That at that point he had not slept for several days driving east on Interstate 10 just beyond Palm Springs he lost control of his car which jumped the median and skidded to a stop on the shoulder of the westbound side he called Hertz which came to collect the damaged car and gave him a 2nd rental. The Hertz Rental officer told me he found a crack pipe in the car and on one of the console's a line of white powder residue both Bidens attorney general badges on the dashboard Hertz called the press got police department and officers filed a narcotics offense report listing items seized in the car including a past plastic bag containing white powdery substance a secret service business card credit cards and $100.00 Biden's driver's license that is what we would call evidence and I don't want to make light of anybody's substance abuse issues I know the president's working hard to solve those throughout the country but it's a little hard to believe the barista hired 100 by a group to resolve their international disputes when he could not resolve his own dispute with Hertz rental car over lien leaving cocaine in a crack pipe in the car it continues hundreds stayed in Los Angeles for about a week he said that he needed to get away and forget soon after his arrival in l.a. He said he asked a homeless man in Pershing Square where he could buy crack under said the man took him to a nearby homeless encampment where a narrow passageway between tents someone put a gun to his head before realizing that he was the buyer you refer he returned to buying more crack a few times that week again not saying you're not casting any judgment on any challenges someone goes through in their personal life but it is just hard to believe that this was the guy wandering through a homeless encampment by a crack that was worth 86000 dollars of birth to very small holdings and that might be one of the reasons why when a.b.c. Asked one of Biden Hey you think you would have gotten this job in the absence of your dad being the vice president well he said Probably not and then I looked to the record evidence and I looked at the testimony of Mr Ken Mr Kant was one of the witnesses they called on the 1st day he said very small was so dirty that our own embassy had to pull out of a joint sponsorship with them when Ambassador Yavanna bitch was being prepped for her Senate confirmation the. Obama administration was so worried about the corruption around Verismo on 100 Biden that they held special prep moments to try to get ready for the inevitable questions about this obvious corruption that the president asked about Mr Ken again one of their witnesses from the 1st day also gave testimony that very small had stood at the head of very small had stolen $23000000.00 in the us in the u.k. And that he paid a bribe to get off the hook so again it's not as if very small as pulling out new plays their playbook is to do dirty stuff and then go and pay bribes and hire the people necessary to make those problems go away. This is why the minority hearing issue is so important by the way you wonder why Republicans are so angry that we didn't have a hearing put on our own witnesses unknown evidence and you may wonder why Wolf they feel so good about their case why did they block our ability to put in evidence it's because we have the ability to show that is corrupt we have the ability to show that 100 Biden is corrupt and that totally exculpates to quote the president because there is no way in the United States of America that honestly pursuing actual corruption is an impeachable offense that's why they offer the amendment 9 courage my colleagues to vote for it. Mr Chairman I was I withdraw my point of order. Mr Chairman. The gentlemen generally deals back weapons this was just a secret a move to strike the last word it was regulars Mr Chairman I rise in opposition to this amendment and I would say that. This is Hank Johnson Democrat of Georgia hot calling the kettle black it's not something that we should do I don't know. I don't know what members if any have had any problems with substance abuse been busted in DUI. I don't know but if I did I wouldn't raise it against. Anyone on this committee I don't think it's proper and and you know I think we've got to get back down to what is most important here is this is something this is a question that stands out like a big crowd being sort told inside of us shoe that's too small and that is this question Is it ever Ok for a president of the United States of America to invite foreign interference in an upcoming presidential election campaign. The silence is silent when you don't want to be led to the silence it will be those that tell you the silent. People response was and is deafening. And they'll be plenty of time for you to respond to that question and I would invite you to do so I gave you an opportunity of about 10 to 15 seconds. While you could get your story together and nobody came up with a story so I'm going to let you move to strike the last word and explain that to the American people it's never proper for a United States president to hold a foreign country over a barrel to make them do that president's personal bidding and holding needed security assistance dangling it. And dangling the fact that I'll give it to you if you do this I mean that's exactly what happened it's like you're American people understand what happened those are the those are the facts the president said it when he released the transcript of the summary of of that phone call on July 25th the summary of the president's own words shows that the president tried to get presidents Olinsky to interfere in the upcoming presidential election that is a stablished by the facts so this is not about Hunter Biden and they've said that on the other side repeatedly up until they start talking about Hunter Biden having some substance abuse problems you can't have it both ways let's be honest this is about our conscience. The conscience of the nation the conscience my friends on the other side of the aisle do you believe that we should allow this to go unaddressed what the president