Thread by @benrileysmith

I've had a go at summing up what's changed after five days of public impeachment hearings.

Thread below unpacking 8 things we learned...
telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/2…

1) Officials believed there was quid pro quo

Trump's denial he held back aid to get investigations was shredded by those directly working on Ukraine policy.

Sondland and Taylor - America's EU ambassador and top Ukraine diplomat - both said they thought there was one.

2) Nobody wanted aid held back but Trump

Nobody in the Pentagon. Nobody at State. Nobody in the intelligence community. [According to witnesses].

In fact many said they thought Russia, not the US, benefited. So much harder to say it was justifiable.

3) Trump's inner circle said to be 'in the loop'

For a while it was argued this thing was pushed by fringe figures freewheeling. But not according to Sondland.

He repeatedly said everyone knew at the top of the government and revealed new emails to back up his point.

4) Ukraine had aid concerns earlier than thought

'Ukraine didn't know aid was paused so couldn't have felt pressure to launch probes' went the GOP line

Now we know Ukraine embassy asked 'what's going on' with aid on July 25 [the day Trump asked for probes]

Much harder to argue

5) Officials saw no evidence of Biden wrongdoing

Time and time again witnesses said they saw no credible evidence Joe Biden acted inappropriately over Ukraine.

This is what Trump wanted investigated. One called the claims a 'conspiracy theory'. Undercuts W House narrative.

6) Rudy Giuliani role caused alarm internally

Trump's personal attorney was at the heart of pushing for a Biden probe. Officials feared it would be a disaster.

Sondland thought Giuliani "f**** everything up". Bolton called him a "hand grenade". Hill said he was "incendiary".

7) Trump involvement evidence mounts up

None of the witnesses heard Trump explicitly link aid to probes. This is the Republicans' strongest single fact.

But new evidence emerged. He was overheard asking about "investigations". Sondland said he "followed the president's orders"

8) Officials uncomfortable with Hunter Biden role

One GOP congresswoman kept asking if Biden's son working for a Ukraine firm while his father ran Ukraine policy was a potential conflict of interest.

Most said, potentially, yes. Unhelpful for Biden Sr, who's waved away qus.