Rules committee will come to order. Ill now yield to the gentleman from texas, dr. Burgess. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I thank our witnesses for staying with us throughout all of this. I know youve been through a lot alread already, but i cant help but be struck by the fact that this does seem to be proceeding rather rapidly. It did, after all, all start with a phone call. No, not with a phone call in july but with a phone call in november when Molly Hemingway overheard incoming chairman nadler talking to constituents on the telephone and said that impeachment of the president was going to be of the highest order so although theres not a transcript of that call, it was well documented in social media and that seems to be one of the things that we can now use as evidence that can be introduced. Mr. Collins, correct me if im wrong, but it does seem like this is an exercise i think this is reflected in your dissenting views you submitted, this seems like impeachment first, build a case seco
You dont think that affects our National Security, if you think ukraine is our ally as i believe you do and i do . I just dont accept the premise of your premises of thoughts. All right. What value for ukraine do you see in the oval office visit that was being sought . Youd have to ask ukraine. Do you recognize that such a visit would send a strong message to russia sort of like lavrov being in the Oval Office Last week and the rest of the world that the United States supported ukraine and was ready to defend it against russian aggression. I think a better statement was when mr. Trump sent russian weapons to shoot down russian assets. That ignored the fact that the aid was withhold and hot war was going. All due respect were going in circles. I do not believe there was anything wrong for the reasons stated. And mr. Trump did more for the ukrainians in the hot war than was previously done. You know, ive heard that before. Im not going to elaborate. But i can assure you if they point as
Who was one of the worlds leading anticorruption fighters. And she understood that ukraine had a chance with the election of president zelensky. Instead of bolstering ukraine. Helping them get the aid photo voted for them, approved by the department of defense having cleared all anticorruption criteria we legislated and the department of state which had done that, all the ts are crossed the is dotted, the set together and the president holds it up and this other team is put in action to get the headache down of president zelensky to get the domestic political errened run that he wanted. Its in my judgment a shame, what happened. And my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, i cant believe they wont address the facts as you have outlined and as i have attempted to and the chairman has. All they want to talk about is process. This aint about process. This is the president abusing his power. And you all will pardon me for not using my inside voice. But yall dont either. I yield back,
The release of texas death row inmate rodney read as new evidence comes to light in the case. Begin in the United States where marie of out of it the former u. S. Ambassador to ukraine has testified in the pitchman inquiry into President Donald Trump him out of it says she was shocked and devastated when she was removed as ambassador and said there was a Smear Campaign against her but while she was giving her testimony at one point the president launched a twitter attack criticizing her career and that was then read aloud in the hearing as heidi jocasta now explains. President trump has said hed be too busy to watch the impeachment inquiry hearings threatening to end his presidency but he found time friday to catch some of the hearing unfolding on live t. V. And he tweeted about the witness on the stand his former ambassador to ukraine a woman he ousted from the post as we sit here testifying the president is attacking you or twitter. Like you chose to respond will read part of one of
By hamas while underscoring the need to minimise civilian casualties in gaza. The president will hear from israel, helped Conduct Operations that help minimises civilian casualties and enable humanitarian assistance to floaty civilians in gaza anyway that does not benefit hamas. To that does not benefit hamas. To that end today and at our request, the United States and israel have agreed to develop a plan that will enable donor nations and humanitarian organisations to Reach Civilians In Gaza and them alone. Including the possibility of opening areas to help keep civilians say. It is critical that we get aid to them as soon as possible. We share concern that hamas may destroy aid entering gaza or may otherwise prevent it from reaching people who need it pulls if a mass man in any way blocked mandatory assistance from reaching civilians including by seizing the aid itself, we will be the first to condemn and rack to prevent it happening again. We welcome israels commitment to this plan