling the truth." - Vindman

Counsel for Williams: the office of the VP has taken the position that the September 18 call is classified (even though there is a public readout and testimony from Williams' first deposition), so she will not answer questions about it.

Williams says she is very happy to appear for a classified session to discuss or to make a written submission.

Vindman prepared talking points for the April 21 call with Zelensky, which included rooting out corruption in Ukraine.

Schiff: Did President Trump mention corrupt in the April 21 call?

Vindman: To the best of my recollection he did not.

Vindman advised Zelensky to stay away from US domestic politics. "In the March and April time frame, it became clear that there were public non-governmental actors that were promoting the idea of investigations and 2016 Ukrainian interference"

Both witnesses understood the hold was placed on Ukraine funding to review whether it was consistent with the administration's policies.

Vindman: "To the best of my recollection, Ambassador Sondland said to get a White House meeting, Ukrainians would have to provide a deliverable" in the form of the investigations.

Schiff asking if the Ukrainians understood they had to do the investigations to get the WH meeting.

Vindman says it might not have been entirely clear in the moment but that as things developed it became clear.

Schiff asking Vindman for his real time reaction to the July 25 call. Vindman "It was my duty to report my concerns to the proper people in the chain of command....It was inappropriate, it was improper for the President to demand an investigation into a political opponent"

"This would have significant implications if it became public knowledge, and it would be perceived as a partisan play, and it would undermine our Ukrainian policy and our national security." - Vindman

Vindman explains that in military culture, when a senior person asks you to do something, even it it's pleasant, it's not a request it's an order and says there was a similar power differential between the President and Zelensky.

Williams said she didn't have enough information to draw firm conclusions between security hold and the requests for investigations but hearing the July 25 call raised a question in her mind.

Vindman said that it's informed speculation that the folks who produce these transcripts do the best they can and probably didn't catch the word Burisma.

Vindman says Zelensky raised Burisma, and it was unlikely that he would do that randomly -- he was either tracking this issue in the press or was otherwise prepped.

Schiff turns the questioning over to Goldman, counsel for the majority of HPSCI.

Vindman: "The President could choose to use the talking points or not, he's the President, but the call was not consistent with the talking points I provided."

Weirdly, Goldman sounds more like he's cross-examining Vindman, who is already on edge.

Vindman: "It is the consensus of the entire intelligence community that the Russians interfered in the 2016 elections."

Vindman and Williams say they are not aware of any credible evidence against Vice President Biden.

"I thought that the references to specific individuals and investigations such as former Vice President Biden and his son struck me as political in nature because the former Vice President is a political opponent." - Williams

"My understanding is the connection to investigating a political opponent was inappropriate and improper. I made that connection as soon as the President brought up the Biden investigation." - Vindman

Vindman explains the the security assistance to Ukraine and the signal of US support for its territorial sovereignty and integrity is critical to preventing further Russian aggression.

Goldman asks Vindman what languages he speaks. Vindman: "Ukrainian, Russian, and a little bit of English" and gives his first smile of the day.

Goldman is asking Vindman to establish a linkage in Zelensky's mind between the WH visit and request for investigations, and I think that's a mistake. Vindman is testifying cautiously and obviously does not want to overstate anything.

Vindman explains that a WH meeting would provide Zelensky with legitimacy in Ukraine.

Another reminder that this is not just US drama -- this hearing is going to have impact around the world.

Vindman is admirably refusing to throw anyone under the bus for failing to include the word "Burisma" in the WH call memo. He offered 2 corrections: the inclusion of "Burisma" and a note about the President saying "there are recordings" but didn't see their exclusion as nefarious

Vindman says the lawyers made an on-the-fly decision to place the call memo in a highly secured system to prevent leaks and limit access. He is also being careful not to be critical of this decision.

Goldman notes that President Trump had "rooting out corruption" in his talking points for two calls with Zelensky and did not discuss it in either call.

I'm not sure that Goldman really needs 45 minutes with these witnesses. I think he's gotten what he's going to get from them. They have limited knowledge. They are cautious and precise. I wish we could say they've done their duty and let them go now.

To emphasize how cautious Vindman is -- he just said "in the post-meeting meeting, I had a conversation with Ambassador, correction, doctor Hill."

The first thing Zelensky asked Vice President Pence about in their meeting was the reporting on a hold on security assistance, according to Williams. Zelensky explained that equal to the financial value fo the assistance the symbolic nature showed US support for Ukraine.

