>>> WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS AT THIS HOUR FROM THE COMMITTEES
THAT ARE DOING THE IMPEACHMENT
INVESTIGATION WHO CONDUCTED THE
9 1/2 HOUR DEPOSITION TODAY WITH
FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT ENVOY
KURT VOLKER.
KURT VOLKER. THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN RELEASED
A STATEMENT SAYING TODAY’S
HEARING AND THE DOCUMENTS
OBTAINED AND THE TEXT MESSAGES
HAVE BEEN VERY REVEALING.
THEY SAY THESE REFLECT SERIOUS
CONCERNS RAISED BY A STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ABOUT THE
DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF WITH
HOLDING CRITICAL MILITARY
ASSISTANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
SETTING UP A MEETING WITHOUT
FURTHER DELAY.
FURTHER DELAY. WE QUOTED YOU ONE OF THE TEXTS
THAT HAD ALREADY LEAKED EARLIER
IN THIS HOUR.
THAT WAS FROM BILL TAYLOR.
THAT WAS BILL TAYLOR SAYING ON A
TEXT I THINK IT’S CRAZY TO WITH
HOLD SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR
HELP WITH A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
THIS DOCUMENT RELEASED TONIGHT
BY THE CHAIRS OF THE MITTIES NOW
PROVIDES THE FULL CONTEXT AND
THE FULL EXCHANGE ON THE TEXT,
ALSO HAS A TEXT FROM BILL TAYLOR
TO OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT UKRAINE.
ARE WE NOW SAYING THAT SECURITY
ASSISTANCE AND WHITE HOUSE
MEETING ARE CONDITIONED ON
INVESTIGATION?
INVESTIGATION? THAT WAS A TEXT TO GORDON WHOSE
RESPONSE WAS CALL ME.
THAT IS A RECURRING RESPONSE
FROM GORDON WE HAVE SEEN IN
THESE TEXTS THAT WHENEVER BILL
TAYLOR GOES INTO THE ESSENCE OF
WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
UP TO LINKING AID TO A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION OF JOE BIDEN,
GORDON ALWAYS WANTS TO TAKE THAT
OFF OF WRITTEN RECORD AND MOVE
IT ON TO A VERBAL PHONE CALL.
WE ARE JOINED NOW BY PHONE BY
CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWAULWELL WHO
WAS IN SOME OF THAT OR MOST OF
THAT OR ALL OF THAT DEPOSITION
TODAY WHO KNEW ABOUT THE
INFORMATION AND WAS UNABLE TO
COMMENT ON IT IN HIS PREVIOUS
COMMENTS UNTIL RELEASED.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT
THIS INFORMATION THAT’S NOW
BEING RELEASED?
BEING RELEASED? >> GOOD EVENING.
I WAS PRESENT FOR THE WHOLE
INTERVIEW WITH THE AMBASSADOR.
FIRST HE KWAUB RATED ENTIRELY
WHAT THE WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT
STATED, THAT THERE WAS A SHAKE
DOWN, A SHADOW SHAKE DOWN GOING
ON BY RUDY GIULIANI.
IT LOOKS LIKE ORDERED BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. AS THE WHISTLEBLOWER SAID, HE
WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN
EFFORT TO HAVE THE UKRAINIANS
QUOTE/UNQUOTE PLAY BALL.
HERE’S WHAT THE UKRAINIANS
UNDERSTOOD AS SOON AS PRESIDENT
ZELENSKY WAS SWORN INTO OFFICE
THAT THERE WERE TWO ASKS FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE.
IF HE WANTED A MEETING WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP HE HAD TO
INVESTIGATE THE 2016 ELECTION
AND EXONERATE RUSSIA AND TWO
INVESTIGATE THE BIDENS.
THAT ASK WAS MADE THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS OF HIM BEING PRESIDENT
UP UNTIL THE PHONE CALL AND
BEYOND.
