What weve been discussing w today, which involved in a regular channel, was a request that went against u. S. Policy that have have undermined the rule of law and our longstanding policy goals in ukraine, as in other countries in the postsoviet space. Those policies which were indeed championed by ambassador yovanovitch. You also testified on october 15th in the deposition about fundamental reforms necessary for ukraine to fight corruption and to transform the country. And you t cited the importance reforming certain institutions, notably was investigating President Trumps political opponents a part of those necessary reforms . Was it on that list of yours or indeed was it on any list . No, they werent. In fact, historically, is it not true that a major problem in the ukraine has been its misuse
of prosecutors, precisely to conduct investigation of political opponents. Thats a legacy i dare suggest from the soviet era when, as you stated in your testimony, prosecutors like the kgb were
That it indicated to you that he had been prepped for the call, to expect this issue to come up. What led you to that conclusion . It seemed unlikely that he would be familiar with a Single Company in the context of a call that had that was on the broader bilateral relationship, and it seemed to me that he was either tracking this issue because it was in the press or he was otherwise prepped. Mr. Goldman. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Good morning to both of you. Good morning. On july 25th at approximately 9 00 a. M. You both were sitting in the situation room, probably not too much further away than you are right now, and you were preparing for a longawaited phone call between President Trump and president zelensky. Now, Colonel Vindman, in advance
of this phone call, did you prepare Talking Points as you did for the april 21st call . Yes, i did. What were those Talking Points based upon . They were so this is not in the Public Record and i cant comment to deeply, but what is the areas tha
Was the white house visit in return for the 2016 dnc server and burisma investigation. When you heard burisma, you did not see that as code for biden, the bidens . I did not. When did you even know that . Is it your testimony that you only realized that burisma included the bidens when the readout came out . No, i really dont recall the date. It was very late in the game, though. September . I dont recall the date. So if i told you that the Legal Definition of bribery was an event of offering, giving, soliciting or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing an action of an individual holding a public or legal duty, do you believe that not only was it quid pro quo, but it was bribery . Im not a lawyer and im not going to characterize what
something was or wasnt legally. You also said in your Opening Statement that Secretary Perry and yourself as well as Ambassador Volker worked with giuliani on the ukraine matter at Express Direction of the president , is that right . That
These events. By obligation, you mean your legal obligation or did you mean something bigger . Both my legal obligation and my moral obligation. Your moral obligation. I actually want to present an alternative theory. Your family came here escaping the holocaust via uruguay. Your parents moved, lucy and later you, here. Youve done that american Success Story through dint of hard work and innovation, good idea, a knack for hiring the right people and some look, youve built up considerable, successful business, one that i know for a fact would make your parents proud. They came here because they knew that it was here that they could
have freedom that they had not enjoyed, security that they had not enjoyed, and opportunity that they had not enjoyed. No doubt on some level, youre grateful and its created a sense of patriotism in you. Is that fair to say . Very fair. Why, sir, with your courage to come before us, does that same standard not apply to mr. Mulvaney, mr. Duffy, mr. Pompeo, mr.
Campaign. He did not do that. And if he abused his power, most likely he would tell president zelensky that he was asking to help his president ial prospects . You would never engage in conduct nor explicitly say, in this case, president zelensky, im going to bribe you now, or im going to ask you for a bribe, or im now going to extort you. This is not the way these things work. Getting back to you, we talked about hunter biden. Hunter biden had been on the board of burisma going back to 2014, correct . Yes. President trump supported ukraine with aid and otherwise in both 2017 and 2018, correct . President trump has done a lot for ukraine. Yes. But sir, isnt it correct that
President Trump did not raise anything about hunter bid skpn his 2017 or 2018. He donnell thiidnt raise any o issues in 2017 or 2018 . I dont know that he did or he didnt. Thats not something we looked at. You have no evidence that he did, do you . No, but i have no efvidence e did not. This video is pretty remarkabl