Goldman asks if VP Pence reported back to Trump on the meeting. Williams says that the VP promised Zelensky to follow up with Trump and she knows they spoke but she didn't hear the conversation.

"The first I heard of the whistleblower complaint is I believe when the news broke." - Vindman

Schiff is turning the questioning over to Nunes or majority counsel (Castor).

Nunes asking whether Williams knew about a public statement from a former US ambassador to Ukraine calling for a public investigation of Burisma's owner.

Nunes asking about George Kent's concerns about Hunter Biden serving on Burisma's board. Williams: I've become aware of it through Mr. Kent's testimony.

Nunes asking Williams a series of "questions" about Hunter Biden, which she cannot answer because she didn't work on Ukraine policy at the time. He basically acknowledges that she can't offer anything here but he wants to make his points. Doing the same with Vindman.

Vindman: "I'm not aware of any of these facts" in response to Nunes questions about Burisma and Biden.

Nunes: for the purposes of the following questions, I'm only asking about the time period from July 25 - September 25. Did you discuss the July 25 phone call...with any members of the press?

Williams: No

Nunes asking if Williams encouraged anyone else to talk to the press about it. She said she didn't. He asks if she knows of anyone who talked to the press. She says no.

Nunes walking through same questions with Vindman. He responds "I did not" to every question.

Nunes asks if Vindman knows of any individual who discussed the call with any member of the press. Vindman tries to refer to the NSC press shop and then says he does not know anyone personally.

Nunes now asking if Williams and Vindman discussed the July 25 call with anyone outside the WH. Vindman says he spoke to 2 individuals outside the WH -- George Kent and an individual in the intelligence community. Nunes presses on which agency. Schiff interrupts to protect WB.

Nunes calls Vindman "Mr" and Vindman says "ranking member, it is Lt. Col. Vindman, please."

Vindman says he does not know who the WB is but he has been advised by counsel not to refer to specific members of the intelligence community. Nunes is pressing him on this.

Nunes tells Vindman to answer the question or plead the 5th Amendment. Which is ridiculous and insulting. Vindman's counsel interjects to say they are following the rules of the committee.

Nunes takes a shot at Schiff for tabling the motion on sending a subpoena to the whistleblower and then turns it over to Castor for questioning.

Castor going back to the accuracy of the call memorandum from July 25 and is weirdly emphasizing that both of them noted that President Zelensky used "Burisma" on the call

Castor says that the President's words in the call are ambiguous and that he uses hedging words "whatever you can do; if that's possible." Castor says Vindman conceded that it could be interpreted in different ways in his deposition.

Castor: the preparation of the transcripts followed the ordinary process, correct?

Vindman says yes in terms of preparation but was stored in a different system

Castor asks Williams if she expressed concerns to anyone in her office about the call. She says that since her supervisor was on the call, too, she didn't discuss it further.

Her supervisor is Lt. Gen. Kellogg. She says the two of them never discussed the call.

Castor: did you flag for the VP the parts of the call that concerned you?

Williams said the call was not part of the trip briefing books.

Castor is basically saying, if this was such a big deal, why didn't anyone tell the Vice President?

Williams says the more immediate issue at hand was the hold on security assistance.

Castor: Zelensky did not talk to the VP about Burisma or the Bidens?

Williams: No

Castor: "you're also aware that the president has concerns about burden-sharing among our allies?"

Vindman: "in terms of burden-sharing, the EU has provided over $15 billion"

Castor "turning to Burisma"

Vindman "I guess I couldn't point to specific investigations but there is what I would call a pattern of questionable dealings and questions about corruption"

Vindman calls George Kent a "fount of knowledge on Ukraine" which warms my heart.

Castor asking about Burisma "tapping luminaries" for its board. "Are you aware of any specific experience Hunter Biden has in the Ukrainian corporate governance world?"

Vindman doesn't think Hunter Biden is qualified but doesn't know.

Castor talking with Williams about scheduling VP Pence to attend the inauguration for Zelensky. Talks about the preparation for the inauguration. Advance team was looking into hotel availability and determining when Secret Service should go.

Ultimately, the Secret Service did not deploy. Ukrainian Parliament set the May 20 date on May 16 -- not much time to prepare, but Williams said they stopped the trip planning on May 13.

Williams asked a colleague why the VP would not attend and was informed the President had decided he would not, but didn't know why.

