Democratic members of the US House of Representatives on Monday subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani, US President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer who was at the heart of Trump’s efforts to get Ukraine to investigate former US vice president Joe Biden’s family.
That was after one of Trump’s staunchest defenders, US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said he would have “no choice” but to consider articles of impeachment if the House approved them.
With Congress out of session for observance of the Jewish holidays, Democrats moved aggressively against Giuliani, requesting by Oct. 15 “text messages, phone records and other communications” that they referred to as possible evidence.
They also requested documents and depositions from three of his business associates.
The circle of officials with knowledge of Trump’s phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy widened with the revelation that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listened in on the July 25 conversation.
Pompeo’s presence on the Ukraine call, confirmed by two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an internal matter, provided the first confirmation that a Cabinet official heard Trump press Zelenskyy to investigate Hunter Biden’s membership on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
It is that call, and the circumstances surrounding it, that are fueling the new Democratic drive for impeachment.
McConnell swatted down talk that the Republican-controlled Senate could dodge the matter of impeachment if the House approved charges against Trump.
“It’s a Senate rule related to impeachment, it would take 67 votes to change, so I would have no choice but to take it up,” he said on CNBC. “How long you’re on it is a whole different matter.”
Trump took to Twitter to defend anew his phone call with Zelenskyy as “perfect” and to unleash a series of attacks, most strikingly against House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff.
“Rep. Adam Schiff illegally made up a FAKE & terrible statement, pretended it to be mine as the most important part of my call to the Ukrainian President, and read it aloud to Congress and the American people,” Trump wrote. “It bore NO relationship to what I said on the call. Arrest for Treason?”
Trump tweeted repeatedly through the day but was, for the most part, a lonely voice as the White House lacked an organization or process to defend him.
Democrats have orders from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to keep momentum going, despite a two-week recess that started pm Friday.
Staff for three committees are scheduled today and tomorrow to depose former US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who was removed by the Trump administration earlier this year, and Kurt Volker, who resigned last week as the US’ envoy to Ukraine.
Members of intelligence committee on Friday will interview US Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who first received the whistle-blower’s complaint.
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‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
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