I just that was not something that I thought was in keeping. With my role as ambassador in a foreign service officer he gave you any specific suggestions on what to say about the president ited States for just say something nice about him yet just praise him thank you I yield the balance to the Chairman I want to follow up on this cruise line question and also hearken back to something you were asked by a minority counsel earlier rest a couple questions do you think you could have done more of an Adam Schiff picking Bush question against the smear campaign. And. I'm not suggesting this is what the council was getting at but sometimes victims are asked or are you responsible for your own victimization what would you say to people who say isn't it kind of your fault I'm Vassar that you didn't fight your own smear harder. Well I think that. You know I've been a foreign service officer for a long time and just like the military we have our own culture we have our own kind of chain of command so to speak and I did everything that I could to. You know to to address these issues and ask the State Department to do what I felt was the right thing which was support me when when it was important to do so because it was also about supporting the policy. I think it was for others to stand up for me quite agree represent of stuff I look. Thank you since the chairman has gaveled out all of my colleagues with their unanimous consent. To Republican many of the chairman's comments in September of the importance of hearing from the whistleblower again Ambassador thank you for your patience thank you for your service but since we haven't been able to conduct ourselves in normal procedures I'm just being used the 5 minutes for this so Temora 29 in the Wall Street Journal quote the whistleblower at the center of the impeachment best again of President Trump will testify in the house very soon this is a quote by the chairman USA Today September 29th talking with a.b.c. News this week Schiff the Democrat who chairs the House Intelligence Committee said the whistleblower would testify very soon and the only thing standing in the way was getting security clearances for the attorneys representing the whistleblower so they could attend the testimony from Vox September 29th Rep Adam Schiff said Sunday the whistleblower at the center of a growing scandal surrounding President Donald Trump will testify before the House Intelligence Committee very soon on c.n.n. September 29th ship said Sunday on a.b.c. As well as N.B.C.'s Meet the Press that he expects the whistleblower to testify very soon the Washington Post of had September 29th in an appearance on a.b.c. News this week shift echoed Palosi is message he also said he expected the Intelligence Committee to hear from the whistleblower very soon pending a security clearance from acting director of National Intelligence Joseph McGuire in the Huffington Post ship told A.B.C.'s This Week that he expects the whistleblower to appear before this committee very soon in the New York Post quote will get the unfiltered testimony of that whistleblower in the Washington Times quote that whistleblower will be allowed to come in these are all quotes from chairman Adam Schiff in talking points memo the question was posed actually this was by George Stephanopoulos Have you reached an agreement yet with the whistleblower and his or her attorneys about coming before the committee and providing the information 1st hand quote Yes we have shift responded and as d.n.i. McGuire promised during the hearing that. Whistleblower will be allowed to come in and come in without a minder from the Justice Department or from the White House to tell the whistleblower what they can and cannot say will get the unfiltered testimony of that whistleblower in Daily Coast we're ready to hear from the whistleblower as soon as that is done and we'll keep obviously riding shotgun to make sure that the acting director doesn't delay in that clearance process in c.n.d. She will get the unfiltered testimony and that was a blow or in Market Watch House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff said Sunday that an agreement has been reached under which the whistleblower will testify before the committee very soon I can keep going but again the chairman refused to allow us to put these into the record with unanimous consent so I've read those out and as we know it is important to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and from firing and we want to make sure whistleblowers are able to come forward but in this case the fact that we're getting criticized by chairman Adam Schiff for statements that he himself made early on in this process shows the duplicity and just the abuse of power that we are continuing to see with a minute 54 seconds left I'll yield to my colleague Mr Jordan I think the journey for yielding I would also add that the chairman has promised Ohio Republican Jim Jordan 4 people we've deposed that we have not been able to use the sea there transcripts have their transcripts are loose and they're released and therefore the testimony they provided we're not able to use in these open hearings it's an open hearing all the available testimony from depositions that has been taken by the committee should be available to be discussed for the American people to see but no no no Mr Morrison Mr Hale 2 other Miss Miss Williams 2 others have and another one have not yet been released so I hope the chairman releases that one of the point I would make in the in the last minute of Mr phonics time. The Democrats have asserted that this this whole thing with with investors of on of it was part of some sinister scheme by the White House to get Mr Zelinsky to do investing in President let's get do an investigation if we're calling him bass or Janowicz was part of some scheme by Trump in Palm tailing Giuliani to give presents Lewinsky to do an investigation why would they replace her with the Democrats 1st witness their star witness Bill Taylor I mean that that that's the plan not the best plan I've ever seen put together their star witness their 1st witness Mr Taylor was here Wednesday that's what they're up to I think I just demonstrated that is not what went on here Mr Lynskey never undertook any investigations and the reason the aide was released as we discussed on