Castor suggesting that it was that VP Pence needed to go to USMCA activity in Canada on that date. (which seems reasonable to me)

Castor: in the Bolton meeting, you don't remember Ambassador Sondland using the word "Biden?"

Vindman: no

Castor asking about a group photo with the Ukrainian delegation, and Vindman explaining the "strategic importance" of a photo, which is another reminder that everyone here is dealing in subtlety and symbolism.

Vindman: the three elements -- Burisma, Bidens, and the 2016 elections -- were all mentioned

talking about Sondland meeting with Ukrainians after the photo

Castor asks if questions refreshed Vindman's recollection and Vindman cracks himself up a little saying "yes, I guess that's a term now"

Castor asking about Vindman's exclusion from a trip and whether there were concerns about Vindman's judgment. Vindman says that was never conveyed to him. He was told the plane was too small.

Castor also talking about Morrison's communications with Amb. Taylor and that Vindman was left off the calls. Vindman says it was concerning that Morrison wasn't steeped in all of the policy developed over the preceding months, and he thought he could contribute

Castor asks if Danyluk offered Vindman a job as defense minister during the Ukraine inaugural trip. Vindman says he was asked 3 times, dismissed it, and notified his chain of command when he returned.

Vindman said it would be a great honor and is aware of service members who have left service to develop emerging democracies but "I'm an American. I came here when I was a toddler, and I immediately dismissed these offers, did not entertain them."

Vindman: "the whole notion is rather comical...I did not leave the door open at all."

Castor asked if the conversation was in English or Ukrainian. It was in English.

I'm exceptionally uncomfortable with Castor's questions here, but Vindman seems to think they're so silly that it's entertaining to him.

Castor: did anyone follow up with you about it? Rather significant you're being offered the post of Ukrainian defense minister?

Vindman says after he discussed it with them, he doesn't recall subsequent conversations

Vindman says he didn't discuss it with Morrison-- "I completely forgot about it."

Castor: did you ever think that if this information got out, it might create at least the perception of a conflict?

Vindman: "frankly, it's more important about what my American chain of command thinks"

Vindman smiles at the suggestion that he would have any communications with Giuliani -- "I only know him as New York's finest mayor" with a bit of a laugh.

Taking a 5-10 minute break (which means at least 15)

We're back. Schiff is kicking off the questioning. No ambiguity about the President's use of the word "Biden"

Schiff says that favor is properly characterized as a demand, and there is no ambiguity about that. Vindman: "In my mind there was not."

Schiff says when people suggest Giuliani was acting alone, didn't the president refer to exactly the same 2 investigations Giuliani was pushing? Yes.

The camera just shook a bit on the feed I'm watching, which reminds me to say THANK YOU into the universe for the many, many people who enable us to watch these hearings live.

Williams says she was not aware of side meetings Sondland had -- she has only learned in the course of these proceedings. "The Vice President moved on with his schedule immediately after the meeting with Zelensky."

Nunes asking Vindman if he has ever accessed fellow employees' computers without authorization.

Vindman has not.

Jordan: "I want to give you a chance to respond to some things Mr. Morrison said in his deposition." Morrison said he had concerns about Vindman's judgment, said Fiona Hill and others had concerns about his judgment - concerns that he had leaked something.

Jordan: any idea why they had those impressions?

Vindman: I'll start by reading Dr. Hill's own words as she attested to in my last evaluation. 'Alex is a top military officer...brilliant, unflappable, exercises excellent judgment.'

Vindman was totally ready for this. "Mr Jordan, I can't say why Mr. Morrison questioned my judgment, we had only recently started working together...maybe it was different cultures"

Vindman "I never did [leak information], never would, it is preposterous that I would do that"

Jordan now hammering on Vindman about not answering the question about who he spoke to from the intelligence community. Jordan has no qualms about questioning Vindman's integrity.

Jordan incredulous "I don't see how this is outing the whistleblower...you have said, even though no one believes you, you don't know who the whistleblower is"

Schiff: "Mr. Jordan, this is your time to question the witness."

Jordan says that Morrison was concerned about the call leaking and how the contents of the call would be used in the polarized climate of Washington DC. Jordan "Morrison was right....The coup has started against President Trump"

Jordan says the call memo is totally exculpatory -- no linkage.

There is a discussion about whether to put Vindman's performance review into the record. So embarrassing.