BEYOND. WE HAVE EVIDENCE OF STATE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS PARTICULARLY BILL TAYLOR
EXPRESSING CONCERN CONCERN EVEN
HE CAME ON BOARD TO BE THE
SECOND IN COMMAND IN UKRAINE OF
THE ROLE THAT RUDOLPH GIULIANI
WAS PLAYING.
WAS PLAYING. AND JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO
MR. TAYLOR SAID HE THOUGHT IT
WAS CRAZY THAT SECURITY
ASSISTANCE WOULD BE TIED TO THE
PRESIDENT’S POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
>> THIS REPORT TONIGHT THAT KURT
VOLKER COWROTE A STATEMENT THAT
THEY HOPED THE PRESIDENT OF
UKRAINE WOULD GIVE, AND HE
COWROTE THAT WITH GORDON
SONDLAND.
SONDLAND. WAS THAT PART OF HIS TESTIMONY
TODAY?
TODAY? >> I’M GOING TO LEAVE TO IT THE
TEXT MESSAGES THAT WERE
RELEASED, BUT YOU DO SEE IN
THOSE TEXT MESSAGES THAT THERE
WAS A CONCERTED EFFORT.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS BEING LED
BY THE PRESIDENT, CARRIED OUT BY
RUDY GIULIANI TO MAKE SURE THE
UKRAINIANS WERE EXPRESSING TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT THEY WOULD
INDEED INVESTIGATE THE 2016
ELECTION, AS WELL AS THIS
UPCOMING 2020 ELECTION AS IT
RELATED TO A POTENTIAL 2020
APPOINTEE.
APPOINTEE. SO, AGAIN, THAT CORROBORATES
WHAT THE WHISTLE-BLOWER SAYS
THAT ALSO REALLY I WOULD SAY
CORROBORATES THE PRESIDENT’S
INTENT ON THAT PHONE CALL.
AND IT GIVES US NEW WITNESSES TO
INTERVIEW AS WE GO FORWARD.
>> ON THIS TEXT FROM BILL TAYLOR
TO GORDON SONDLAND WHERE HE SAYS
ARE WE NOW SAYING THAT SECURITY
ASSISTANCE AND WHITE HOUSE
MEETING, THAT MEANS A WHITE
HOUSE MEETING FOR PRESIDENT OF
UKRAINE.
UKRAINE. ARE WE NOW SAYING THAT SECURITY
ASSISTANCE AND WHITE HOUSE
MEETING ARE CONDITIONED ON
INVESTIGATION
INVESTIGATION INVESTIGATIONS?
INVESTIGATIONS? GORDON SONDLAND, HIS SUNDAY IS
JUST "CALL ME."
DO WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
BILL TAYLOR CALLED HIM?
DO WE KNOW WHAT WAS SAID THEN?
>> NO, WE DON’T.
THAT’S WHY WE HAVE A NEW
WITNESS, A POTENTIAL WITNESS IN
MR. TAYLOR.
MR. TAYLOR. BUT, AGAIN, WHEN SO MUCH OF THIS
IS TAKING PLACE ON WHAT’SSAPP,
THAT’S THE FORM THEY’RE TALKING
AND THEN IT’S MOVED OFF OF THAT,
AGAIN, YOU CAN CONCLUDE I
BELIEVE THAT IT’S BECOME THAT
AMBASSADOR SONDLAND DOES NOT
WANT TO DISCUSS WHAT THE
PRESIDENT’S TRUE INTENTIONS ARE.
AND YOU DO SEE THAT, AS YOU
POINTED OUT, A NUMBER OF TIMES.
MR. TAYLOR CONSISTENTLY, FROM
THE TIME HE IS PLACED IN CHARGE
OR IS THE SECOND IN COMMAND AND
THEN THERE IS NO AMBASSADOR, AND
HE IS ESSENTIALLY THE DE FACTO
AMBASSADOR, HE HAS CONCERNS
ABOUT RUDY GIULIANI’S ROLE.
