>>> THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING. WE HAVE A LOT TO GET TO TONIGHT,
AND WE BEGIN WITH BREAKING NEWS.
TODAY THE CONGRESSIONAL
IMPEACHMENT PROBE IS GOING
PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME.
HERE IS THE SCENE IN WASHINGTON
AS HOUSE INVESTIGATORS ARE
RELEASING THE FIRST TRANSCRIPTS
FROM THEIR HIGH STAKES
IMPEACHMENT INTERVIEWS, SHOWING
THE WORLD WHAT SOME WITNESSES
TESTIFIED ABOUT PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S UKRAINE PLOT.
YOU’RE LOOKING AT OF COURSE
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMAN ADAM
SCHIFF.
SCHIFF. .
. HE WAS STEPPING OUT TO RECOUNT
DAMNING TESTIMONY FROM THE
FORMER AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE AND
FROM MIKE POMPEO’S DEPUTY AT THE
STATE DEPARTMENT.
STATE DEPARTMENT. >> ONE OF THE FIRST WITNESSES TO
THIS IRREGULAR BACK CHANNEL THAT
THE PRESIDENT ESTABLISHED WITH
RUDY GIULIANI, THE DEGREE TO
WHICH THE APPARATUS OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT ITSELF WAS BEING USED
TO SEEK POLITICAL INFORMATION
FOR A POLITICAL PURPOSE BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
TOMORROW WE ARE SCHEDULED TO
RELEASE THE TRANSCRIPTS OF
AMBASSADOR VOLKER AND AMBASSADOR
SONDLAND, AND WE WILL CONTINUE
TO RELEASE THE TRANSCRIPTS IN AN
ORDERLY WAY.
ORDERLY WAY. >> DEMOCRATS SAY THIS ORDERLY
RELEASE OF CALLS AND TRANSCRIPTS
AND EVERYTHING THEY HAVE THAT IS
SUPPORTING THE EVIDENCE WILL
ULTIMATELY DEAL WITH THE
REPUBLICANS’ BLUFF AND WHAT THEY
SAY ARE BASICALLY BAD FAITH
COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBE AND
PROCESS THUS FAR.
DEMOCRATS SAY THAT EVERYONE WILL
THEN SEE THE SAME INTERVIEWS,
THE SAME ALLEGATIONS, THE SAME
ROB RATION OF A TRUMP/GIULIANI
PLOT THAT SO CONCERNED CAREER
DIPLOMATS, ARMY OFFICERS AND
OTHER NONPARTISAN VETERANS.
I’M GOING GO THROUGH A FEW OF
THE HIGHLIGHTS.
THE HIGHLIGHTS. TODAY’S RELEASE PROVIDES 473
PAGES OF NEW TESTIMONY AND
PAINTS A REBUT TOLL THE EMERGING
ARGUMENT THAT UKRAINE’S MISTAKE
OR PLOT WAS SOME SORT OF SIMPLE
PHONE CALL OR AN UNCOMPLETED
REQUEST.
REQUEST. THAT’S PART OF THE DEFENSE THAT
TRUMP ALLIES HAVE LINED UP.
BUT HERE YOU HAVE IMPEACHMENT
WITNESSES LIKE A FORMER
AMBASSADOR SAYING THAT DONALD
TRUMP THREATENED HER FOR HER
OBJECTIONS TO THAT INFAMOUS JULY
PHONE CALL, RECOUNTING SHE WAS
SHOCKED AND SURPRISED TRUMP
WOULD SPEAK ABOUT ME OR ANY
AMBASSADOR IN THAT WAY TO A
FOREIGN COUNTERPART.
FOREIGN COUNTERPART. THE POINT THERE IS THAT THIS
DIPLOMAT WAS CONCERNED TRUMP WAS
ACTING MORE IN CONCERT WITH
FOREIGN INTERESTS IN THIS SHADOW
AGENDA THAN THE U.S. STATE
DEPARTMENT.
