-These actions will force Congress to consider,
as it did with President Nixon,
whether Trump's obstruction of the constitutional duties
of Congress constitute additional grounds
for impeachment.
If the President can simply refuse all oversight,
particularly in the context of an impeachment proceeding,
the balance of power between our two branches of government
will be irrevocably altered.
-Here we are.
We're supposed to take these people at face value
when they trot out a new batch of allegations.
But anyone familiar with the Democrats'
scorched-earth war against President Trump
would not be surprised to see all the typical signs
that this is just a carefully
orchestrated media smear campaign.
-I wrote that withholding security assistance
in exchange for help
with a domestic political campaign
in the United States would be crazy.
Ambassador Sondland also told me
that he now recognized that he had made a mistake
by earlier telling Ukrainian officials
that only a White House meeting with President Zelensky
was dependent on a public announcement
of the investigations.
In fact, Ambassador Sondland said,
everything was dependent on such an announcement
including security assistance.
Following the call with President Trump,
the member of my staff asked Ambassador Sondland
what President Trump thought about Ukraine.
Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more
about the investigations of Biden
which Giuliani was pressing for.
At the time, I gave my deposition on October 22nd,
I was not aware of this information.
I am including it here for completeness.
-And is pressuring Ukraine to conduct
what I believe you've called political investigations,
a part of U.
S. foreign policy
to promote the rule of law in Ukraine and around the world?
-It is not. -So, in other words,
it is a purpose of our foreign policy
to encourage foreign nations to refrain
from conducting political investigations?
Is that right?
-Correct, and, in fact, as a matter of policy,
not of programming,
we oftentimes raise our concerns,
usually in private, with countries that we feel
are engaged in selective political prosecution
and persecution of their opponents.
-It's one thing to try to leverage a meeting
in the White House.
It's another thing, I thought, to leverage security assistance,
security assistance to a country at war,
dependent on both the security assistance
and the demonstration of support.
It was much more alarming.
-So Hunter Biden's added to the board of Burisma.
Now, do you think that creates a problem
that Burisma may be adding people to its board
for protection purposes?
-Sir, I work for the government.
I don't work in the corporate sector.
-It's a little unusual for the U.
S.
Ambassador to the E. U.
to play a role in Ukraine policy.
-Okay.
And, you know, it might be irregular,
but it's certainly not outlandish.
-Ambassador, you weren't on the call, were you?
You didn't listen in on President Trump's call
and President Zelensky's call? -I did not.
-You've never talked with Chief of Staff Mulvaney.
-I never did. -You never met the president.
-That's correct. -You had three meetings again
with Zelensky, and it didn't come up.
-And two of those, they had never heard about it,
as far as I know, so --
There was no reason for it to come up.
-And President Zelensky never made an announcement.
This is what I can't believe.
And you're their star witness.
You're their first witness.
You're the guy.
-Mr. Jordan.
-You're the guy -- Based on this, based on --
I mean, I've seen church prayer change
that are easier to understand than this.
-Was Mr. Giuliani promoting U.
S.
national interests or policy in Ukraine, Ambassador?
-I don't think so, ma'am.
-Mr. Kent?
-No, he was not.
-Where is the impeachable offense in that call?
Are either of you here today to assert
there was an impeachable offense in that call?
Shout it out.
Anyone? -Mr.
Ratcliffe, if I can just respond.
Let me just reiterate that I'm not here --
-I've got one minute left.
-I know you only got a minute left.
-Let me just make this point. -I've just got 30 seconds.
-You asked the witness a question.
-I'll withdraw the question.
Let me just make this point. -And I'm not here to take
one side or the other, that's your decision.
-Ambassador, let me ask you this question.
-The General will suspend.
-For the millions of Americans viewing today,
the two most important facts are the following.
Number one, Ukraine received the aid.
Number two, there was, in fact, no investigation into Biden.
-Thank you. I say to my colleague,
I'd be glad to have the person
who started it all come in and testify.
President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there.