did because we are a country of president. We are a country of rule of law we are a country of norms and traditions are we going to allow the violation of our norms our traditions our legal precedents because after all bribery was not a crime there was no criminal code when the framers passed the constitution but they said bribery in there and what bribery meant was I'm offering you something if you do something for me I'll give you this in other words you give me this I'll give you that that's what we had in this case that's what bribery means it doesn't depend on a statute it depends on what we know was done and so let's not get bogged down in technicalities and in character assassination let's keep our eye on what really happened in this case and whether or not our conscious contents is dictate that we do something about it we can't let it go unaddressed and the way that we deal with this grave abuse of the public trust is with the drastic action that it requires because this is a drastic circumstance the drastic action is impeachment and that's why we're here today and I ask my colleagues to let your conscience be your guide you beg it of years back and said what the reason is Mr Sensenbrenner Sharon I'm going to strike the last word it was written to us and Chairman I my mind is blog old I am a gentleman James Sensenbrenner Republican rivalry was Ok until 17 easy 7 when the Constitution was adopted in 2 years later when Congress passed the 1st criminal code 1st of all as a common law definition of bribery. People log the forest $787.00 and realize that bribery was no good but we also had criminal codes and each of the 13 independent states colonies before the Declaration of Independence the gentleman and so my question no I'm I'm I'm sure I didn't interrupt you. Ok The 2nd thing is that. If you on the other side of the aisle believe that you'll buy is a man who tells the truth you ought to support this amendment because Joe Biden ever since Hunter's involvement with ruse has been repeatedly asked whether he made any arrangements to get under this really cushy job and he said no or my son's business involvement surmised and not involved in that so you put Joe Biden name in your articles of impeachment when the real malefactor is 100 by 100 is not running for anything. And if real malefactor really is 100 by I guess your claim that the president was trying to influence the 20 twentieth's election would go out the window but if you think that Joe Biden is a man who tells the truth and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because I think he deserves it and then let's get rid of Joe Biden in this article of impeachment substitute his son's name in there and proceed I challenge you because every one of you there will vote no on this amendment is going to be saying I think that Joe Biden is a liar if you don't think that Joe Biden is a liar yes I yield the balance of my time to Mr Gates. Thank you Mr Chairman and again it's important to analyze that the Republican of Florida it's the Democrats who are saying any question about the Biden situation Barry sma it could only be an abuse of power and I think this amendment really reflects how the president was using as a power power perfectly entirely appropriately and it also shows how scared they are of the fact if we had the opportunity to call in those who are engaged in work with the Ukrainian embassy folks like Alexander Chalupa if we were able to bring forward 100 Biden were able to demonstrate the bias of the whistleblower the American people would see we are not in this debate and in this discussion because the president do anything wrong or impeachable or criminal we're here fundamentally because they cannot accept the fact that he won the 2016 election and I think all Americans know the president has a different approach but to accept their standard would mean that if someone announces that they're running for office it's kind of like an instant immunity deal for anything that they would ever do I mean they are they really saying that if Joe Biden 100 Biden were engaged in some corrupt act that just because Joe Biden announced for the presidency that that somehow out of auto absolve him of that criminal activity it's a ludicrous position maybe it's informed by the fact that. You all got a little lucky on the Hillary Clinton stuff you know she thought that because she was in a presidential election that her crimes didn't have to be held to account and. In a way that turned out to be the case but you know what it shouldn't be the standard in the United States of America and I'm glad that we have a president who is at times skeptical of foreign aid who doesn't put America 1st who understands that in corrupt places the resources we provide don't always make it to an area of need but we concluded this once the meetings happened the demonstrated the president's Alinsky was a true reformer but he wasn't corrupt that he was honest honest from the point of his campaign all the way up and to the point when he said there was no pressure put on him or his government for this say except that proposition it's very clear the president was entirely appropriate in those questions and I got to say in debate in the last 2 men that now we are reached the point in time a President Trump in the only president being attacked in this hearing I heard the gentleman from Tennessee go after Zelinsky as well an actor or a politician and they presume he's a liar when he says there was nothing wrong you know what they can't miss make their case against a president name was car attacking Zelinsky and it shows it just shows you sort of the desert time is expired what purposes is Jackson Lee He's recognition I was asking if I could respond as my name was as I was called You know what services Ms Jackson Lee secret is right to strike the last word Louise regulars' I think the chairman Sheila Jackson Lee Democrat of Texas this is about distraction distraction distraction. I'll good friend spent 3 hours saying President did not target the bines now they're saying that he did so which is it now I'm