Consider farreaching legislation and consider historic constitutional action, give them wisdom and discernment. Help them to realize that your ko constiuency is wider than we can ever determine. Help them and help us all to put away any judgments that belong to you and do what we can to live together in harmony. Bless us this day and every day. And may all that is done be for your greater honor and glory. Amen. The house begins as it always does with a prayer. Now theyll be doing some normal business before they begin the debate on the rule for this impeachment proceeding. Now the pledge of allegiance. Please join me. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america. And to the republic for which it stands one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Speaker, a message from the president of the United States. Madam speaker. Directed by the president of the United States to deliver to the house of representatives a message in writing. Pursuant to c
Christopher steele to generate this steele dossier for several of them . At the time i did not know, but i understand from the media it is through gps fusion, and if that is not correct. And you know that there was a law firm involved, but did you know the source of the money . At the time, no, but i have read it in the post and in your colleagues, it is the dnc i am led to believe. And the Clinton Campaign . I dont know that for sure. Okay. Mr. Castor. Welcome back. I hope you had a sandwich or something delicious. You, too. And dr. Hill, thank you for your participation on the deposition october 14th, columbus day, and we were with you most of the day and we appreciate that. And mr. Holmes, too, and you are the late entrant into this situation, and things sure did escalate quickly. We spoke with you last friday night about a, what we thought was going to be a 30second vignette about a twominute phone call, and then it turns out you know, with your 40minute opener today, you have a lo
Volker saying i spoke to the president and ive spoke to the ukrainians, neither of which believe aid was conditioned, neither of which believed that the president was requiring it. And ambassador sondland, which said no one on the planet told him that that was the case. Thats the sole evidence. Ambassador sondland believed a meeting was conditioned upon investigations, ambassador volker who i think is a man of very significant integrity said that was not the case. Even if ambassador sondland is correct, that somebody and dr. Hill, you testified, and again its hearsay, you dont know, that supposedly mulvaney told him that, because he didnt testify to that, but lets say somebody besides the president told him that, you guys want to be the laughing stock of history to impeach a president of the United States because he didnt take a meeting. Oh, please, dear god. Please undertake that. Now, mr. Holmes, i got to tell you. Is there a question for dr. Hill . Mr. Holmes, in your testimony, you
Testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god . Let the record show that the witnesses answered in the affirmative. You may be seated. The microphones are sensitive so you will need to speak directly into them. Without objection, your written statements will made be made part of the record. Mr. Holmes, you are recognized for your Opening Statement and when you conclude, dr. Hill, you will be recognized thereafter for your Opening Statement. Mr. Holmes thank you. Good morning, mr. Chairman. Members of the committee. My name is david holmes. Im a Career Foreign Service officer with the department of state. Since august 2017, i have been a political counselor at the u. S. Embassy in ukraine. While it is an honor to appear before you today, i want to make sure make clear i did not seek this opportunity to testify today. Since you determined i may have something of value to these proceedings and issued a subpoena, it is my obligation
The meeting will come to order. Chair now recognizes the Ranking Member or their counsel for the first round of their 45minute questions. I thank the gentleman. I want to get a few basic facts on the table of individuals that were involved in the 2016 election just to see who you know and who you have met with. So i will start with you, mr. Holmes. Have you met with or do you know Alexandra Chalupa . Could you turn your microphone on. No. Do you know nellie ohr . Have you met with nellie ohr . No. Bruce ohr . No. Glenn simpson . No. Thank you. Same question for you, dr. Hill. Do you know or have you met with Alexandra Chalupa . No. Nellie ohr . No. Bruce ohr . Only in the course of my previous position as a National Officer that he presided over the meetings i attended. A long time ago . Yes. Glenn simpson . No. Dr. Hill, in your testimony you said that in your deposition, excuse me, that Christopher Steele was your counterpart at one time. Is this correct. That is correct, yes. You te