The committee will come to order. Good morning, everyone. This is the fifth in a series of public hearings the committee will be holding as part of the house of representatives impeachment inquiry. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time. There is a quorum present. We will turn to our witness for an Opening Statement and then to questions. For audience members, we welcome you and respect your interest in being here. In turn, we ask for your respect as we proceed with todays hearing. Its the intention of the committee to proceed without disruptions. Ill make all necessary steps to maintain order and ensure the committee is run in house rules and House Resolution 660. I recognize myself to give an Opening Statement. This morning we will hear from gordon sondland, the American Ambassador to the European Union. We are here today as part of the house of representatives impeachment inquiry because President Donald Trump sought to condition military assistan
An extraordinary phone call the fact that it was an unsecure line as you mention is also extraordinary. Dr hill also said she she didnt speak of. Russias goals as something that was there in the past she basically frame this is something that they were still currently trying to do their goals being to deal with the u. S. Presidency regardless of who the president was as i said to blame ukraine the goal of that being she says to basically drive a wedge between the west and the u. S. And the west and their allies the fact that shes described this is something that is still currently happening is that a challenge to congress and maybe specifically to the republicans to do something about it. Of course it should be as your coverage pointed out before were seeing in israel a Prime Minister whos been being held accountable to law the question will be whether our system of United States is capable of doing that and it will depend on Congress Congress needs to stand up for the National Interes
Crane oh anything to the United States lets go with they didnt they owed appreciation for the support and they they were getting support and they appreciated that but there was not and there was not there was nothing owed to present trouble on that but you understood the upshot of this comment given made by both ambassador sunland and ambassador volcker to be that President Trump believed that ukraine owed him something personally is that accurate. Its hard to understand but. There was a feeling. On by President Trump. That he it and this came out in the in the transcript im sorry is came out in the discussion with the inaugural delegation when they came back to have a conversation with president on may 23rd that he had a he had a feeling of having been wronged by the ukrainians. And so this was something that he thought they owed him to really fix that wrong right but what he what he was talking about is you understood it because in the context of the conversation is that what he owed
When he thought he couldnt do it. I am blessed to have him as a son. Tamron he is awesome. Hes pretty lucky to have me as a father. [applause] wait a minute, how the hill is john legend the sexiest dude tamron john legend has set off a twitter firestorm. I am never talking to you again. They name from your heart. Hes handsome, for the record, he is handsome. I think what they were also saying is that sexy cant just be your exterior, its in your heart. You dont think thats what they meant . No. [laughter] you have a nice heart but the fact is tamron you have been married for 33 years. When you and your wife married, ive seen pictures of you, you will be involved, lets just put it nicely. You have evolved, your look and everything. Im funny looking. Tamron you are not funny looking. Funny. [laughter] she fell in love with your humor and your heart. Its not always the outside. Thats what youve got to do, baby. You are so funny. Tamron im not looking. Did you think i have my eyes close . I
Step down. We will get the latest. Then as the Home Ownership rate for africanamericans falls to its lowest level since 1950, we speak with professor keeangayamahtta taylor, author of the new book race for profit how banks and the Real Estate Industry undermined black Home Ownership. An examination of federal policies e enacted after the federaral government taught pracactices of redliningng to te previous seveveral decades in te way that created new ways s for exploioitation and predatory practices involving real estate in africanamerican communities. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is meeting with russian president Vladimir Putin in sochi, russia, today as the fiveday ceasefire between turkeys military and Syrian Kurdish groups expires at noon eastern time. Restart thet to offensive and crushed the heads of Syrian Kurdish forces if they dont withdraw from t