holding the classified and classified conversation and let me just clarify a certain point and that point is that I did read the transcript and it did say us but there is nothing in the president's notes that even suggested. That the question that he asked was for the American people in testimony by Mr Goldman who obviously went through every aspect of this I asked the question about whether or not the president said anything from the notes that are given the briefing that is given by those representatives of the United States government the staff of the National Security Council the State Department Defense Department on corruption he didn't speak anything about corruption that he was briefed on and if you go through the call he continues to mention the Bidens and so this again is about Ukraine the president did ask Ukraine the president of Ukraine a vulnerable leader of a country that is fledgling and trying to survive now let me say that I intend to introduce into the wreckage an article that indicated very clearly. That people did die. Froze military aid as Ukrainian soldiers perished in battle l.a. Times I asked him and his consent to submit that into the record but the facts are . The well the facts are President Trump provided 510000000 in aid in 201-7359 1000000 2018 but he wanted to stop in 2019 the year months before the 2020 Alexion In addition president trumps advisors confirm the president trumps investigations 2016 election periods and the Bidens were not u.s. Policy and as well they have debunked any association that there was anything to the impropriety of the former vice president and his service as related to Ukraine. I think it is also important the Department Defense and State Department confirmed that Ukraine it met all anti-corruption benchmarks and the age should be released that's the policy of the United States of America there was no need for this president to in essence try to make up his own policy and his own statement of administrative policy and I ask unanimous consent to ask have those in the record this is from the White House nothing in this set to discuss corruption why because Ukraine had already met the standards of independent executive agencies that they had met that standard of corruption their money should have been released and we well know as the process of the whistleblower in the timing the presence Alinsky desperate for money people dying in the feel was asked to do a c.n.n. . Announcement and he was going to be on one of cnn's well known shows dealing with international politics but it was stopped in its tracks as testified by witnesses under oath because of the whistleblower statement let me be very clear there is some representation crime crime crime 1st of all our scholars indicated that these are impeachable offenses the conduct of the president is an Peach Bowl and there's enough evidence to show but as I indicated yesterday this my friends is a legal document the Constitution it is a legal document you can breach and violate the law of the Constitution there are constitutional crimes and the vastness of the impeachment process does include the excess of power by the president of the United States now I knew Barbara Jordan and my friends wanted to quote her. She also said the framers confided in the Congress the power if need be to remove a president order to strike a delicate balance between a president swollen with power and ground to real gun and preservation of the independence of the executive you can violate the crimes of the Constitution abuse of power includes this amendment should be defeated Surely the time has expired Mr Chair for purposes of this thread to see. Who tried last word to lose regulars and to chair John Wright can of Texas Georgia Mr Johnson's question and he asked before is it ever Ok to invite a foreign government to become involved in an election involving a political opponent. Yes It better be we do it all the time have you that quickly forgotten how the Trump Russia investigation proceeded the Obama administration asked Great Britain and Italy and Australia and other countries to assist in its investigation of a person who was a political opponent from the opposite party I keep hearing over and over again you can't investigate political opponents we have a member of this committee who was as a member of this committee on the Intelligence Committee. Investigating his political opponent Donald Trump at the very moment he was running to replace him as president my colleague on the Intel Committee Mr Castro was investigating President Trump at the very same moment his brother was running to replace President Trump President Trump don't we one with the really legitimate reason to be doing it he is the chief executive. Chief executive were we are in the Judiciary Committee right we do understand the constitution we do understand that the president has the unitary executive is the executive branch and all power in the executive branch derives from the president and the president can and should ask for assistance from foreign governments in ongoing criminal investigations there was an ongoing criminal investigation into what happened in 2016 the attorney general Barr at the time of the July 25th call had long before that appointed u.s. Attorney John Durham to exact to investigate exactly that issue it wasn't just appropriate it was absolutely the president's constitutional duty and Hunter Biden the president has as the chief executive the ability to ask about matters where there is a prime aphasia case of corruption what do we have with respect to 100 Biden tons of money for a position where he has no Ukraine experience where he has no experience with Ukraine or with energy and at the very same time that Ukrainians were deciding the Hunter Biden was the perfect person to get that sweetheart deal the Chinese were deciding that Hunter Biden was the perfect person to get a sweetheart deal to manage $1500000000.00 in financial assets. And when the Ukrainian government wanted to investigate corruption like we all keep talking about they need to well they start investigating