Wednesday was because vice president pence and bass for Bolton and u.s. Senators all talked with President Alinsky and they were convinced he was the real deal as the ambassador has alluded to in her testimony that's why the money was released and I yield back. Mr Chairman a lot has changed since the whistleblower came Ok and seizing Eric's wanted Well now firms kind of California most of what the whistleblower has alleged has been corroborated by the witnesses that we have heard from 2nd the president who my colleagues so shamelessly continue to defend continue to pressure threaten and intimidate the whistleblower So I'd like you know I was content consent to put into the record a September 26th 21000 article from Business Insider Trump suggested the whistleblower who filed a complaint against him is guilty of treason which is punishable by death. Objection How about September 26th 2900 Vanity Fair Trump suggests executing the whistleblower sources like quote in The Good Old Days 3rd objection September 29th whistleblowers lawyer raises fear for client safety from Axios Mr Chairman the whistleblower has an absolute right to anonymity that whistleblowers lawyer has said that he fears for his personal safety and will only answer questions now and writing I wish my colleagues would join me in protecting the whistleblowers right to anonymity but here Miss and given of age we're here to talk about you and what you witnessed and you saw a lot as it related to Mr Giuliani and I want to read a quote to you from Mr Giuliani but 1st ask you when you were in Ukraine you understood that Rudy Giuliani was Donald Trump's personal lawyer is that right. Are you familiar with Rudy Giuliani's quote in The New York Times describing himself as a lawyer saying quote He basically knows what I'm doing comma sure as his lawyer we familiar with that quote It sounds familiar and you have a lawyer with you today Mr von rich and you understand that lawyers act on their client's behalf is that right that it would be improper for a lawyer to go outside any directive that a client gives is that right it's my understanding are you familiar with a New York Times story on May 9th 21000 where Rudy Giuliani says that he intends to visit Ukraine and says we're not meddling in an election we're meddling in an investigation are you familiar with that quote. Yes That's 11 days before you were removed as Ambassador is that right yes he is talking publicly about designs on coming to Ukraine but what I think is interesting is that Mr Giuliani says we're as and we are he doesn't say I am not meddling in the election he doesn't say I'm not meddling in the investigation he says we he's speaking for himself and his client and I want to talk about that quote we're not meddling in an election or meddling in an investigation is it proper for you or anyone who acts on behalf of the United States government to meddle an investigation. Into the reason why not well there are law enforcement channels and things need to be handled properly and without any kind of political bias. Now this anti corruption crusader President Trump who my colleagues have touted out as having such a great interest in anti corruption and both the calls that have been referenced today the August 21 call and the July 25 call isn't it true that President Trump never mentions the word corruption yes that's true and as far as the foreign aid that my colleagues keep saying well he can't be guilty he didn't complete the cheat the aide went to the Ukrainians isn't it true that the only reason the aide or the only time the aide went to the Ukrainians was after the whistleblower complaint became public yes it was after the whistleblower complaint became public so you don't really get points when you get your hand caught in the cookie jar and someone says hey he's got his hand in the cookie jar and you take your hand out which is exceptionally what my Republican colleagues and the president are trying to take credit for finally I want to put up the disgusting tweet from the president today. Or he attacks your character but I think I know who you are Ambassador I think the country knows who you are he smeared you when you were in Ukraine he smeared you on that phone call with President Selenski on July 25 he is smearing you right now as you are testifying ambassador Yavanna bitch are the president smears going to stop you from fighting corruption Well I will continue with my work and if your country asks you again to fight corruption will you still do that despite the smears Yes thank you are you about this to hurt your Excellency. Access Republican will heard live over here. A little bit of a Mike issue going on well heard trying to start his questions now here foreign service performance awards 5 State Department superior on our awards the presidential Distinguished Service Award and the secretaries the promise e. And human rights world you're tough as nails and you're smart as hell I want you're a great example of what our ambassadors should be like here and on into your family you are and honor into the foreign service you are an honor to this country and I think you for all that you have done and will continue to do on behalf of your country and now I'm nervous about when I'm get ready do I want to do a 5 year history of Ukraine in about 45 seconds and now I'm not sure a professor you can grade my paper Ok Valentine's Day 2014 Ukrainian people get fed up with the Ukrainian president you had a covert ch and basically overthrown him he goes on the run this was the revolution of dignity who was the acting president during that time when the coverage went out. I think. Knowledge is that how you say a Cina thank you for helping the church enough Ok excellent Then in March of 2014 that is when we saw little green men coming into Ukraine and old from Italy the Russians invade the Ukraine and not only annex try to annex Crimea but also try to and they invade the entire country in the eastern Don box as well yes and then there was an election and the president was poor Shango that was in June of 24 . Then you came to post in 2016 of August is that correct years later January 27th trump was elected and in December of 2017 is when the javelins were approved right and we saw those javelins delivered in April of 28 to be put to 1st use then we had the Linsky