DEPARTMENT. SHE DETAILS THIS BY GOING ON AND
SHOWING HOW A NOW FAMOUS TRUMP
LOYALIST, MR. GORDON SONDLAND
ADVISED HER TO ADDRESS THESE
POLITICAL ATTACKS BY GOING
POLITICAL, SAYING, QUOTE, YOU
NEED TO GO BIG OR GO HOME.
TWEET OUT THERE THAT YOU SUPPORT
THE PRESIDENT AND THAT ALL THESE
ARE LIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WELL, THAT IS IMPROPER ADVICE.
CAREER DIPLOMATS DO NOT GO BIG
ON PUBLIC POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS
ANY MORE THAN MILITARY LEADERS
DO.
DO. BOTH CATEGORIES OF SERVICE
MEMBERS STEER CLEAR OF, FOR
EXAMPLE, BOTH PARTIES’ POLITICAL
CONVENTIONS.
CONVENTIONS. THAT’S JUST TO AVOID ANY
PERCEPTION THAT CURRENTLY
SERVING OFFICIALS AT THE
PENTAGON OR STATE ARE JUST
POLITICAL PARTISANS.
POLITICAL PARTISANS. THEN TONIGHT WE CAN ALSO REPORT
ON NEW TESTIMONY ABOUT THE
INTERSECTION OF THIS SHADOW
FOREIGN POLICY PLOT AND THE
PRESIDENT’S SHADOW
PRESIDENT’S SHADOW COMMUNICATIONS ARM, BECAUSE A
FOX NEWS ANCHOR WHO SHARED A
LAWYER WITH THE PRESIDENT IN THE
MUELLER PROBE IS BACK.
THIS AMBASSADOR DETAILS HOW SEAN
HANNITY’S ATTACKS ON HER AND HIS
ALLEGED SUPPORT OF ASPECTS OF
THE UKRAINE PLOT MADE TO IT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WHERE SOME OFFICIALS
CALLED HANNITY SEEKING ANY
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT BASICALLY
THESE RED-HOT ALLEGATIONS
AGAINST HER.
AGAINST HER. THE TESTIMONY STATING THAT THESE
OFFICIALS ASKED BASICALLY TO FOX
NEWS, HEY, WHAT’S GOING ON?
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROOF OF THESE
KINDS OF ALLEGATIONS OR NOT?
AND IF YOU HAVE PROOF, YOU KNOW,
TELL ME.
TELL ME. AND IF NOT, STOP.
NOW PRESS REPORTING CAN OF
COURSE DRAW ANY KIND OF PUSHBACK
OR DIALOGUE FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
THAT ITSELF ISN’T AUTOMATICALLY
SUSPICIOUS.
SUSPICIOUS. BUT IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATORS
ARE PROBING THIS IS PART OF THE
FOREIGN SHADOW POLICY TO HIJACK
DIPLOMACY FOR TRUMP’S
REELECTION.
REELECTION. FOX NEWS ITSELF HAS REBUKED
HANDY HIS APPEARANCE AT A TRUMP
RALLY WHICH MAKES HIM LOOK LESS
LIKE AN INDEPENDENT REPORTER AND
MORE LIKE A TRUMP SURROGATE.
KEEP ALL THAT ON MIND WHEN YOU
GO BECOME TO MARCH ON HANNITY’S
SHOW WHICH DOESN’T NORMALLY
DELVE INTO THE NAMES OF
INDIVIDUAL AMBASSADORS AROUND
THE WORLD, BUT ON THAT SHOW THEY
WENT IN AND NAME-CHECKED THIS
ONE, YOVANOVITCH.
ONE, YOVANOVITCH. AND THAT LOOKED ESPECIALLY
INTERESTING GIVEN WHAT IS COMING
OUT TODAY, THAT GIULIANI AND
OTHERS WERE TRYING TO OUST HER.
>> A LETTER SURFACED FROM A
SENIOR MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO
SECRETARY POMPEO ACCUSING THE
CURRENT U.S. AMBASSADOR IN KIEV
OF BAD-MOUTHS THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. >> WE ALSO NOW KNOW THAT THE
CURRENT UNITED STATES
AMBASSADOR, MARIE YOVANOVITCH
HAS BAD-MOUTHED THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES.
