Schiff's opening statement largely a reprise of his earlier statements about Trump's actions, w/ narratives from Vindman woven in. Nunes, who had previously attacked the process, now is casting doubt on testimony of earlier witnesses and attacking press coverage of Russia probe.
The media are "puppets of the Democratic party," Nunes says. So now he's accusing us, w/ zero evidence, of collusion. This is a notable strategy that so far is largely avoiding what the witnesses today have already told the committee.
Now Nunes is casting the Hill's John Solomon as a rare truth teller that is a "problem" for the Democrats and the media. And castigating the press for attacking New York Times' Ken Vogel as a conspiracy theorist.
This is classic Nunes. Don't dismiss this as mere deflection in service of the president. I talked w/ @marysdesk this week about how Nunes believes that there are malign forces conspiring w/ each other to carry out an agenda like the one he's describing. slate.com/podcasts/what-…
@marysdesk Pence aide Williams, who was listening to Trump's call w/ Zelensky on July 25, and is therefore a first-hand witness, says it was unusual from other calls w/ foreign leaders because it appeared to involve "a domestic political matter."
@marysdesk Vindman, who also listened to the July 25 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."
@marysdesk Vindman also says he raised concerns about the call "out of a sense of duty." Can be fairly read as an attempt to preempt any suggestion he reported the call because he's a partisan opposed to Trump.
@marysdesk Williams says she's willing to discuss in closed session this call Pence had w/ Zelensky on 9/18. whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat… WH takes position it's classified.
@marysdesk Vindman on his reaction to the July 25 call: "Without hesitation I knew that I had to report this to the White House counsel..." Investigating Biden/Dems would be seen as politically-motivated, not impartial, and would undermine U.S. policy in Ukraine, Vindman says.
@marysdesk Williams says when she heard Trump mention the investigations, it was the first time she'd heard about them outside of Giuliani's own comments. "It was the first I had heard of any requests of Ukraine which were that specific in nature, so it was noteworthy to me in that regard."
@marysdesk Williams and Vindman both say they heard the word "Burisma" on the call. It's not in the WH memo documenting the call. But Vindman says the memo does say "the company" and thinks failure to use Burisma not significant. Transcribers "just didn't catch the word," he thinks.
@marysdesk Under questioning from Schiff, Vindman says that Zelensky's used of the word Burisma--that specific company by name--may suggest he was prepped on the matter. This would suggest Ukraine understood investigations were going to be discussed w/ Trump. NB: apnews.com/139dd535eac749…
@marysdesk Vindman, when asked if he's aware of any evidence Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election. "I am not." Asked if he is aware that Vladimir Putin has claimed Ukraine interfered: "I am well aware of that fact."
@marysdesk Vindman says the decision to place the record of the July 25 call into a highly-classified server was not "nefarious." Thought, "It's not that big a deal." Dems have tried to make that evidence of a WH coverup of what Trump said. Vindman not concurring w/ that.
@marysdesk Vindman says he read this as a desire by WH officials to restrict access to the record to a small number of people because it was sensitive. Decision to put into the system was made "on the fly." "It was intended to prevent leaks and to limit access."
@marysdesk Williams, who was in meeting w/ Pence and Zelensky on Sept. 1 in Warsaw, says Pence didn't explain to Z why the aid was being held up. (Z had asked). Pence assured "the strongest unwavering support for Ukraine," Williams says.
@marysdesk Nunes is asking Williams if she was aware of various events that he seems to think show collusion between Dems, Biden, and Burisa. She says she was not at the time. He knows this. It's an effort to read the allegations into the record.
@marysdesk "To be clear I'm not accusing either one of you of leaking information" about the president's phone call, Nunes said. Not sure they'll take that as very reassuring.
@marysdesk Williams and Vindman have now said under oath they did not discuss the call with the Washington Post or other news organizations.
@marysdesk It seems Nunes believes that Vindman spoke to the whistleblower and wants him to ID that person. Schiff stops questioning to say that the WB's identity must be protected.
@marysdesk "A properly cleared individual with a need to know" is how Vindman is describing the person he says he talked to w/out giving that person's name.
@marysdesk Nunes says Vindman is under oath and can testify or take the Fifth. (Not sure what that applies here. Vindman wouldn't be incriminating himself.)
@marysdesk Vindman also asks Nunes to address him as "Lt. Col. Vindman," not "Mr. Vindman."
@marysdesk Castor questioning Vindman about Ukraine's national security adviser offering him the post of defense minister, which Vindman clearly did not take seriously. The line of questioning could be seen as Castor questioning Vindman's loyalty and commitment to serving the United States.
@marysdesk Vindman says that he reported the offer--which he said even the Ukrainian official may have meant as a joke--to his superiors, as is required.
@marysdesk Jordan again pressing Vindman on who he talked to about the call. Says "the call leaked." To be clear, the press reported the nature of the complaint by a whisteblower. The White House then released a memo about the call.
@marysdesk Have to emphasize what a head-snapper it is to see Republican members of Congress and their staff questioning the veracity and even the loyalty of a military service member. A departure from history.
@marysdesk Williams asked "if anyone in the national security community" supported withholding aide to Ukraine. "No," she answers.
@marysdesk Vindman also says he knew of no one who supported withholding aid and that some officials questioned whether it was legal to do so.
@marysdesk Vindman says he later learned there was an opinion rendered that it was legal to withhold the aid.
@marysdesk Under Q by GOP Rep. Stefanik, Williams and Vindman agree that Hunter Biden's position on the board of Burisma at least could create the appearance of a conflict of interest.
@marysdesk Stefanik continues a line of inquiry aimed at demonstrating that Vindman is not in charge of Ukraine policy-making, that this is the president's job. He agrees.