elected and 2019 April right now the Zelinsky defeated the previous President Poroshenko Yes there's no love lost between those 2 duties there are things there. And then in May of 202970 s. When I. Saw my questions. We talked a lot about Rudy Giuliani do we know what officials within those Alinsky regime he actually met with I know to a gentleman named by your Mack who was one as Alinsky s senior advisors and then we also know of the former attorney general that we've already established here the we didn't was corrupt. Right and Mr Yushchenko served under Zelinsky for a couple of months up until April I mean skinny August is that correct that's right and their parliament basically voted him out is that correct yes that's right so. If Giuliani. Is trying to influence the saloon ski regime was a guy that worked under the previous regime under Porsche Inco be the right guy to do it. So are you saying Mr Blitzer yes that he could you could so you did Mr Hussein Co have much credibility within the Zelinsky regime the current the current regime I don't think so he didn't he didn't and I missed your back to do you know of any other Ukrainians that Mr Giuliani was meeting with that was part of the Solent ski regime. Which just to remind I would have already have left Ukraine by that point but there was a line not where even with the administration to come right Zelinsky won the election there was a 2 month period of preparing to be installed as president even during that time were you aware of any there was. So there is. One of the oligarchy as we've heard about one of the oligarchy says named Mr Cullen way ski and he met with Mr Freeman and Mr Parr nonsense and that was apparently to get a meeting for Mr Giuliani and those are the but those are not people that are actually in government were called became in this one ski regime is that correct. No Ok Mr Chairman I yield back thank you. As Castro thank you Chairman and thank you Ambassador for your 33 Texas Democrat working Castro a big question here today is why you were pushed aside as ambassador for example Americans know that an employer has a right to fire an employee but they shouldn't do it for certain reasons you should be fired because you're disable because you're a woman because you're black it for other reasons and I think most Americans agree that a president should fire embassador or recall ambassador. Because the ambassador is standing in his way of doing a corrupt act so I want to ask you did the president ever tell you why he was recalling you. Did anybody at the White House ever tell you why you were being recalled. That the president ever consult you about who the good guys and the bad guys were in the Ukraine now did Secretary Pompei o ever tell you why you were being recalled. And it appears in the testimony that we've heard in the intelligence committee so far that there were a group of the president's men perhaps Secretary Perry Rudy Giuliani ambassador Sunline who were in on this scheme to help the president get the Bidens and Arisa investigated and I want to put aside President Trump for just a 2nd and ask you in all of your years of service have you ever come across a President then asked by a president or known of colleagues who were asked by an American president to have to help the help that president get an American investigated overseas. I'm not aware of that. And if a president asked you to investigate a former vice president for this purpose what would you have said I mean with what I know today I would have said now and would you have considered an on lawful act I don't know that it's unlawful percent but. I think again that there are channels for conducting proper investigations and that that would have been the best way to handle something like this but certainly it would be it's bizarre for a president to ask that some American be investigated by another government it's very unusual. And also you mentioned that there is corruption in Ukraine Ukraine isn't the only country that corrupt that confronts corruption if the people in power in a country where corruption is rampant are being asked by a foreign leader who's got a lot of leverage over them to conduct an investigation could that be dangerous because they're they could trump up charges against someone if they want to. And I also want to ask you I spoke to Ambassador can't he made a comment yesterday about selective prosecutions and what it means going forward what kind of precedent it sets and you've spoken about a dangerous precedent for the State Department and for diplomats but I want you to help us consider the precedent going forward if there is no consequences for President Trump or really any president who does this what are the consequences for this country and for any American not just a former vice president or presidential candidate or even somebody in politics but a person in business who does business in Saudi Arabia or some other country if a president is going to speak to another head of state or some foreign official and try to get that person investigated what does that mean for the future of the country and for Americans Well I think that. Investigations prosecutions judicial decisions properly should remain with investigators prosecutors and the courts and I think that as I said before I think Senator Annenberg when he said that politics needs to stop at the water's edge I think he was right in. Your back to the chairman the strength of. Thank the chairman and investor Evanovich I'd like to this is Texan all of sides of the aisle and even thanking you for your service. I'd like to ask you about your earlier testimony about your Senate confirmation and congresswoman's to find I could ask you. How the Obama Biden State Department had prepared you to answer questions about the recent and Hunter Biden specifically you recall that. And as she mentioned that you had been asked or been prepared for a question about Hunter Biden's role on the board of Bree small but I don't think that you gave us the answer or answers that the Obama Biden State Department prepared you to give in response to that question do you remember what those answers for yeah it was something along the lines of I would refer you to the vice president's office on that so did they in the course of that brief you about. The amount of money that Hunter