THIS WOMAN NEEDS TO BE CALLED
HOME TO THE UNITED STATES.
>> OH, IMMEDIATELY.
>> THAT’S ON HANNITY’S SHOW.
THAT’S TRUMP’S BIG BOOSTER
LAWYER JOE DIGENOVA.
AND THAT’S WHAT THEY WERE SAYING
ABOUT THE AMBASSADOR BACK IN THE
SPRING.
SPRING. WE NOW KNOW, HERE’S WHY I’M SHOW
YOU THAT TONIGHT AND WHY IT CAME
UP IN TODAY’S RELEASED
TESTIMONY, WE KNOW THAT WHILE
THOSE PUBLIC ATWARKS OCCURRING,
FOX NEWS TAKING A SUDDEN
INTEREST IN A RANDOM AMBASSADOR,
RUDY GIULIANI WAS PUSHING HIS
UKRAINE PLOT.
UKRAINE PLOT. AND THAT’S NOT ALL, THAT FOX
NEWS LAWYER YOU JUST SAW THERE,
DEGENOVA, WHO WAS MAKING THE
CASE WITH HANNITY, HE LEGALLY
REPRESENTS THE CONSERVATIVE
WRITER WHO WAS PUSHING THIS SAME
UKRAINE PLOT.
UKRAINE PLOT. SO THAT’S THE CONTEXT FOR THIS
AMBASSADOR’S TESTIMONY ABOUT
WHAT LOOKS LIKE A COORDINATED
SMEAR CAMPAIGN NOT ONLY TO OUST
HER, BUT TO GET A BRIBE OUT OF
UKRAINE TO HELP TRUMP WIN
REELECTION.
REELECTION. NOW THE OTHER NEW TRANSCRIPT
TODAY COMES FROM AN AIDE TO
SECRETARY OF STATE POMPEO WHO
CRITICIZED THE ADMINISTRATION
FOR USING THE STATE DEPARTMENT
FOR THIS, QUOTE, TO PROCURE
NEGATIVE POLITICAL INFORMATION
FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES.
AND WHEN ASKED ABOUT EFFORTS TO,
QUOTE, USE THE STATE DEPARTMENT
TO DIG UP DIRT ON POLITICAL
OPPONENT, McKINLEY RESPONDS IN
37 YEARS IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE GLOBE
AND WORKING ON CONTROVERSIAL
ISSUES, TEN YEARS BACK IN
WASHINGTON, I HAD NEVER SEEN
THAT.
THAT. I’M JOINED NOW BY FORMER FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR JOHN FLANNERY AND NAY
NAYYERA HAQ.
NAYYERA HAQ. GOOD EVENING TO BOTH OF YOU.
NAYYERA, WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE
DISCLOSURES TO HAVE ANY OF THIS
GOING ON INSIDE THE STATE
DEPARTMENT?
DEPARTMENT? >> IT’S FASCINATING IN A VERY
PRURIENT READING OF A POLITICAL
THRILLER TYPE WAY AND IT’S
COMPLETELY OUT OF LINE WITH HOW
WE NORMALLY RUN NATIONAL
SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY EFFORTS.
WHAT WE’RE REALLY SEE IS HOW THE
PRESIDENT ON A DAY BY DAY BASIS
WAS EFFECTIVELY EXTORTING A
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO
ADVANCE HIS OWN POLITICAL
INTERESTS.
INTERESTS. MARIE YOVANOVITCH WAS A CAREER
OFFICIAL WHOSE DOING HER JOB AS
BEST AS SHE KNOWS HOW AND HAS
SHE HAS BEEN TRAINED TO DO, AND
EFFECTIVELY, GIULIANI AND HIS
GOONS THAT WERE SICKED ON HER TO
TRY TO MAKE HER BEND TO DO THE
PRESIDENT’S SPECIFIC POLITICAL
BIDDING.
BIDDING. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SEEING IN THE
TRANSCRIPT.
