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Sondland to tell Congress that contents of 'no quid pro quo' text came from Trump
Sondland’s impending testimony sounds like that of a man covering his own backside and knowing his apparent defense of Trump could quickly fall apart upon further examination.
Hotel magnate and US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland
Trump dictated to Sondland his "quid pro quo" cover story. Sondland is the US Ambassador to the European Union. Ukraine is not currently a member of the EU. So why was Sondland mixed up in the Trump/Giuliani Ukraine operation? Because Sondland was a huge donor to the Trump campaign and was rewarded. Considered loyal to Trump, Sondland was there as a very high-ranking US Ambassador when US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovich wouldn't play along with Rudy Giuliani's conspiracy schemes.
Sondland is expected to testify before the House Impeachment Inquiry hearings this Thursday despite an order from Mike Pompeo's (also involved) State Department to not do so. Sondland was the only one of three US officials in text messages (Sondland/Volker/Taylor) who hadn’t suggested there was a quid pro quo. Now we know why. He was instructed by Trump to throw cold water on what was obvious to all ... a working quid pro quo.
Related: Gordon Sondland is about to blow a hole in Trump’s Ukraine defense
Sondland’s impending testimony sounds like that of a man covering his own backside and knowing his apparent defense of Trump could quickly fall apart upon further examination.
Hotel magnate and US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland
10/12/19
President Trump's ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, plans to tell Congress this week that a text he sent denying a quid pro quo between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July phone call was dictated by Trump himself. The Washington Post reported Saturday that a source familiar with the ambassador's planned testimony told the newspaper that Sondland plans to testify that Trump told him in a phone conversation to tell the acting ambassador to Ukraine that he didn’t "want a quid pro quo … didn’t want anything from Ukraine" in exchange for military aid. Regarding whether that is actually true, the person said, Sondland will not take an opinion and instead will tell lawmakers that he worked at the direction of Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani to secure a statement from Ukraine's government confirming a criminal investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden
Democrats have argued that such a quid pro quo did exist and that Trump abused the powers of the presidency by approaching Ukraine's government about launching such an investigation. Sondland is expected to testify before three House committees on Thursday, defying an order from the State Department not to comply with Democrats' impeachment inquiry. "Ambassador Sondland believes strongly that he acted at all times in the best interests of the United States, and he stands ready to answer the Committee’s questions fully and truthfully," his attorney said in a statement this week.
Trump dictated to Sondland his "quid pro quo" cover story. Sondland is the US Ambassador to the European Union. Ukraine is not currently a member of the EU. So why was Sondland mixed up in the Trump/Giuliani Ukraine operation? Because Sondland was a huge donor to the Trump campaign and was rewarded. Considered loyal to Trump, Sondland was there as a very high-ranking US Ambassador when US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovich wouldn't play along with Rudy Giuliani's conspiracy schemes.
Sondland is expected to testify before the House Impeachment Inquiry hearings this Thursday despite an order from Mike Pompeo's (also involved) State Department to not do so. Sondland was the only one of three US officials in text messages (Sondland/Volker/Taylor) who hadn’t suggested there was a quid pro quo. Now we know why. He was instructed by Trump to throw cold water on what was obvious to all ... a working quid pro quo.
Related: Gordon Sondland is about to blow a hole in Trump’s Ukraine defense