Biden was being paid by Bernie sma now that this wasn't part of a briefing I mean I had sort of big old books with right Russians that might come up in preparation for your confirmation and they thought that under Biden's role that breeze might be significant enough that it would come up during your confirmation is that correct apparently sound I mean there are hundreds of questions well. Hundreds of questions but were there hundreds of companies how many companies other than Breece Ma did the Obama Biden State Department prepare you to give answers for and if so if there were others which ones. I just don't recall you don't recall that there were any other companies is that correct. I'm quite sure there probably were some companies but I I mean you know this is a while ago and I don't recall but you specifically recall. Yes all right out of thousands of companies in the Ukraine the only one that you recall the Obama Biden State Department preparing to answer questions about was the one where the vice president's son was on the board is that fair. You understood from Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent's testimony as it's been related to you that he testified a few days ago do you understand that that arrangement Hunter Biden's role on the board caused him enough concern that as he testified in his statement that in February of 2015 I raised my concern that Hunter Biden status as a board member could create the perception of a conflict of interest he went on to talk about the vice president's responsibilities over the Ukraine or over Ukraine Ukrainian policy as one of those factors you recall that yes did you ever do you agree with that. It was a legitimate concern to raise I think that it could raise the appearance of a conflict of interest and did you discuss that ever with Mr Kent I don't believe so shortly before your confirmation in August of 2016. Prosecutor General Shelton was fired by President Poroshenko correct yes and the president. Prosecutor General shoke and was the one who had opened the investigation into the breach marker act. I think that's right but I'm not actually sure he was in charge of it at least at that point in time as the prosecutor general. And are you aware of the very public statements by the vice president that that firing of the prosecutor general occurred in March of 20166 hours after the vice president told President Poroshenko that he needed to fire the prosecutor general or that he wouldn't receive $1000000000.00 from the United States you recall that yes all right and do you think that that raises a potential concern or conflict of interest that the vice president ited States was ordering the firing of the prosecutor in charge of a company that has been identified as one that is substantially corrupt actually done I don't think that. The view that Mr showing was not a good prosecutor general fighting corruption I don't think that had anything to do with the policeman. But the legitimate concern about Hunter Bines role was a legitimate correct I think it creates. A concern that there could be an appearance of based on your testimony Ambassador I'd like to renew my request Mr Chairman that. Hunter binds testimony that has been reviewed by this gentleman has expired requested by the Republicans be considered generous expired legitimate rather than as a sham as the suspend her to analyze it and Ehrman time is a very Nana Mr Hecht having recognized that request not recognize Mr hack you are Ambassador All right turning now to questions from Danny Hackett Democrat of Washington State gratitude for your years of storms frankly you're the best of this nation and I cannot think of anybody else I would rather have representing us in a foreign capital in u. . My colleagues have gone to a great deal of effort to better understand the facts surrounding your removal I think the facts are pretty clear there was a smear campaign and it was orchestrated by a corrupt Ukrainian prosecutor the president's attorney the president's son and even some of the president's allies that his favorite t.v. Station so that campaign led to your removal despite 33 years of outstanding service progressive responsibility and awards and so I kind of sit here with a mix of emotions on the one hand there's some pride and gratitude for all your outstanding service and on the other hand I'm angry like my friend from Connecticut In fact I'm very angry about how it is the most powerful person on the face of the yearth would remove you from office after your stellar service and somehow feel compelled to characterize you as bad news and then to ominously threaten that you're going to go through some things so why am I in Crete. But I'm not surprised after all as was suggested earlier he said the whistleblower may have committed treason a crime punishable by death even though the whistleblower strictly adhered to the letter of the law as independent Lee attested to by both the Trump appointed inspector general and the acting d.n.i. After all he even demean the memory of Senator McCain McCain after he lighted his grave at the Naval Academy grounds despite a lifetime of public service and serving 6 years as a prisoner of war in a tiny cell in Hanoi being beaten and tortured every day. And after all he belittled the Goldstar Khan family whose son Captain Khan gave his last full measure of devotion out of love for this country and let me tell you as somebody who's older brother never saw his 35th birthday because of service in the Vietnam War Those words are deeply offensive words matter and the words leveled against you constitute bowling of the worst order your good character your outstanding reputation have been be smirched in a way that is devoid of common decency but here's my message to you there is nothing ambassador Evanovich nothing he can say or do not a thing that will in any way diminish the nature and quality of the service you have rendered to our great nation not a thing and there's not a thing he can say or do that will diminish our gratitude to you for that service and I thank you again for thank you. So to as to the larger point I I would like you to answer what does this mean to you Krane when the United States actually engages in the kind of behavior that we are attempting to discourage them from a gauging and namely a politically