TRANSCRIPT. I ALSO FIND VERY FASCINATING HOW
TRUMP’S TWITTER ACCOUNT HAS
REALLY FILTERED DOWN TO THE
LOWEST AND HIGHEST LEVELS OF
DIPLOMACY.
DIPLOMACY. YOU SEE ON THE SAME DAY IN WHICH
PRESIDENT TRUMP, THERE IS
ACCOUNTS OF HOW HIS OWN STAFF
WAS TRYING TO DO A 15-MINUTE
DELAY ON HIS TWITTER ACCOUNT,
THAT SUDDENLY ON THE SAME DAY WE
SEE A TRANSCRIPT THAT SAYS AN
AMBASSADOR HAS TO TWEET HER
LOYALTY AND PRAISE OF THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS OWN PERSONAL
EGO AND NOT ABOUT THE SECURITY
OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> SO THAT’S GREAT.
WALK US THROUGH WHAT YOU’RE
GETTING THERE.
GETTING THERE. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
ARE WELCOMED TO GO OUT AND SAY
WHATEVER THEY WANT ABOUT HOW
GREAT ANY POLITICIAN IS.
PEOPLE IN PUBLIC LIFE, IN
AMERICA, THE POLITICAL ARM, THE
CAMPAIGN ARM.
CAMPAIGN ARM. YOU’RE SAYING AS WE MENTIONED
EARLIER IN OUR REPORTING THAT
THE STATE DEPARTMENT LIKE THE
PENTAGON IS SUPPOSED TO BE
TOTALLY WALLED OFF FROM THAT?
>> THIS IS THE PART WHERE WE
TALK ABOUT COUNTRY OVER PARTY.
IT’S ACTUALLY PART OF THE
SERVICE AGREEMENT THAT FOREIGN
SERVICE OFFICERS OF THE STATE
DEPARTMENT WHO ARE THE CAREER
DIPLOMATS, MILITARY OFFICERS
OVER AT THE PENTAGON AND THE
ARMED FORCES, THEY ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE ADVANCING THE INTERESTS OF
THE COUNTRY AND THE POLICY.
THERE IS A LAYER OF POLITICAL
APPOINTEES WHO TRY TO STEER THE
SHIP IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE
PRESIDENT MAY WANT, BUT THERE IS
USUALLY WORK TOGETHER IN CONCERT
AND NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AT NO POINT IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE
PRAISE THE DEAR LEADER.
THIS IS WHAT WE THINK.
IT IS ABOUT PRAISING AMERICA
INDEPENDENT OF WHOEVER HOLDS THE
WHITE HOUSE.
WHITE HOUSE. >> JOHN, LET’S STIPULATE THAT
THESE OFFICIALS MANY OF WHOM WE
NOTED HAVE BIPARTISAN EXPERIENCE
SAY THIS IS TERRIBLE.
IT’S BAD FOR FOREIGN POLICY.
PEOPLE MIGHT GET FIRED OVER IT.
THAT’S ALL THE POLICY PERSONNEL
SIDE.
SIDE. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> BUT THIS ISN’T JUST THAT
LEVEL.
LEVEL. THIS IS A HIGHER LEVEL TODAY.
THESE ARE THE FIRST TRANSCRIPTS
WE’VE SEEN TONIGHT EVER IN THE
IMPEACHMENT PROBE.
IMPEACHMENT PROBE. DO YOU SEE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT
HITS THE HIGHER LEVEL OF
EVIDENCE OF A HIGH CRIME?
>> YES.
>> YES. THE THING THAT I WAS INTERESTED
IN THAT I DIDN’T REALIZE,
BECAUSE I DIDN’T FOCUS AT THE
TIME, WHEN HANNITY REFERENCED
THE CONGRESSMEN, HE REFERENCED
CONGRESSMAN SESSIONS FROM TEXAS.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT HE WAS THE
TARGET OF THE TWO ASSOCIATES OF
RUDY GIULIANI TO RECEIVE FUNDS
TO WRITE THE LETTER ATTACKING
YOVANOVITCH.
