SCHIFF: Sondland’s testimony “goes right to the heart of the issue of bribery as well as other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“The veneer has been torn away.”
He says now he sees why Pompeo and Trump are blocking docs from Congress.
“The veneer has been torn away.”
He says now he sees why Pompeo and Trump are blocking docs from Congress.
He says Sondland revealed that knowledge of the quid pro quo was “pervasive.”
NUNES starts without addressing substance of Sondland's remarks. Goes after Alexandra Chalupa and 2016-related matters.
Sondland says he's a proud member of the Three AMigos re: Ukraine.
Nunes: That's what Volker said too.
Except Volker did not say that. He said he disliked the label and was never aware he was seen as part of an officially designated subgroup.
Nunes: That's what Volker said too.
Except Volker did not say that. He said he disliked the label and was never aware he was seen as part of an officially designated subgroup.
TRUMP already beginning to distance himself from Sondland.
SCHIFF opens another round of chairman/ranking member questioning, 30 minutes per side.
Nunes again leaves the room.
In fact, only 3 of 9 Republican lawmakers on the Intelligence Committee are in the room: Stefanik, Jordan and Ratcliffe.
We're down to two: Stefanik has left the room.
Nunes is back, and I'm done taking attendance for a while.
OK one more: Most Republicans have returned and now nearly all Democrats have left the room for GOP round. Just 4 of 13 on hand: Schiff, Swalwell, Demings, Krishnamoorthi.
By focusing on Sondland's admission that he only "presumed" aid was conditioned on investigations, Republicans sidestep increasingly hard-to-contest evidence that the WH meeting was conditioned on investigations.
JORDAN enters a statement from Mulvaney into the record. Has anyone seen this statement publicly yet?
The anger in the room for this exchange, in both directions, was palpable.
"I remember the first girl I kissed" -- Gordon Sondland.