motivated prosecution what does that mean to our relate what does that mean to them in their struggling efforts to become a robust democracy what's the impact in Ukraine for this behavior. I think Ukraine like many countries looks to us for the power of our example and I think that when we. Engage in questionable aq tidies that that raises a question and it. It in Bolton's those who are corrupt who don't want to see Ukraine become. You know a democracy. A free market economy a part of Europe but want Ukraine to stay in. You know under Russia's thrall and that's not in our national security interests a.q. Investor you want to reach thank you so very much thank you for your balance my time to the chair. I think the gentleman understand that I would discuss would like to a short break let's take a 5 minute recess if members of the audience could please remain in the seats to allow the witness or counsel to leave ahead of us when we will resume in a few minutes we are in recess right. Now that is Adam Schiff the Democratic chair of the House Intelligence Committee just announcing there is you heard a 5 minute recess they have been questioning we are rolling into where we 5 and a half hours of this hearing there still a few more members of Congress waiting to question embassador your version of it the former u.s. Ambassador to Kiev until she was ousted this spring and a lot of the questions have focused on why and what happened and what she thinks about it we're going to a very quick recap of what we have just heard we've just been pinging back and forth between Republicans and Democrats on the committee Ron Elving of our Washington desk is here and Ron What struck you what we learn we are learning here that the face the new face of this investigation at least for the day and into the weekend is going to be ambassador Yvonne which And she is an excellent face to have on this investigation from the Democrats standpoint the Republicans really don't really know what to ask her the attorney for them who had 45 minutes to question her really never asked a question that she didn't answer with a very brief Yes No Ok shrug of the shoulders there didn't seem to be ever like to call while she has been unflappable absolutely magnificently unplugged bill and there's really been very little that she would have a negative reaction to since of course this morning when the president tweeted about her while she was being introduced and seemed to blame her for everything that had gone wrong in Somalia and you know other countries where she has served as ambassador in a hard post hard hardship post so let me pause you there for one second Ron Elving we're just going to discount you know you were listening to Live coverage of the House impeachment hearing we're going to take a very quick one minute break stay with us this is special coverage from n.p.r. News. If you're looking for music that's a bit different and unpredictable a refreshing alternative to what's on the radio then folk music and beyond is the programme for you every Saturday at 3 we present some of the finest in American British Isles and Celtic broken traditional music live performances by talented artists are also a regular feature of our show. Join us for a weekly musical journey on the road less traveled folk music and beyond a program that surprises your expectations every Saturday from 3 to 5 here at 91.7 . San Francisco. Would. Be impeachment hearings underway well underway on Capitol Hill today we're about 5 and a half hours in to the witness testimony from u.s. Ambassador Maria I'm Mary Louise Kelly we are standing with these hearings till the bitter end we're not quite there yet there's a few more members of Congress waiting to question her but the committee has just called a short break for everybody to I don't know how to stretch their legs take a call visit the facilities we shall see at let's go over to Capitol Hill where N.P.R.'s to mak has been watching from there and tell me your take away so far from the afternoon you know it's interesting I think that we kind of are getting this bottom line of the. Testimony testimony which is that in her view. Corrupt foreign interests were using a back channel to try to remove her a u.s. Ambassador based on December mation I mean that's the that's the big takeaway for me today that that there were. These efforts that were made to kind of smear her character and spread disinformation about her and she doesn't even now quite understand why that was done Michele Kelemen our State Department correspondent is also here listening and Michelle let me turn you to just. Return us to one of the key moments that happened today which is dramatic testimony as the ambassador was testifying as she was testifying about her long service to 3 decades of u.s. Diplomacy President Trump started tweeting out what happened. Yeah I mean he and blamed her for things like everywhere she went was it turned out badly in meaning and he mentioned Somalia and what was your 1st post right so what's so interesting about that is that her presentation was you know look foreign service officers are on the tip of the spear in u.s. Foreign policy and promoting u.s. Interests abroad and what she was doing was serving in these very hard to pose she was not cocktail parties or anything else she was serving in places like Somalia like Uzbekistan. Like Russia and Ukraine which is that war with Russia and she's talked about going to the frontlines and being there and I have to say Mary Louise you know while while the president was attacking her on Twitter a lot of foreign service officers have started with this hash tag fs proud Foreign Service proud and service proud right to chalk about how proud they are to see somebody explain what diplomats do abroad we heard many of the questions from Democrats attempting to draw out the personal story of ambassador and trying to build a case that she has been a victim of intimidation I want to play out a little bit about this is Democratic Congressman Terry seawall questioning Ambassador you bought a bunch today we've seen you as this former ambassador of this 33 year veteran of the Foreign Service but I want to know about you personally and how this is affected you personally and your family. It's been a difficult time I mean I am a private person and I don't want to