AND THEN YOU SEE AMBASSADOR
VOLKER WHO I WOULD DESCRIBE AS A
SERIOUS AMBASSADOR WHO IS
RUNNING A PARALLEL DIPLOMACY
EFFORT AS RUDY GIULIANI IS TRULY
THE ONE WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT’S
INTENTIONS.
INTENTIONS. AMBASSADOR VOLKER, I BELIEVE WAS
CARRYING OUT THE INTENTIONS OF
THE UNITED STATES TO DELIVER
SECURITY ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE
WHILE RUDY GIULIANI WAS CARRYING
OUT THE AMBITIONS AND DESIRES OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHICH WAS TO
BENEFIT HIMSELF IN AN UPCOMING
ELECTION.
ELECTION. >> DID KURT VOLKER TELL YOU
TODAY UNDER OATH WHY HE RESIGNED
FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT LAST
WEEK?
WEEK? >> YOU KNOW, HE DID, AND I DON’T
WANT TO GO INTO THAT.
THE TRANSCRIPT IS GOING TO BE
RELEASED SOON, BUT WE BELIEVE
THE TEXT MESSAGES REALLY DO
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS CLEAR THAT
A SHADOW SHAKEDOWN WAS BEING RUN
BY RUDY GIULIANI TO BENEFIT HIS
CLIENT, NOT THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT, BUT DONALD TRUMP, AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD A VESTED
POLITICAL INTEREST IN A 2020
OUTCOME WHERE HE WAS LEVERAGING
U.S. TAX DOLLARS TO HIS BENEFIT.
>> CONGRESSMAN ERIC SWALWELL,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
US. >> THANK YOU.
>> MY PLEASURE.
AND JOHN HOLLIMAN IS BACK WITH
US AND NORM ORNSTEIN, A
CONGRESSIONAL HISTORIAN,
CONGRESSIONAL HISTORIAN, RESIDENT SCHOLAR AT THE AMERICAN
ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE, AND THIS
TABLE IS STACKED WITH TEXT
MESSAGES THAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN
STUDYING AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN
WHILE THE CONGRESSMAN HAS BEEN
TALKING.
TALKING. DAVID, GO AHEAD.
>> I DON’T KNOW IF THE
SERIOUSNESS OF THE CONVERSATION
YOU JUST HADID JUSTICE TO THESE
TEXTS.
TEXTS. THIS IS LIKE A HIGH SCHOOL
MUSICAL ABOUT EVIL WRONGDOERS.
I’M LOOKING AT JULY 25th OF
2019.
2019. KURT VOLKER, GOOD LUNCH, THANKS.
HE WILL INVESTIGATE, QUOTE, GET
TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT HAPPENED
IN 2016, WE WILL NAIL DOWN DATE
FOR VISIT TO WASHINGTON.
GOOD LUCK.
GOOD LUCK. SEE YOU TOMORROW.
SO THE VISIT TO THE WHITE HOUSE,
IT’S IN A TEXT MESSAGE IS
PREDICATED ON GETTING TO THE
BOTTOM OF TRUMP’S CRAZY
FANTASIES.
FANTASIES. >> SO THERE IS CHINA IN JULY IN
A TEXT MESSAGE.
THEY’RE TEXTING ABOUT CHINA
INVESTIGATING THE BIDENS IN
JULY.
JULY. >> THEY’RE TEXTING ABOUT GETTING
THE UKRAINIANS TO ENDORSE THIS
INSANE THEORY THAT TRUMP HAS
THAT SETH RICH IS THE PERSON WHO
ACTUALLY HACKED --
>> I’M SORRY, WAS THAT REFERRING
TO PRESIDENT Z.?
OH, Z. AS IN ZELENSKY.
>> NOT XI.
>> AND YOU GO THROUGH THEM AGAIN
AND AGAIN.