breeze man what happens Joe Biden says you better fire that prosecutor investigating corruption. Into breeze or you're not going to get a 1000000000 dollars and 6 hours later that's what happened that's called influence peddling that is a crime. And there is a prime aphasia case of that and it is absolutely appropriate for a president to ask about that. My friend. I think they don't think that Jennifer you know they're going to respond to the comments from of the delay from Texas she said the president during Republican of Ohio well that's how it works in our country you get your name on a ballot you run for office you go talk to the American people they evaluate it all election day this side who they want making the policy that's how it works in our country it's not the unelected people telling the elected individual how we do things because the unelected the people aren't directly accountable to We Are people it's what makes our system the best the greatest And when you turn that on its head that's when you get problems and we saw it happen because we heard Chuck Schumer say on January 3rd 2017 when you mess with the intelligence community they have 6 ways from Sunday at getting back at you now that is a scary statement because that is saying the unelected people can get back at the person who put their name on a ballot and got elected to high office the highest office in this situation. So for someone all in the United States Congress to say the president made up his own policy and somehow that is wrong that that should be a frightening position to take but I guess that's where the Democrats are today in their quest to go after this president making statements like that statements by our colleague and statements by Senator Schumer you hear to back through Chairman what purposes the love you see regulation to strike the last word ladies recognized you know there are issues for the election and then there are issues for this committee the behavior of this is a Democrat of California sun and frankly the behavior of president trumps 2 sons and daughter may be discussed in the election but here we're talking about the abuse of presidential authority that the president must take care that the laws be faithfully executed we know from the e-mails from the State Department to the Department of Defense that the Ukrainians knew that the aid was being withheld that's documentary evidence we also know that whatever was going on that people might not like with the vice president sign in the vice president that was known in 2015201620172018 it wasn't until I suppression and Biden was beating President Trump in the polls at this issue was raised to try and. Force a foreign country to invent investigation to be used politically that is not seeing that the laws are faithfully as executed that is an abuse of presidential authority and I would yield now to the gentleman from Florida Mr doing and I think from my friend from California I said to each Democrat of Florida persons. I made this point I guess it needs to be made from time to time and we just can't simply allow the mischaracterization of the misstatement of the rules the history of the rules and House resolutions to advance political arguments here we can't stand for it and so I want to address again. These statements that there is some right to have to have witnesses come in it is absolutely true that that's the case over 50 years ago when the rule was written when Rule 6 was written it said it's normal procedure for witnesses representing both sides of the issue to give testimony a committee hearings and that's what happened in December 4 at the December 4th meeting and that's what happened in the December 9th meeting let's be honest about the rules and House Resolution $660.00 I would point out again provides an opportunity for the president of the United States to come he could have come on December 4th he could have said any of his witnesses and he didn't but no one should be surprised because that's been the president's approach throughout is to refuse to allow anyone anyone with the kind of information that my colleagues claim they're interested in from coming to testify and coming to answer questions directly and with that I yield to my friend from New York Mr Jeffries I think that is there was gentleman from Florida there with 12 and it's my time I'd be happy to yield to the Gentleman thank you this thing was done a lady from Dallas on you know Democrat of New York Jack witnesses who testified during the Intel hearing 12. And we don't hear a thing about those witnesses from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle the thing. Those witnesses were not political operatives they were patriots in fact they were tromped appointees and Bassett Tayla Trump appointee ambassador Sonly Trump appointee Dr Fiona Hill Trump appointee Jennifer Williams Trump appointee lieutenant colonel then men Trump appointee ambassador Volcker Trump appointee they all confirm that Donald Trump pressured a foreign government to target an American citizen for political gain and at the same time withheld without justification $391000000.00 in military aid undermining America's national security let's just look at Ambassador Vocus testimony he testified about the issue of raising the 2016 elections of Vice President Biden all these things that I consider to be conspiracy theories what was his response it was pretty simple quote I think the allegations against Vice President President Biden are self serving and not credible that's what this is all about I yield back. And spare him and. He generally deals back. What services receive go to seek recognition support of the men speaking in general desire to strike the last word and you Mr Chairman. It is regular It's it's amazing Louie Gohmert Republican of Texas and saying people are. Accusing us. Of covering not willing to face the truth they're the same arguments that we've been hearing for 3 years now 1st it was accusing us of not being willing to face the facts about Russian collusion and the president scheming with Russia and that turned out all to