YOVANOVITCH. A MOMENT AGO YOU WERE TALKING
ABOUT KIND OF THE RAT’S NEST OF
HOW THESE PEOPLE ARE ALL
INTERTWINED.
INTERTWINED. >> I DIDN’T MENTION ANY RATS.
>> I DON’T THINK YOU SAID RATS.
I WAS THINKING IT WHEN YOU WERE
SAYING IT.
SAYING IT. BUT SO WHAT I SEE IS A
CONNECTION HERE, AND IT GOES
BACK.
BACK. LIKE ALL COMPULSIVE LAWYERS, I
READ AT LEAST THE BEGINNING OF
YOVANOVITCH’S TESTIMONY.
YOVANOVITCH’S TESTIMONY. AT THE BEGINNING OF IT, THE
REPUBLICANS WHO WANTED TO BE IN
THE ROOM WERE IN THE ROOM, AND
THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD
TO BE DILLATORY AND TO DELAY
WHAT WAS GOING ON.
ON THE OF THAT, YOVANOVITCH GAVE
US A SENSE OF WHAT SHE WAS GOING
THROUGH OVER THERE AND HOW THEY
WERE SPREADING WORD THAT SHE WAS
SAYING SOME PEOPLE SHOULDN’T BE
PROSECUTED, WHICH WAS A LIE.
AND THIS GOES BACK TO NOVEMBER
OF 18 AND COMING FORWARD.
SO THIS IS A LONG CAMPAIGN.
AND RUDY GIULIANI WAS IN THERE
FROM THE BEGINNING, AS WE’VE
LEARNED FROM OTHER WITNESSES.
SO I THINK THAT THE PIECES ARE
HERE.
HERE. AND IF PEOPLE FAIRLY READ THE
TRANSCRIPTS, ALL THIS NAY SAYING
ABOUT QUID PRO QUO GOES AWAY,
AND ALL WE’RE FACED WITH IS
BRIBERY AND EXTORTION AND
MISCONDUCT.
MISCONDUCT. BUT BY MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN
JUST OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
>> JOHN, YOU’RE SAYING THESE
TRANSCRIPTS ALONE WERE NOT UP TO
EVERYONE WHO WAS ON THE CALL.
THIS ISN’T THAT PART.
THAT’S NOT THE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT
OF THE CALL.
>> NO, NO.
>> ALTHOUGH THE IMPEACHMENT
INVESTIGATORS ARE SAYING THEY’RE
RELEASING AS THEY GO.
THIS PART YOU’RE SAYING PROVIDES
WHAT PART OF THE BRIBERY PLOT?
>> WELL, WHAT IT PROVIDES IS IF
WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY,
SOMEBODY WHO WOULD PREVENT ROGUE
RUDY FROM DOING WHAT HE WANTS TO
DO, WHICH IS TO CREATE THE
SITUATION FOR THE PRESIDENT TO
HAVE AN EASY PASS IN THE 2020
ELECTION.
ELECTION. >> GOT IT.
>> BY HAVING THEM ANNOUNCE A
BOGUS INVESTIGATION.
BOGUS INVESTIGATION. >> I’M ONLY SLOWING YOU DOWN
BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH HANNING
HERE.
HERE. I HAVE A ANOTHER LAWYER I WANT
TO BRING IN, JUST WITH YOU AS MY
FIRST LAWYER.
FIRST LAWYER. YOU’RE SAYING BASICALLY IF THE
BRIEFCASE, THE BRIEFCASE BRIBE
IS GETTING THE BIDEN
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. SOME OF THESE DIPLOMATS THAT
WE’RE HEARING FROM NOW WERE
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHO SAY DON’T
DO THAT.
DO THAT. WE DON’T DO THAT.
SO WE’RE SEEING THE PART OF THE
CONSPIRACY TONIGHT ACCORDING TO
THESE TRANSCRIPTS WHERE FIRST
THOSE PEOPLE HAD TO BE CLEARED
OUT OF THE ROOM.
THEN YOU BRING IN THE BRIBE.
>> YES.