AND AGAIN. AS I SAY, WE’RE TALKING TO
GREATLY AND CONGRESSMAN SWALWELL
DOES SUCH A GOOD JOB, WAS
TALKING TO SERIOUSLY AND SUCH
RESPECT FOR THE INSTITUTIONS,
AND YOU READ THIS AND IT IS A
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL.
>> NORM, THIS IS ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES WHEN WE’RE COVERING
THE GANG THAT COULDN’T SHOOT
STRAIGHT.
STRAIGHT. BUT WHEN THEY’RE TRYING TO
DESTROY THE WORLD.
ONE THEY’RE BASICALLY SHOOTING
AGAINST THE FREEDOM PROTESTERS
IN HONG KONG, WHEN THEY’RE
SHOOTING AGAINST UKRAINE TRYING
TO MAINTAIN ITS INDEPENDENCE
FROM RUSSIA IN EFFECT.
THAT’S WHAT THIS CRAZY GANG THAT
ISN’T SHOOTING STRAIGHT IS
FIRING BULLETS AROUND.
SO KEEPING A STRAIGHT FACE WHEN
WE START READING THEIR STUFF
ISN’T THAT EASY.
>> I THREW UP A LITTLE IN MY
MOUTH AS I READ SOME OF THIS
STUFF.
STUFF. I WILL TELL YOU, LAWRENCE, I’VE
BEEN HERE FOR 50 YEARS.
>> YOU DON’T LOOK IT.
>> WELL, I CAME A VERY YOUNG
AGE.
AGE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A LEVEL AND
DEPTH OF CORRUPTION, TRAIT TROUS
DEPTH THAT WE HAVE HERE AND
COMPLICITY ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
WHAT I FIND STRIKING ABOUT SOME
OF THESE TEXTS IS BILL TAYLOR
TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> AND GORDON SONDLAND ANY TIME
SOMETHING COMES UP THAT SOUNDS A
LITTLE FISHY SAYS LET’S STOP
TEXTING, CALL ME.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
THAT MEANS I’M NOT GOING TO PUT
ON A TEXT THAT’S GOING TO BE
RELEASED SOMEWHERE.
RELEASED SOMEWHERE. >> IT’S KIND OF LATE.
PLEASE DELETE THIS EVIL
CONFESSION.
CONFESSION. >> BUT THE LYING HERE, BUT THE
IDEA THAT DONALD TRUMP CARES
ABOUT CORRUPTION.
ABOUT CORRUPTION. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> WHEN HE CUDDLES UP TOSY SYSY
SO MBS, AND THIS IS THE PLACE HE
CARES CORRUPTION?
CARES CORRUPTION? PLEASE.
PLEASE. >> WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?
>> IT’S NOT ONE PARTICULAR
THING, BUT I’LL SAY I’M REALLY
STRUCK BY THE USE OF EXCLAMATION
POINTS THROUGHOUT.
POINTS THROUGHOUT. THERE IS KIND OF A HIGH
SCHOOLISH QUALITY.
SCHOOLISH QUALITY. TO DAVID’S POINT.
YOU SEE IT PARTICULARLY IN THE
WAY VOLKER COMMUNICATES WITH
GIULIANI.
GIULIANI. VOLKER WAS GIULIANI WAS ON MY
SIDE, TRYING TO HELP ME OUT
HERE.
HERE. AND THERE IS A LOT OF HI, MR.
MAYOR, EXCLAMATION POINT.
YOU CAN SENSE THAT HE IS KIND OF
TREATING GIULIANI LIKE HE
UNDERSTANDS THAT HE’S A CRAZY
PERSON AND THAT HE HAS TO BE
HANDLED WITH KID GLOVES, BUT HE
IS TRYING TO BE SOLICITOUS
TOWARDS HIM, BUT ALSO KIND THE
WAY A 15-YEAR-OLD IS SOLICITOUS
WITH SOMEONE WHO THEY RECOGNIZE
AS A HOT POTATO.