be a lot as we were right and those accusing us of not facing the truth were the ones who were not facing the truth we heard about all kinds of other allegations and we saw a way that that didn't appear to be supported Well we weren't facing the truth and there was a lot of media support for those positions but we still persisted that we were the ones that were right and this week these things are all being borne out we were right they were wrong and now we're not hearing anybody come in and say hey we're really sorry and we accuse ya'll of being crazy and and I'm not facing the truth you were right there was no Russia collusion. You were right there was no extortion and my friends across the out keep changing the subject what the call made clear is we're interested in and finding out about if there was Ukrainian collusion our interference in our election now it's amazing how the majority can take 2 positions that counter indicate each other 1st of all they say there was there was no. Effort by Republicans including President trough just stop interference from foreign countries we hear that over and over including yesterday and today. And yet the only way to step up and do what President Obama refused to do if you remember President Obama be little President Trump candidate Trump for saying it was concerned about outside interference and in fact President Obama made a mockery of anybody that was so stupid that they thought somebody like Rush or others might interfere and affect our election they made fun of them he wouldn't do anything about outside interference because apparently he must've thought the outside interference was going to help Hillary Clinton as we've heard there are apparently are some people that certainly were accused in Ukraine of doing all they could to help Hillary Clinton in fact it was unheard of to have a foreign ambassador in our country step up and do so come out with support for Hillary Clinton so what we continue to see is projecting somebody on their side engages in illegal or improper conduct and that's what they accuse President Trump or us of doing it and all of this self-righteousness about you know for political purposes I mean this is from. Transcript from December 1st 943 when. President Roosevelt was talking to Marshall Stahl And he's talking with Stalin This is in apparently in Tehran they're meeting but he wanted to talk to him about internal American politics and from just an hour before as they say that President Roosevelt said there was there were in the United States 6 to 7000000 Americans of Polish extraction as a political man he didn't want to lose their vote and he was explaining they couldn't go public he didn't care when basically is Soviet Union to go over Poland he didn't care if they cut down Poland's borders from the east and from the West and he goes on to say. They say jokingly there when the Soviet armies occupied invaded and occupied these areas of Lithuania Latvia Estonia he did not intend to go to war with the Soviet Union on this point but he continues to emphasize you know some of these things he can't go public with these kind of things have gone on by Democrats for many decades and here they come after the one guy he wants to get to the bottom of 2016 foreign interference and what are they Cusick of of getting foreign interference now you can't root out foreign interference until you know what it was so you can't have it both ways well I guess the Democratic Party can't have it both ways but this is got to stop before it goes too much further I do a better job of years back he for purposes of this is this a levy Secret Invasion. It is. You know. What purpose does Mr Chavez see great strike last words you lose regulars Thank you Mr Chairman this is Republican Steve Shabbat of Ohio for this committee that you were investigating the wrong guy that it should have been Biden or Biden's the Ukraine was the 3rd most corrupt nation on earth and that Hunter Biden head just put himself right smack dab in the middle of that corruption and that even though Democrats and many of their friends in the media would have you believe that this the breeze my. Biden corruption that this was all just the vast right wing conspiracy you allegation when in actuality. It was the Obama administration did raise this issue 1st back in 2015 George can't reported his concerns about 100 Biden to the vice president's office and the former ambassador to Ukraine Marie you have on a vote. You have an overage sorry about that said she was coached by the Obama administration on how to answer pesky questions related to Hunter Biden embarrassment that might arise during her Senate confirmation process and nearly every single witness who testified at the intelligence committee impeachment inquiry agreed that Hunter Biden's breeze from a deal created at the very least the appearance of a conflict of interest yet the Democrats on the Intelligence Committee under the chairmanship and now Democrats in this committee are determined to sweep all this under the rug ignore it not let us call witnesses on it instead a rush to him ph this this president. You've got the vice president Joe Biden in charge of overseeing our Ukrainian policy and his son Hunter Biden are receiving $50000.00 a month even though he had no idea Jennifer viable expertise in energy or in Ukraine yet the Democrats wouldn't let us call witnesses or delve into this and it was interesting that Joe Biden got in an argument with a man that one of his events in Iowa recently called the man a liar and challenge team to push up contest and spouted off a bunch other malarkey. And now it committee this committee is conducting an impeachment investigation against President Trump based on as Professor Turley put it recently wafer thin evidence and they're ignoring evidence of something that truly doesn't smell right wafer thin evidence and this was a professor who acknowledged that he had not of voted for President drop in fact all 4 witnesses who testified none of them had had voted for him but he said wafer thin evidence that's what we're being called to impeach