put all that out there but it's been a very very difficult time because. The president does have the right to have his own or her own ambassador in every country in the world but doesn't but as a president have the right to actually malign people's character I mean I may not be against any law but I would think that it would be against decorum and decency. I mean there's a question as to why the kind of campaign to get me out of Ukraine happened because all the president has to do is say he wants a different ambassador and in my line of work on perhaps in your line of work as well all we have is our reputation and so this is been a very painful period a little taste there of some of the back and forth between Ambassador Ivana bitch and the lawmakers questioning her that was Terri Sewell a California Democrat leading not line of questioning to Mack as you follow this on Capitol Hill would you just bring us inside this hearing room pain us a little bit of a picture of what it feels like who is there what the scene is on the Hill today you know it's really interesting there was a little bit less action outside the hearing room today than there was on day one of the impeachment inquiry hearing less action meaning what less journalists fewer people fewer journalists there's a little bit less hype I wouldn't say that it wasn't you know that the hallways weren't filled or that there weren't a lot of people still very intensely interested in this impeachment inquiry story but there was a little bit less buzz today and I think that it will kind of remain at a in an around this level over the next week as we as we're going to see a lot of other witnesses appear to right now there are there are 8 witnesses scheduled to appear next week as usual in these impeachment inquiry hearing rooms there are other members of Congress who aren't part of the House Intelligence Committee who are kind of sitting in and watching and and listening as well I. Want to turn to some of the substance of what we heard we heard a moment ago how some of the Democratic line of questioning Republicans have also been advancing their agenda through the way they were questioning her and they followed on a particular point we heard yesterday. Actually for Nancy Pelosi the Democratic speaker of the house where she described Trump's dealings with the president of Ukraine as bribery we heard a Republican congressman Chris Stewart take that head on today let's listen as you sit your before us very simply and directly do you have any information regarding the president and I did state accepting any bribes now do you have any information regarding any criminal activity that the president of the United States has been involved with at all. Now may bring in our Washington editor Ron Elving who has been listening to that and to the rest of the proceedings today this this case of whether bribery was committed whether treason was committed high crimes and misdemeanors what are we learning in terms of the way Republicans are questioning this witness Republicans are taking a very literal definition of these various crimes that are being alleged and saying well did you see this happen did you actually witness this happen were you present when the president was being. Bribed or offering a bribe or asking to be bribed Did you see anything of that nature and of course the ambassador had already been removed a month before this activity is being alleged So she's not even there anymore and they know perfectly well that with the answer is in that she wasn't present for any of that and that she wouldn't have been present for it and she has not been a person who had a lot of contact with President Trump at all so of course she is not going to give a positive answer to the new of those questions but that's a better line of questioning for the Republicans than to just sit there and say well gee you've had pretty much a good career and you seem like an unassailable person and they don't really want to get into why she was removed from her job. I want to just bring people listening up to speed with what's happening right now we are in the middle of hearings under way before the House Intelligence Committee they are questioning just one witness today as you heard there it's Maria Vonnegut's the ousted u.s. Ambassador to Ukraine she. Thrown out of her job this spring she is now being questioned by Republicans and Democrats on the Intelligence Committee one of the threads that. She spoke about was questioned about Michele Kelemen was saying that she felt threatened when she read for example in the readout of that July 25th phone call between President Trump and President's Olinsky when she read that President Trump had called her bad news and said she was going to go through something she was asked directly about that today and she. Sounded like a threat Yeah it sounded like a threat and she still doesn't really understand she said she testified what was behind all of this other then that. There was this coordinated campaign against her that's what she was told when she was 1st withdrawn she was also told she did nothing wrong and that she had was brought back because the president lost confidence with her she didn't know at the time that her name had come up in that conversation and so that was quite surprising to her and shocking she said that to hear a president telling another leader. Bad things about the ambassador who is representing kind of in kneecapping as she said the the u.s. Representative that top diplomat in Ukraine I mean and that's something again you know she's she comes across as a career public servant she's worked with both Democrats and Republicans she kept talking about how politics should stop at the water's edge yet she was facing this campaign that was. You know in right wing media circles here in Washington and retreated by the president's son we have a little bit of tape of this thread as it played out in the hearings this is a moment when Democratic counsel Daniel Goleman saw a staff attorney asking questions on behalf of the Democrats he asked Ambassador you voted for her reaction to President Trump calling her bad news without upsetting you too much I'd like to show you the excerpts from the call and the 1st one were president Trump's as the former ambassador from the United States the woman was bad