.jonkarl: 'So the demand for an investigation into the Democrats was part of the reason that [Trump] ordered to withhold funding to Ukraine?' Mulvaney: 'The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about.'
The U.S. ambassador to the European Union will tell Congress that President Donald Trump directed him and others to work with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to push Ukraine to announce investigations, but that he was in the dark on the extent of Giuliani's efforts and the political motive behind it, according to his opening statement obtained by ABC News.
But Sondland will say that he, former special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker, and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, while"disappointed," had no choice but to work with Giuliani to do that:"The key to changing the President's mind on Ukraine was Giuliani... My understanding was that the President directed Mr. Giuliani's participation, that Mr. Giuliani was expressing the concerns of the President.
Sondland will say that he did not know the political nature of those investigations, that Giuliani never discussed the Biden's with him, and that he didn't know the Biden connection to Burisma -- insinuating that if he did, he would have opposed the effort. "Nothing about that request raised any red flags for me, Ambassador Volker, or Ambassador Taylor," Sondland will say. Taylor, a career State Department official, is the top diplomat to Ukraine. Volker resigned as special envoy in late September after the extent of his role in facilitating Giuliani's efforts was revealed.
"The President responded, 'Nothing. There is no quid pro quo.' The President repeated: 'no quid pro quo' multiple times. This was a very short call. And I recall the President was in a bad mood," Sondland will say. In his testimony, Sondland defends that draft:"Requesting that parties align their public messaging in advance of any important leadership meeting is a routine way to leverage the power of face-to-face exchange."
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sondland to testify that Trump directed Giuliani to push Ukraine schemeNEW: Amb. Sondland will tell Congress on Thursday that Rudy Giuliani told him Pres. Trump wanted Ukraine’s new government to investigate the 2016 election and a natural gas firm tied to Hunter Biden, according to prepared testimony obtained by NBC News.
Read more »
The Latest: Sondland distances himself from Trump actionsBREAKING: In prepared remarks obtained by AP, the US ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, plans to tell lawmakers that he was disappointed President Trump directed him to work with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine.
Read more »
Ambassador says Trump directed diplomats to work with Giuliani on UkraineUS Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was directed by President Donald Trump to work with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine, he plans to tell Congress Thursday, and was left with a choice: Abandon efforts to bolster a key strategic alliance or work to satisfy the demands of the President's personal lawyer.
Read more »
Sondland Criticizes Trump Over Efforts to Pressure UkraineU.S. ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland criticized Trump in prepared House testimony, citing the president's efforts to enlist Ukraine in investigating a political rival
Read more »