a President on and while we're. Doing that there are so many things that are getting ignored now looks like one thing the u.s. M.c.a. . Trade deal which is very important to replace NAFTA it looks like we might actually get that across the finish line I certainly hope so because it would be good for the country it's bipartisan but I think if there's anything good to come out of this impeachment is probably that that actually will get passed because the Democrats want to show we did something we did something because they haven't done much of anything else very little has passed in the law we had 68000 Americans who died from opioid overdoses last year alone it was 70000 the year before that and even though the numbers gone down a bit it's not necessarily because we're doing a whole lot better it's because we actually because in our can not quite as many people are dying but there are just as many people that are involved with this this scourge these opioids in and other drugs our southern border is still a civil we have far too many people coming across our southern border that's something we ought to be able to work on in a bipartisan manner in this committee to do something about that and our style of laws which need to be reformed we've got a 22 trillion dollar debt hanging over our head the reason I'm mentioning these issues this committee has jurisdiction over all these things and isn't doing a thing because we've been spending all our time for the last year on impeachment in one form or another but I have a bill a balanced budget amendment which would actually move in the right direction to doing something about that we should've done it years ago those are all in our in our jurisdiction other things like infrastructure not in our jurisdiction but the United States Congress ought to act on it we have our highways and our bridges are crumbling in this country it's actually something we generally agree on but the Democrats probably don't want the president to take any credit for that so that's not likely to happen it's unfortunate taking up all this time on Pietschmann when there are so many other things that we ought to be working on it for the benefit of the American people. What purpose does Mrs receive Mr Jordan the recognition. You know to the ranking member. Just a quick say it is amazing though do they hear now they get really sensitive about process of the door Collins the ranking member of public opinion a travesty of being a rubber stamp in this committee and Mitch and Jennifer Ford has brought out a couple things but let me just remind is he said just a few minutes ago the White House going to send everything know just like everything else it all goes to the women the Wimber of the chairman in the majority they can send anybody they want it all goes to their majority opinion get back to you know you to the Jennifer Florida thing the gentleman for yielding if Democrats can't prove that the Bidens are clean then President Trump can't be guilty of abusing the net gave. Florida they cannot prove that the questions into the Bidens are unreasonable Now the gentleman from New York said well you just aren't listening to the witnesses I listened very closely to the witnesses what I heard was Mr can't say that they were so concerned about very small we could we had to pull out of a partnership with the embassy so if it's Ok for our embassy to ask the questions why did Ok for the president I listened to him baster you Vonnegut's when she gave testimony she said that she was having to do special preparation to have to answer these sticky questions about why the vice president's son was off moonlighting for some foreign energy company so if it's Ok for you Vonnegut's to ask those questions if it's Ok for the Obama administration as it was questions why did Ok for President Trump to ask those questions here's one thing I know corrupt people they don't just steal once they kind of get into this like cycle and culture of corruption and it's disappointing I go back to this New Yorker article. I'm reading directly from it one of Kathleen's motions this is regarding 100 Biden's divorce contains a reference to a large diamond that had come into hundreds possession when I asked him about it he told me he had been given the diamond by Chinese energy tycoon e.j. Men 100 told me that 2 associates accompanied him to his 1st meeting with years in Miami and they surprised him by giving him a rare vintage of Scotch worth thousands of dollars so this got one just taken these weird jobs from the Ukrainians it was taken diamonds and Scotch from the Chinese and I think it is entirely appropriate for the president ited States to figure out why that's the case in America people watching today know that this is an impeachment movement that is losing steam I was watching c.n.n. On the way into the hearing this morning maybe one of the only folks but I was watching and I heard Gloria Borger say the polling on impeachment is bad for Democrats I heard Jim Shooter say that Chairman Nat'l or had gone on c.n.n. Center and said well once we have these public hearings we will animate all this public support for impeachment Well now you've had the hearings you've called the witnesses and you know what you're losing ground you're losing ground with the media you're losing ground with the voters and you're even losing ground among your own Democrat colleagues I believe the public reporting I've seen that some of your more moderate members in districts the president trump one are begging you to pursue something other than impeachment this blood lust for impeachment is not going to be visited on us or President Trump it's going to be visited on your own members and they're asking you not to do this. The only standard that Speaker Pelosi chairman Alan chairmanships set was a bipartisan standard they said this has to be bipartisan they said it all throughout the 28000 calendar year but now the only thing that has changed is not a strengthening of the evidence it's that we're going into an election and they have taken a look at the candidates that they have in the Democratic