>> YES. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE
WORKING ON PARALLEL TRACKS, BUT
SHE WAS ALWAYS A DANGER BECAUSE
SHE WAS A STRAIGHT SHOOTER, AND
THEY DIDN’T WANT A STRAIGHT
SHOOTER.
SHOOTER. THEY WANTED HIM TO BE RUMBLING
AROUND BEHIND THE GREEN CURTAIN,
DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING.
APPARENTLY RUDY’S OWN PERSONAL
BANK ACCOUNT, BUT ALSO TO HELP
THE PRESIDENT GET THIS DIRT ON
BIDEN, AND THAT BECAME
ESPECIALLY TRUE IN JULY WHEN HE
WAS POLLING BETTER.
BIDEN WAS POLLING BETTER.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. THE CONTEXT OF WHO THEY SAW AS
AN OPPONENT.
AN OPPONENT. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> BOTH OF YOU STAY WITH ME.
AS PROMISED, I WANT TO BRING IN
ANOTHER LAWYER, ROBERT DIETZ WAS
GENERAL COUNSEL SENIOR ROLES AT
THE CIA AND DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD EVENING TO YOU, SIR.
>> GOOD EVENING, SIR.
>> I PUT THE SAME QUESTION TO
YOU.
YOU. AND WITHOUT PROFILING YOU TOO
MUCH, PART OF YOUR JOB IS TO
LOOK AT THIS FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF THE INTELLIGENCE
AND SECURITY AGENCIES, TO GIVE
THE TIE WOULD GO TO THEM
TYPICALLY ON THEIR DAY JOB,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? GIVE THEM A BENIGN VIEW OR AT
LEAST DEFENSE OF WHAT HAPPENED.
DO YOU SEE A WAY THAT THIS
BREAKS TOWARDS THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION?
ADMINISTRATION? OR DOES THIS LOOK WELL OVER THE
LINE?
LINE? >> TO ME THIS LOOKS WELL OVER
THE LINE.
THE LINE. AS A LAWYER, WHENEVER I HEAR
ABOUT A COMPLICATED CASE, I
ALWAYS TRY TO PUT MYSELF IN THE
POSITION OF DEFENSE COUNSEL.
WHAT IS IT THAT I WOULD ARGUE.
AND I DON’T SEE IT HERE.
AND PEOPLE HAVE OBJECTED TO THE
QUID PRO QUO.
PERHAPS BECAUSE IT’S LATIN.
A MUCH EASIER GOOD OLD AINGE
BLOW SAXON WORD IS BRIBERY, AND
IT’S ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN
ARTICLE 2, SECTION 3 AS ONE OF
THE HIGH CRIMES AND
MISDEMEANORS.
MISDEMEANORS. THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT AT BRIBERY.
DO ME A FAVOR AND I’LL GIVE YOU
$400 MILLION IN MILITARY AID.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YOU LAY IT OUT.
CONGRESSWOMAN SPEIER, WHO IS ON
THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
MAKING A SIMILAR POINT THAT YOU
RAISE THERE, THE IDEA THAT WE
ARE LOOKING POTENTIALLY HERE AT
THE ALLEGATIONS OF A BRIBE.
HERE’S WHAT SHE SAID.
>> I THINK THAT YOU CAN MAKE A
CASE FOR BRIBERY NOW, AND I
THINK THAT DISCUSSION NEEDS TO
BE SERIOUSLY DEVELOPED AND
CONSIDERED, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN
EFFORT TO TRY TO SEEK TO GET
SOMETHING OF VALUE FROM MR.
ZELENSKY, THE PRESIDENT OF
UKRAINE.
UKRAINE. >> ROBERT, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT
IF THE DEMOCRATS ARE MOVING
TOWARDS MAKING THAT CASE AND SHE
IS ON THE KEY COMMITTEE HERE
THAT IS RELEASING THESE
TRANSCRIPTS, TO SHOW THAT THIS
WAS LARGER PLOT, THAT THERE WAS
A PREMEDITATED STRATEGY, AS JOHN
AND I WERE JUST DISCUSSING TO
GET ANYONE WHO MIGHT OBJECT OUT
OF THE ROOM AND THEN GO FORWARD
WITH THIS.