Rep. Himes questioning Williams about the President targeting her in a tweet. She smiles at the "whoever that is" part of the tweet. "Ms. Williams are you engaged in a presidential attack?" Williams: No.

Rep. Himes asks about her reaction to the tweet. Williams: "It certainly surprised me. I was not expecting to be mentioned by name."

Rep. Himes asking Vindman about the combat infantryman's badge and Purple Heart he is wearing. Vindman tells about his experiences in combat. He was injured in Fallujah.

Rep. Himes: would you call yourself a Never Trumper?
Vindman: I would call myself a Never Partisan.

Rep. Himes asking about right-wing media accusing Vindman of espionage and dual loyalties and the 3 minutes Castor spent asking him about the Defense Ministry offering. "That may have come cloaked in a Brooks Brothers suit, but I want people to understand what that was about"

Conaway yields to Ratcliffe and looks relieved that he is doing so.

Rep. Ratcliffe talking about how multiple Democrats talked to the media about President committing bribery instead of "quid pro quo" as though those are fundamentally different ideas

Rep. Ratcliffe: "I word searched each of your transcripts and the word 'bribery' or 'bribe' never appeared."

Ratcliffe piles up print outs from all the depositions and says he's just never seen bribery anywhere! Well, case closed, America! (sorry, I'm very frustrated with him. This is nonsense.).

Ratcliffe says that the only time the word "bribery" has been used was in the context of Biden not Trump, and this is important. (narrator: It is not important).

Ratcliffe is not even pretending to ask questions now.

Rep. Sewell now asking Vindman about how people asked him for advice on dealing with "Giuliani's advances."

Vindman: "I understood that to mean both his public commentary...as well as his direct overtures to the gov't of Ukraine, directly and through proxies."

Rep. Sewell now using her time to make the point that Giuliani works for Trump.

Rep. Turner: "I think we're all very concerned about our European policy and how it can thwart Russian aggression."

Rep. Turner is pointing out that Vindman has not directly advised the President. It's a very insulting line of questioning to the witness, who is trying to be very accurate in his responses.

Rep. Turner asking if either of the witnesses have evidence that anyone else in the inquiry has committed perjury. Both say no.

Schiff: Bribery does involve a quid pro quo. It involves an official act in exchange for something of value. The reason we don't ask fact witnesses to make the judgment about whether a crime of bribery has been committed or what's impeachable is because that's our job.

Rep. Carson returning to Amb. Bolton cutting the meeting short because of Sondland's pressure. "Did NSC lawyers tell you to come directly to them, sir, if you had any other concerns after July 10"

Vindman: basically "if you have any other concerns, feel free to come back"

Rep. Carson basically concludes that this is all appalling and yields back.

Rep. Wenstrup, who reminds us as always that he also served in the US military. Confusingly, he has Rep. Stewart's nameplate in front of him.

Rep. Wenstrup criticizes Vindman for going to Eisenberg instead of Morrison.

Wenstrup says because Vindman is not a lawyer or a JAG officer he shouldn't have gone to Eisenberg. Wenstrup trying for a real gotcha moment here, mocking testimony of Vindman.

That was awful. Brad Wenstrup should be ashamed of himself.

Rep. Speier, fortunately, follows up on this about how it was appropriate to go to the lawyers.

Rep. Speier offers Lt. Col. Vindman the chance to expand on his opening statement about the vile character attacks on other witnesses. He says, "Ma'am I think they stand on their own."

Rep. Speier asks the witnesses if they have been treated differently since they expressed concerns. Williams says no. Vindman says that he was excluded from meetings he would normally have been in, declines to say that it was reprisals, but a deviation from normal affairs

Rep. Speier expresses gratitude to Lt. Col. Vindman: "I would say to your father, he did well."

Rep. Stewart: "as one military family to another, thank you and your brothers for your service."

Rep. Stewart asks if he always insists on civilians calling him by rank and notes that Vindman is wearing his uniform. Lt. Col. Vindman: "the attacks that I've had in the press have marginalized me as a military officer."

Rep. Stewart says "the ranking member means no disrespect to you" -- seems to immediately realize what a bad idea it was to go down this road.

Rep. Stewart asks if President Trump is a member of the military and says it is unfair to hold the words of the "COMMANDER IN CHIEF" as a demand

Rep. Stewart says it was nonsense to interpret President Trump's words as a demand because President Zelensky says he felt no pressure.