news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news so I just want to let you know what was your reaction when you heard the president of the United States refer to you as bad news. I couldn't believe it I mean again shocked Paul devastated that the president of the United States would talk about any and ouster. Like that to a foreign head of state and it was me I mean I couldn't believe. Marie avantage testifying Vera she was about to testify again we see her retaking her seat they've been on just a quick break she has just sat back down at the witness table we see Chairman shifts settling back into his tan leather chair and let's go back to here entry ambassadors should investors ever try to influence host country elections. Jim Jordan Ohio Republican now questioning Maria Vonage now I think you said your opening statement pardon since partisanship of this type is not compatible with the role of a career foreign service officers I write Yeah but that's exactly what happened in 2016 and all of the 2016 the very months you went to Ukraine as our ambassador Ukrainian ambassador here in the United States ambassador Charlie wrote an op ed in The Hill said this trumps common sense wrong message so the very month you're over there is our master Ukraine Master Charlie writes out op ed and it wasn't just that attack as Mr Cassar was got into earlier was just that attack on the president we had former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk who criticize Canada Tromp we had Mr of ah cough. I believe earlier you said Ambassador Mr Vaclav was the individual who 1st alerted you to the efforts of Mr Giuliani Mr evocative back during this same time period in the months just prior to the 2016 election called Mr r. Scuse me called then candidate trump all kinds of names called him a terrorist and of course you have Mr Machine Co a member of parliament who was a source for fusion g.p.s. In the now somewhat famous dossier that flowed from Fusion's work he said this in the Financial Times again in August of 2016 when you 1st arrive in you in you in Ukraine he said this the majority of Ukrainians the majority of Ukrainian politicians are on Hillary Clinton's side she had several high ranking officials in the government in the Ukrainian government and President one President Poroshenko is president of Ukraine criticize President Trump then candidate trouble all in the late summer and fall of 2016 what I want to know Ambassador when this was all happening would you go talk to anyone in the Ukrainian government about this you go saida some of these officials Hey you guys you guys need to knock this off this this perception that we got as Mr Le Shingo said the majority of Ukrainian politicians on Hillary Clinton's side that's not good Jeb that conversation and then talk to any one of the gunshots present or Cinco. Didn't alert anyone in the government and well one of the things we've heard so much over the last 6 weeks in depositions and frankly in the hearing on Wednesday is how important bipartisan support is for Ukraine Democrats and Republicans agree they want to help Ukraine in fact Democrats 1st witness their star witness on Wednesday Mr Taylor said Ukraine's most important strategic asset is this bipartisan support and you agree with that right. He said this in his testimony on Wednesday on September 11th I learned that the hold had been lifted the next day Vassar Taylor said I conveyed this news to president's legacy and Ukrainian foreign minister and I reminded Mr Yarmuk of the high strategic value of bipartisan support for Ukraine and the importance of not getting involved in other country's elections so what I'm wondering is this is the day after the aids been lifted that bastard Taylor made this statement to the training government and he makes this after There's nothing been done by Ukraine to influence our election as president listed didn't announce he was doing an investigation and the aide was lifted but he felt he needed to say that but in 2016 when we know that the majority of Ukrainian politicians want Clinton to win because it was said by a member of parliament when the ambassador to the United States from Ukraine writes writes an op ed criticizing then candidate Trump when Mr of aco off calls candidate trump all kinds of names nobody goes and talks to us and tells them to knock it off the jet or do you have any conversations ambassador with Victoria Nuland or Secretary of State Kerry about what was going on in 2016 and this majority of Ukrainian politicians being for candidate Clinton and not and opposed to President from now until now. No one did anything no one did anything you see why maybe maybe the president was a little concerned about what went on in Ukraine and you couple that with the corruption level that we know existing crane in Ukraine you add to that this idea that he's not a big fan of foreign aid why he might be a little concerned about sending the hard earned tax dollars to the American people to Ukraine I'm sorry is there a question there was Ok Could you repeat it please. I ask him as a journalist expired but I wanted to repeat the question thank you Mr Chairman I'm asking what you might maybe we can kind of see why the president was a little concerned when you have the highest ranking officials in the government the ambassador criticizing him parliamentary member. Criticizing him when you have of aka off the guy who 1st told you about Giuliani criticizing all this going on and when you couple that with the concerns he has about corruption the concerns he has about Europe not doing enough the concerns he has about reluctance to send in the hard and tax dollars to any country John I have indulged you with extra time but I appreciate indulgence is wearing out I appreciate it there is a question that are involved as more out with you a long time ago Mr Jameel I have to say that I'm about to gavel you down so if you have a question I suggest to you I'm asking for is do you think there's maybe a reason that this was that President Trump's concern was justified. You know I can't speak for the president on this but what I would say is you've listed a number of actions I think from my point of view that doesn't. That doesn't create a Ukrainian government strategy to interfere in our election say that Mr Jordan he's allowed the