field and they've realized that they have to create this impeachment platform because their candidates aren't capable of defeating President Trump in a fair fight we know that the American people know that and so the only bipartisan vote that has occurred on impeachment was a bipartisan vote against opening the inquiry and the only possibility for movement from that vote to now and despite wasting all our time despite having all these hearings despite all the damage to our institutions through this very weird and aberrational investigation you've run the only risk is that you'll lose more votes than you started with you lost to your members the 1st time and like you're not going to lose less than 2 of your members your have a risk of losing more than 2 of your members and you know what Republicans are united we see this for what it is and we know just as my colleague from Ohio Mr Jordan said this is not just an attack on President Trump politically though it is the election that motivates them for this bizarre behavior it's not just an attack on the presidency. It's an attack on us it's an attack on those of us who believe in this president who understand very well who we voted for and he's got some nontraditional ways of doing business but we also see the great success of this country more jobs more opportunity they have no answer for that the upcoming election and it's why we're here. In the studies expired this is to big business to big c. Recognition. To strike the last word it was very nice you Mr Chairman I mentioned before that that any big Republican another sentence I'm stunned that my my colleagues on the other side of the aisle perpetually read every inference you can make in the in like most negative to the president. And yet this whole proceedings and that way this is been shaped up indicates that there's an incredible inference against their credibility because of the way they stacked the cards against the president so I will I want to I want to read I you know I support a sport the gentleman's amendment and I want to read this from a Ukrainian. Source who was named and cited in a recent publication says quote by inviting influential foreigners Ukrainian business wants to get a good additional protection p.r. Lobby mechanisms to grasp additional spheres of interest having Hunter Biden on board the owner of reason I wanted to correct the image and to get cover because authorities are scared by the u.s. Embassy in Ukraine under Biden using the political capabilities of his family acted as a rescue buffer between Greaseman Ukraine law enforcement agencies he's worked in the company of a corrupt official smells now so let's take a look at the actual the documents transcript they keep our colleagues keep referring to these for the other thing President Trump says there's a lot of talk about Biden's son that Biden stop the prosecution a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the attorney general of the great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it it sounds horrible to me that is the essence of what they want to impeach President front for so it begs the question based on the basic question really do you get a munity is it in the muti granting event to have a relative run for put public office you get immunity for that let's flip it on the 2nd question is does the president have the authority to request an investigation most assuredly images the attorney general here he it is clear that he would like an investigation into the corruption surrounding Ukraine because what this president still has he go on to say he goes on to talk about trying to restore the honesty in his country that's what he's talking about yet the attorney general you've got the president of both countries acknowledging that there's corruption and let's get it fixed up and it leads you back to this whole question of of the Democrats wanting to impeach President Trump for these amorphous abuse of power issues there's a more fish abuse of Congress or. Issues obstruction Congress it could be it's just bizarre. So on or under Biden as put it placed on the board of bereavement 2014 Joe Biden calls for the removal of the chief prosecutor Victor show can in 2016 in the meantime. Evidence is clear that Greece in his company paid about $3400000.00 to a company called Rosemount Seneca mohair the company of Hunter and his partner Archer. That is really intriguing the investigation surrounding Bree Smith's stop. And the recent his reputation Ukraine is low. And it was dubious even before this impeachment inquiry raised it to new attention Ellis let's face it according to Ukrainian sources very smell is is not. On everybody's front burner in the Ukraine but it is here because we were providing hundreds of millions of dollars to the Ukraine. And foreign aid and this president said we need to stop corruption he mentioned specifically the corruption that he had heard about. Is that impeachable no is asking for an investigation get to the bottom of because you do not get immunity just because your father is running for public office just because anyone related to is running for public office and I will tell you this president has done a remarkable job in spite of 3 years of constant harassment by the Democrats in this body and the media on the left of this country we have a great economy he's trying to bring order to the border we have more people working than ever before this president has restored the military and actually prestige around the world there are no more apology tours on the phone foreign policy side that we saw in the previous administration he has really worked to make America's esteem and greatness reprieves the general's time has expired this is a levy was Services it was moved to strike the last word Mr your regulars I want just begin very quickly and restated Cicely any Democrat of Rhode Island lamenting about the productivity of this Congress and remind my friends on the side of the aisle and the American people that we have passed nearly 400 pieces of legislation since Democrats took the majority $275.00 of those bills