WITH THIS. >> LOOK, I THINK THAT’S ALL
COLORATION.
COLORATION. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT
COLORATION, CERTAINLY, FOR A
JURY, YOU KNOW.
AS AN INITIAL MATTER, THE HOUSE,
BUT ULTIMATELY THE SENATE TO
TELL A COMPELLING STORY.
AND ALL OF THIS LOOKS LIKE IT
WAS AN ORGANIZED EVENT.
AND SORT OF GET RID OF THE
PLAYERS THAT ARE OBJECTIONABLE,
INCLUDING THE AMBASSADOR OF THE
UNITED STATES TOE UKRAINE.
SO, YEAH.
SO, YEAH. AGAIN, IT’S COLORATION, BUT
TELLING A COLORFUL STORY IS
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. >> ARI, IT’S VERY IMPORTANT THAT
THEY SHOW A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR
AS PART OF THE STORY BECAUSE
IT’S ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE A
POLITICAL PROCESS AND NOT JUST
ABOUT ONE MOMENT IN TIME THAT
CAN BE DISMISSED.
THIS IS ABOUT HOW DONALD TRUMP
HAS BEHAVED THE ENTIRE
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. HE IS USING PULLEYING TACTICS ON
U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND
ACTIVELY RUNNING A
DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON A
U.S. AMBASSADOR.
U.S. AMBASSADOR. >> JOHN?
>> JOHN? >> WELL, THERE IS ALSO, IF YOU
THINK ABOUT IT, THE OTHER PART
IS HOLDING BACK THE MONEY.
AND THEY HOLD BACK THE $391
MILLION AND ARE ASKED ABOUT IT,
IT COULD HAVE GONE IN FEBRUARY
AND IT WAS DELAYED CONTINUOUSLY.
AND IT WAS DELAYED, PRESUMABLY
FOR WHAT WAS SAID IN THE
READOUT, WHICH WE ACCEPT AS ONLY
AN EXCERPT OF WHAT WAS FULLY
SAID.
SAID. BUT THIS THE EXCERPT, WE SAID I
NEED THE JAVELINS TO DEFEND MY
NATION, SAYS ZELENSKY.
YEAH, BUT I HAVE A FAVOR THOUGH.
HE SAYS IT’S ABOUT GETTING AT
BIDEN.
BIDEN. AND THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN IN A
SINGLE PHONE CALL.
THIS WAS ORCHESTRATED GOING BACK
TO NOVEMBER.
TO NOVEMBER. THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS FOR THEIR CAMPAIGN.
AND IT HAS ONLY TO DO WITH THE
PRESIDENT’S ELECTION, BUT THEY
WOULD PUT AT RISK UKRAINE
AGAINST A RUSSIAN ADVERSARY FOR
THIS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.
AND THAT’S NOT A STRAIGHT-OUT
BRIBERY, IF THAT’S NOT
EXTORTION, THEN I DON’T KNOW
WHAT IS.
WHAT IS. I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE
BELABORING THE QUESTION AND
STILL TALKING ABOUT QUID PRO
QUO.
QUO. THIS IS THE CRIME.
LET’S TALK FRANKLY ABOUT IT AND
HAVE ANYBODY SAY WHY IT’S NOT
BRIBERY, BECAUSE IT IS.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. AND THAT GOES TO -- GO AHEAD.
>> IF I COULD ADD, IT ALSO
VIOLATES FEDERAL ELECTION LAW.
EUROPE NOT ALLOWED AS A
FOREIGNER TO INFLUENCE AMERICAN
ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS. AMERICANS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
TAKE MONEY FROM FOREIGNERS TO
ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO WIN AN
ELECTION.
ELECTION. SO THAT ITSELF IS A CRIME AS IN
HIGH CRIME AND MISDEMEANOR.
>> EACH OF YOU WITH YOUR
EXPERIENCE HAVE LAID IT OUT.
FLANNERY, I GOT TO IT IN IN A
BREAK.
BREAK. >> I HEAR YOU.