Two more testimonies put pressure on Donald Trump in the impeachment investigation - and they are bringing the US president and his community into an explanation shortage. The US House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee released transcripts of the polls from former National Security Council member Tim Morrison and US Vice President Mike Pence staff member Jennifer Williams. Both expressed concerns over attempts to urge the Ukrainian leadership to pressure political investigations against Trump's rival.
Morrison and Williams overheard Trump's talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj on July 25, which is at the center of the Ukraine affair. Trump had encouraged Selenskyj to investigate the son of his rival Joe Biden. He has a good chance at the presidential candidacy of the Democrats in the 2020 election, in which Trump wants to compete for the Republicans again. Trump accuses Biden of trying to protect his son from Ukrainian justice earlier than US Vice President. Hunter Biden was employed by the gas company Burisma in Ukraine years ago. Trump wanted to investigate in Ukraine.
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Witness Jennifer Williams, a US State Department employee
The Democrats in the US House of Representatives are therefore pushing ahead with their preliminary investigations into possible impeachment against Trump. It is suspected that Trump used military aid to the Ukraine in the amount of about 400 million US dollars as leverage.
Williams called Trump's call for such specific investigations in the telephone conversation with Selensky "unusual" and "inappropriate." She said, "For me, that gave rise to possible other motives behind the reluctance of military aid." It appeared that it was more about the President's "personal political agenda" than US foreign policy goals.
Morrison emphasized that he had found nothing illegal in the conversation. But he had been concerned that content of the phone call could reach the public. He also said that the temporary suspension of military aid to Ukraine was linked to the Kiev authorities publicly announcing investigations into Burisma.
The statements of the witnesses Williams and Morrison fit into the picture that emerged from the hearings of the last days:
- Diplomat David Holmes said he overheard a telephone conversation with US Ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, at a Kiev restaurant on July 26, recognizing Trump's "very loud" voice on the phone. Trump had asked Sondland if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj would initiate investigations against the Bidens as he wished. Sondland has answered that Selenskyj "will do everything you ask of him".
- Marie Yovanovitch , ex-US Ambassador to Ukraine, described in her questioning which methods Trump and his co-workers pursued their goals, how they distorted the realities, and how they at the same time tried to get in the way of anyone who got in their way. to slander, intimidate or even threaten. (Read a detailed analysis of her appearance before the committee here: The Perfect Witness)
- William Taylor said in his statement that one of his co-workers overheard a phone conversation between Trump and Sondland concerning "the investigation." When the employee then asked Sondland what Trump thinks of Ukraine, Sondland is said to have said, "Trump is more interested in the investigation into Biden".
- In particular, George Kent allegedly accused Trump's personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani of conducting a "campaign of lies" against the US ambassador to Kiev, Kent said. Marie Yovanovitch was early withdrawn from her post in May.
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