Vindman: "the context of this call, consistent with the July 10 meeting and the reporting that was going on, made it clear that this was not simply a request."

Rep. Stewart asking if Biden's conduct was wrong. Lt. Col. Vindman says he can't make a judgment based on what he knows.

Rep. Quigley follows up on the fact that the President is Commander in Chief of the most powerful military in the world talking to the president of a country in a vulnerable position.

Rep. Quigley (D) is following up on funding hold. Nothing really new is transpiring here. Just pointing out that no one in the national security apparatus supported withholding the aid.

Lt. Col. Vindman testifies that at some point an opinion was rendered that the hold on the aid was purely legal.

Rep. Stefanik (R) says she is going to focus on systemic corruption in Ukraine, asks Williams about prepping the Vice President to discuss corruption with President Zelensky.

Rep. Stefanik asking Lt. Col. Vindman about Burisma investigation. Says her constituents in NY-21 are very concerned about Burisma.

Rep. Stefanik asks if Hunter Biden's board service has the potential for appearance of a conflict of interest and he says certainly, yes.

Rep. Stefanik criticizing Lt. Col. Vindman for believing in his own authority about Ukraine.

Rep. Swalwell makes the important point that the anti-corruption requirements for Ukraine had been met and that was certified in order for the assistance to be released to Ukraine.

Rep. Swalwell (D) is also pointing out that the President had not choice but to release this call transcript and also that we can't have a similar readout for some of his meetings with Putin because no one else was in the room.

Rep. Swalwell using attempted murder as a metaphor to illustrate how Rep. Ratcliffe's line of questioning was silly.

Williams describes the Vice President as someone who reads his briefing books, follows up on calls from the President, sticks to the talking points.

Rep. Swalwell asking about how VP Pence didn't bring up these investigations -- is this one thing he wouldn't do for the President because it was wrong?

Williams: "I'm not in a position to speculate."

Rep. Hurd (R) tells Williams they share a personal hero in Dr. Rice.

Rep. Hurd asks Lt. Col. Vindman is President Trump is known to stick to a script to say that it isn't weird that Trump didn't stick to the talking points prepared for the call.

Rep. Hurd also seemed to be trying to cast Vindman as going a little out of his lane, although he did it with a lighter hand than his colleagues.

Rep. Castro (D) jokes about being a fellow identical twin who opens that Lt. Col. Vindman's twin is nicer to him and doesn't require him to grow a beard.

Rep. Castro (D) circling back to Russia as the country that meddled in the election and loves us debating whether Ukraine actually did it. Talks about how this helps Russia in 2 ways: weakens Ukraine in fight against Russia and hurts our nat sec and emboldens Russia.

Rep. Castro: wasn't President Trump encouraging exactly the kind of behavior we DISCOURAGE other countries from engaging in as part of our official US policy?

Rep. Castro (D): "these false narratives are damaging our country."

Rep. Castro: what is the danger?
Lt. Col. Vindman: Congressman, the Ukrainian judiciary is imperfect at the moment, and the reliance on US support could conceivably cause them to tip the scales of justice in favor of finding the US citizen guilty if they thought they needed to...

Rep. Ratcliffe (R) asking Williams if she heard what was raised on the call as a demand. She refers him back to the transcript, says she not in a position to say anything more than what was said on the call.

Rep. Ratcliffe (R): "two impartial observers, one felt the need to report the call because it was improper and one who didn't report it to anyone."

Williams: I ensured that the information was available to my superiors.

Rep. Ratcliffe (R) says these two witnesses aren't in agreement about the call so how can any of the members of Congress. "An impeachment inquiry is supposed to be clear, it is supposed to be obvious."

Rep. Ratcliffe yields to Rep. Jordan (both R). Rep. Jordan asks Lt. Col. Vindman why he didn't go immediately to Morrison. Lt. Col. Vindman says it was a busy week, he attempted to get to Morrison, and it didn't happen before Eisenberg instructed him not to talk to anyone else

Rep. Jordan still not wearing a jacket, just to keep everyone apprised.

Rep. Jordan is ignoring the the timeline that Lt. Col. Vindman has laid out. Lt. Col. Vindman: "Representative Jordan, I did my job."

Lt. Col. Vindman: that sequence is not the way it played out. Immediately after, I did my coordination function. Then, Eisenberg said not to talk to others.