>> BUT THIS MAKES SO CLEAR WHY
MIKE POMPEO IS BLOCKING THE
TESTIMONY OF EVERYONE ELSE THEY
WANT TO HEAR FROM.
>> AND LLOYDIED ABOUT HIS OWN BE
ON THE PHONE CALL TOO.
>> YES THERE MAY BE 25 PEOPLE IN
WASHINGTON WHO CARED ABOUT
UKRAINE BEFORE ALL THIS.
BUT THOSE 25 REALLY CARED ABOUT
IT AND SAW UKRAINE’S TRANSITION
TO GREATER SUCCESS AS THE
CRUCIAL WORK ON THE EUROPEAN
CONTINENT FOR THE
DEMOCRATIZATION AND
DEMOCRATIZATION AND LIBERALIZATION IN THEIR TIME.
AND THE IDEA THAT THESE 25
PEOPLE AND KURT VOLKER IS ONE OF
THEM WHO CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS
PROJECT, 50 MILLION PEOPLE.
IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WHEN
THE ARMS WERE DELAYED, 50
UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS KILLED OR
WOUNDED.
WOUNDED. THIS IS NOT ABSTRACT.
THESE ARE LIVES THAT ARE BEING
SACRIFICED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. AND THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH, LIKE YOU SAY, THE LIKES OF
RUDY GIULIANI.
RUDY GIULIANI. >> AND ZELENSKY IS SO WOUNDED BY
THIS THAT NOW HE IS BEING PUSHED
TO CAPITULATE IN THE INVASION OF
CRIMEA AND LEGITIMIZE IT.
AND WE SHOULDN’T FORGET MIKE
PENCE IN ALL OF THIS BEFORE WE
END.
END. GREGOR IS ER IS
GREG SARGENT HAS A TIMELINE
THERE WHEN IT WAS BEING SHOUTED
FROM THE ROOFTOPS BY GIULIANI
AND WE ALL THIS OTHER STUFF
GOING ON IS LUDICROUS.
>> SURELY AS WE GET MORE AND
MORE OF THIS FROM INSIDE THE
STATE DEPARTMENT, MIKE PENCE’S
NAME IS GOING TO BE IN SOME OF
THESE THINGS AT SOME POINT.
>> YES.
>> YES. IT’S CLEAR PENCE IS BEING
DRAGGED DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO
THIS, BOTH BY THE FAX, THAT HE
IS CLEARLY MORE INVOLVED AND
IMPLICATED THAN HE WOULD LIKE TO
BE OR THAN ANYBODY WOULD LIKE
HIM TO BE, EXCEPT FOR ONE
PERSON, DONALD TRUMP, WHO PART
OF THE REASON PENCE IS GOING TO
END UP DEEPER AND DEEPER IS
TRUMP WANTS PENCE DEEPER AND
DEEPER BECAUSE IF IT GETS TO A
SENATE TRIAL, WHAT TRUMP WANTS
TO SAY TO SENATE REPUBLICANS,
HEY, GET RID OF ME, THIS GUY
JUST AS DIRTY AS I AM.
>> ONE OF TWO PEOPLE REFERRING
TO WHO HAS ALWAYS PROFESSED
CONCERN ABOUT UKRAINE IS LINDSEY
GRAHAM.
GRAHAM. AND WE NOW KNOW HE DIDN’T MEAN A
WORD OF IT.
AND AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL, HE
HAS NEVER MEANT A WORD OF
ANYTHING HE SAID BEFORE DONALD
TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT.
>> I BELIEVE IF JOHN McCAIN WERE
ALIVE TODAY THAT HE WOULD BE
SHATTERED AT THE DUPLICITY AND
COMPLICITY AND TRAITOROUS
BEHAVIOR BY LINDSEY GRAHAM.
IT’S SHOCKING.
IT’S SHOCKING. >> WE’RE GOING HAVE TO LEAVE IT