US President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the first public hearing in Congress since the inception of the impeachment investigation. It is nothing but a "witch hunt". He did not look at the hearing. In addition, Trump rejected new details that the US Ambassador to the Ukraine, William Taylor, had presented to Congress.
The Democrats are currently pushing ahead with investigations into possible impeachment against Trump. He is accused of abusing the presidency. At the center of the Ukrainian affair is a telephone conversation with Trump and his Ukrainian colleague Volodymyr Selensky on 25 July. In it, Trump encouraged Selenskyj to investigate that could have hurt his rival Joe Biden of the Democrats. It is suspected that Trump used military aid to the Ukraine in the amount of about 400 million US dollars in this context as a means of pressure.
"I do not know anything about that"
The statement of Ambassador Taylor is stressful for Trump: According to his knowledge Trump on 26 July - one day after the phone call with Selenskyj - personally inquired with the US Ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, for an investigation in Ukraine. "My staff could hear President Trump on the phone asking Ambassador Sondland about the investigation," Taylor said.
An employee had informed him about it only last week. Following the interview, his colleagues asked the ambassador what Trump thinks about Ukraine. "Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump will take more care of the investigation against Biden." Taylor had already stated behind closed doors that Trump had deliberately detained the Congressional military aid to Ukraine in order to harm Biden.
Trump rejected this presentation: "I know nothing about it." He does not remember such a conversation, "not even a bit". Trump reaffirmed that he had done nothing wrong.
Republicans hold to Trump
Friday is the next public Impeachment hearing. The Democrats want Americans to be able to form their own image of the witnesses and their accounts in this way. It is a risky undertaking for them, as the chances of success for impeachment are low.
With their majority in the House of Representatives, the Democrats could open the case - but it would be decided in the Senate, where Trump's Republicans have the majority. And they are currently holding Trump.
For the Democrat MP, Val Demings, it is clear that Trump has broken his oath of office: "Witness after Witnesses testifies unequivocally that he abused his power," she said.
The White House spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said the Democrat witnesses have no first hand evidence of allegations against the president.