Rep. Heck (D) is following up on the conversation with Eisenberg. Lt. Col. Vindman says Eisenberg was calm, cool, collected, took notes, told him to feel free to come back. Reminder that Eisenberg refused to testify on the directive of the White House.

Rep. Heck goes back to Iraq, "when you were blown up." Asks if he considered leaving the military.
Lt. Col. Vindman says "no, I fortunately suffered light wounds compared to" others in the vehicle. "I continued to serve in combat for the remaining 10-11 months of the tour."

Rep. Heck finds it a "rich but painful irony" that within the week fo the President pardoning people of war crimes that his allies are engaged in an effort to demean Lt. Col. Vindman's service.

Rep. Heck says that 20 minutes ago the WH officially quoted out of context Morrison's questioning of Lt. Col. Vindman's service, says our Constitution is imperiled. He says telling Lt. Col. Vindman that "thank you" doesn't cut it.

Rep. Jordan (R) harping on the Speaker of the House calling the President an imposter. "That's what's happened to our country, to this Congress." "The Democrats have never accepted the will of the American people."

Everyone is out to get the President. - Rep. Jordan

Now Rep. Jordan is referencing Rep. Tlaib's comments on impeaching the President.

Lt. Col. Vindman shifts uncomfortably in his chair. The split screen of these two is really something.

When there's nothing else to say, Rep. Jordan yells about James Comey.

Rep. Welch (D): "to date, I haven't heard any one of my Republican colleagues address" the question of whether the President's conduct was proper.

Rep. Welch (D) talks about Victor Yanukoyvch feeling Ukraine to Russia with billions of dollars and the Revolution of Dignity following. "Young people went into that square in downtown Kiev"

Lt. Col. Vindman: yes, and 100 died.

Rep. Welch (D): 106 died, including kids who were killed by snipers put on the rooftops of buildings by Yanukoyvch. "I want to say to my Republican colleagues, a lot of leadership to have this bipartisan support came from you. Thank you."

Rep. Welch (D): "I'll say this to President Trump, you want to investigate Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, do it. Do it hard. Do it dirty. Do it the way you do it. Just don't do it by asking a foreign leader to help you in your campaign."

Rep. Maloney (D) refers to his seat as being at the kid's table. Says there has been a lot of insinuation that Lt. Col. Vindman isn't to be trusted, says Castor's questioning was "an old smear we've heard many times in our history."

Rep. Maloney (D) says "this is my favorite, a member of this Committee questioned why you would wear the dress uniform today."

Rep. Maloney circles back to the key substance of these witnesses' testimony.

Rep. Maloney asks Lt. Col. Vindman to read the last paragraph of his opening statement again -- this is the paragraph addressing his father.

Lt. Col. Vindman said his dad "deeply worried" about his testimony. "Congressman this is America. This is a country I have served and defended. All my brothers have served. And here, right matters." Applause in the gallery!

Lt. Col. Vindman looks very touched by Rep. Maloney, the gallery, and Rep. Demings's words.

(Can we wrap this up, y'all? I'd like to provide Lt. Col. Vindman with a loaded Coke and some tissues and some privacy)

Rep. Demings (D) bringing back around the war between Ukraine and Russia -- that the delay of security assistance to Ukraine mattered. Just the delay could signal to Russia that the US was wavering in its support.

Rep. Demings says Putin has been emboldened by Trump blaming Ukraine instead of Russia for election interference.

Rep. Demings: "yes, we do trust the American people, and the American people trust us as members of Congress to support, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and we intend to do just that."

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (D) says he's concerned that Lt. Col. Vindman's loyalty is being questioned because he is an immigrant and quotes Brian Kilmeade. "I find this statement reprehensible."

Rep. Krishnamoorthi (D) asking Lt. Col. Vindman about how all of his childhood memories relate to being an American. "I can relate, that's my story, too."

Rep. Krishnamoorthi: "From one immigrant to another, I want to say to you that you and your family represent the very best of America."

We're now in the Nunes closing statement, which was at least brief!

Schiff follows up on the chain of command line of attack - notes that Morrison also went directly to the nat sec lawyers.

Schiff reads a statement complimenting Vindman's excellence from the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Schiff is putting all of the pieces together here. I'm not sure who this is for, but it's a good description of what has taken place.

"At the end of the day, I think this all comes back to something we heard from a career foreign service officer we heard from last Friday...the President doesn't give a EXPLETIVE about Ukraine. He only cares about the big things that help his personal interests." -Schiff

The hearing has ended.