are bipartisan They range in legislation to drive down the costs of prescription drugs to break tech coverage for preexisting conditions to provide equal pay for equal work to raise the minimum wage for $33000000.00 Americans the biggest anti corruption bill since Watergate h.r. One legislation to restore net neutrality to respond to the climate crisis universal background checks and we recently completed negotiations on the new trade deal so the list is exhaustive sadly 80 percent of those bills are lying on Mitch McConnell's desk awaiting action so I urge my colleagues maybe instead of trying to mischaracterize what is one of the most productive Congress is in modern history we want to is assert some energy in persuading Mitch McConnell to do his. Jobber bring those bills to the floor now let's get back to the facts of this impeachment hearing 1st and foremost there's this is Ben this effort to really confuse what this is about and what this impeachment about is about the president the United States using the power of his office to smear a political opponent to drag a foreign power into our elections to corrupt the elections and leverage. Hundreds of millions dollars of taxpayer money to accomplish that objective So this is a Memon would like to wish away the motive of the president to engage in this corrupt scheme but you can't wish it away you can't amend it away the facts are the facts the allegations that we're talking about here originated in 2015 there and that's according to the Minority Report as well and then in 20172804 in the system was provided by Ukraine. What happened in 2019 what changed the president is losing in a national poll by double digits to Joe Biden we also says those are the facts her multiple witnesses Trump administration officials testified that Vice President Biden did nothing wrong including Mr Kent investor Yavanna bitch Mr Holmes and that's revoke or. Vice President Biden's firing of the prior prosecutor was done in accordance with official us policy was approved by the Justice Department was the policy of the United States it was supported by the European Union and many countries throughout Europe and a bipartisan coalition in Congress it was a corrupt prosecuted it was official us policy the vice pres it was as it executing I contrast what we have in this case the basis of this impeachment proceeding is exactly the opposite what President Trump was doing was not official u.s. Policy and all the witnesses confirm that it was not done through the Justice Department and it was done against the advice of all of these advisors and so that's what's very different about what we're confronting today and this was work which was not done by the apparatus of the State Department this is an effort that was led by the president's personal attorney would offer Giuliani the scheme was led by this whole apparatus outside the state of our own so let's not confuse these 2 things facts matter the truth matters you cannot continue just to make assertions when the record is completely the opposite and you know I'd like to yield to the gentleman from California Mr Ball and I thank the gentleman. If President Trump and my repair explore all Democratic health interested in rooting out corruption in Ukraine there was so much they could do that they never did my Republican colleagues for many years were in the majority for many years the vice president's son was on this board They never investigated this their concern only came about once Vice President Biden became president Trump's chief political opponent on April 21 of this year President Trump called Presidents Alinsky to could congratulate him in his talking points President Trump was told to bring up rooting out corruption in Ukraine President Trump never did it but the White House in their talking points live the American people and said the president had July 25 again National Security Council members worked really hard to tell the president impress upon the Ukrainian president he needs to root out corruption in his country the president never brings up corruption the president wanted to investigate any individual u.s. Citizen there's a formal process we go through the president never asked the attorney general to do this the president was never interested in fighting corruption and Ukraine he was only interested and weaponize in corruption in Ukraine for his own personal benefit and that's why we must hold him accountable for an abuse of power and you'll see if you haven't haven't you you know you now know that request yields back the regulars Jennifer you have said requests Thank you Mr John asked of this article dated February 12th $2900.00 listening to live special coverage of the impeachment markup from n.p.r. News in total Trump asked top political advisors whether he should worry about running against Joe Biden out of Jackson many many years now it is now there are votes on the floor. The votes on the floor committee will stay in the recess until after the votes. To reconvene immediately after the Vosa camisa. Isn't research. Ok the committee is taking a break as they move toward votes on articles of impeachment later today the 1st time a vote like this has happened in decades only the 4th time in American history that will set the stage for a likely vote in the full House of Representatives next week I'm Jeremy Hobson This is Special Coverage from n.p.r. News. I'm joined by N.P.R.'s senior Washington editor and correspondent Ron Elving n.p.r. Congressional correspondent Susan Davis n.p.r. Political reporter to Mack and n.p.r. White House correspondent Franco or don't you has to digest what we have just heard this is special coverage of the impeachment market from n.p.r. News Ron let me start with you you have noticed this morning and they've been debating these articles of impeachment for about 4 hours or amendments to them you've noticed a change in strategy from the Republicans on the panel That's right there's been less talk about process in the latter portion of today's hearing today's markup you had in the beginning of the day much as we had heard in the.