bastard answer the question. So I would just say that. You know u.s. Politicians will often criticised policies of. Foreign foreign counterparts even perhaps during their elections you know this this happens in politics and I think that it doesn't necessarily constitute interference would you ever write an op ed or near time we're going to call our president supported it in Ukraine Jordan your time's expired Mr Welch you recognized me thank you Mr Chairman . Vermont Democratic leader why everybody here I mixed ordinarily grateful to you for your career of public service and I feel very badly about what you've had to endure like your colleagues you don't complain you're doing your job. I feel badly about the insults the tweet this morning the fact that you were smeared not fired. But the question is you know it's not how you were treated. The question is why the president did what he did and whether what he did was a breach of trust the question really is about whether the present in the United States any president has the authority to withhold Congressionally approved aid to condition a White House meeting and extracting from a foreign leader a willingness to assist him in his political campaign that's the question. And that brings us to you as part of this story because the question is why were you fired from that position. I want to read a portion of the president's call on July 25th with President Selenski and this is the painful part when you 1st heard about it. The former ambassador from the United States the woman. Was Bad news in the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine we're bad news so I just want to let you know that the other thing he goes right into this there's a lot of talk about Biden's son that Biden stop the prosecution and a lot of the people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the attorney general would be great you in indicated in response to my colleague Mr Castro's question that if you were asked to approach a foreign leader in condition American support and they're being involved in our campaign you would refuse to do that. Yes Yes And are you and you're aware now but I don't know if you were then but that July 25th phone call occurred the day after. Director Mauler reported that the interference in our 2016 campaign was not from Ukraine it was active concerted energetic and. By the Russians correct yes now. As ambassador. You had no knowledge of whatever it is President Trump ultimately seems to have wanted to get for cooperation in this investigation is next That's correct yes right now you Ben. Asked about whether a president has and is a special coverage of the impeachment hearings from and you hear news read that's the president's prerogative Yes that's true but that assumes that the reasons are not related to the poll of personal private political interests that the president at the expense of our national security right yes and you've been the target of insults from the president you join some very distinguished company by the way Senator McCain General Kelly man I admire I think all of us do general Madis We're not here to talk about that unless the reason you get insulted issue did today. Essentially blaming you for Somalia is if this is another step by the president to intimidate witnesses he didn't a 10 minute you you're here if you're just joining us this is special coverage from n.p.r. News we are listening to lawmakers questioning ambassador on a rerun of h o n k l w San Francisco us. Now you also indicated that the president has a progressive to appoint a 9 career person and to be candid Republican presidents and Democratic presidents have done that. The Mr silence the transcript is out and he was someone who indicated that everything hinged this meet the meeting at the White House meeting and the release of the vital defensive aid everything hinged on the president President Selenski being willing to do that investigation that would benefit the trunk campaign. You're aware that yes and you've indicated that something that you would not agree to do. Yes in Sunland was quite willing to do here at least and I thank you for your professional service and I yield back thank you so Maloney best. Thing for being here it's been a long day you know the 1st time we met it wasn't clear Sean Patrick Maloney Democrat of New York you know your testimony in this inquiry broke the dam you were the 1st one through that stonewall if the president was trying to set up and I just want to thank you for that because others have followed your example and there's an old expression that 1st person through the wall gets a little bit bloody and I. Can't be must understand that expression in any way but thank you thank you when I ask about the day you were like oh I know this is a painful series of events so forgive me but I think it's very important it's April 24th. And you you you told us a few things that really stuck with me you said you were at the embassy in Ukraine you were honoring Ukrainian woman. Anticorruption activist I believe her name is Catarina That's correct yeah I saying that correctly I was at my house all right your house a chance meeting and you were giving her the woman of courage award I believe yeah embassy keys Women of Courage Award right and of course that's the day you get a call from Carol Pereira's. A senior member of the Foreign Service did you know Carol Perez Yes you're both senior women the Foreign Service enough to meet her before yes and she says there's trouble coming want to give you a heads up correct me if I get this wrong and I don't know a lot but it's coming from the White House I'll call you later yeah that's sums it up but Jordan literally that evening honoring this anticorruption activist is that right yes and not just any woman but a woman who was you said horribly attacked and killed 4 for her efforts and she wasn't just killed he said she. Said I believe that someone threw acid on her that's correct and I went I checked on the break and it turns out she was horribly injured and it took 4 months for her to die is that right a very painful death why would somebody attack her with their earthly easier ways to kill people why do you think they did it with Ashley Well I think they wanted her out of the way but I think the message was this could happen to you too if you can.