House Launches Busy Week in Trump Impeachment Probe

A busy week in the public impeachment hearings into U.S. President Donald Trump begins early Tuesday with the first of three witnesses and what they know about Trump’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rivals.In total, House committees will hear from nine witnesses during five separate hearings taking place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week.The most anticipated testimony will come from U.S. ambassador to the European Union and million-dollar Trump inaugural donor Gordon Sondland.Sondland appeared to be in the center of dealing with Ukraine over Trump’s alleged demand that Ukraine investigate 2020 presidential rival and former Vice President Joe Biden for corruption.Another witness expected to draw a lot of attention is David Holmes — a U.S. diplomat in Kyiv who apparently overheard Trump asking about the investigations during a phone call between Sondland and the president.David Holmes, a career diplomat and the political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ukaine leaves the Capitol Hill, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, in Washington.Some witnesses have already testified behind closed doors. They include Sondland, who had to amend some of his testimony when other witnesses seemed to contradict what he told lawmakers.President Trump said Monday he would “strongly consider” testifying in writing to the House Intelligence Committee.”Even though I did nothing wrong, and don’t like giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax, I like the idea & will, in order to get Congress focused again, strongly consider it!” Trump tweeted…..that I testify about the phony Impeachment Witch Hunt. She also said I could do it in writing. Even though I did nothing wrong, and don’t like giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax, I like the idea & will, in order to get Congress focused again, strongly consider it!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Jennifer Williams, special adviser for Europe and Russia in the Office of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives on Capitol Hill for a closed-door hearing in Washington, U.S., November 7, 2019.The impeachment inquiry centers on whether Trump withheld $400 million in badly needed military aid to Ukraine, unless Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy publicly committed to investigating Biden, whose son Hunter sat on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, and alleged Ukrainian meddling in the 2016 election on behalf of the Democrats.Trump made the initial request during a July 25 telephone call with Zelenskiy.A whistleblower disturbed by a U.S. president appearing to ask a foreign government to dig up dirt on a political rival alerted the the intelligence community’s inspector general, leading to the current impeachment inquiry.No evidence of corruption by Joe and Hunter Biden has ever surfaced and the allegations of Ukrainian election interference are based on a debunked conspiracy theory.Trump has described the July telephone call as “perfect ” and strongly denies there was any quid pro quo with Ukraine. He has called the impeachment probe a “hoax” and a “witch hunt,” He has also described some of the witnessed as “never Trumpers,” including several career diplomats who have spent decades serving presidents of both parties in non-partisan roles.The impeachment hearing “is a great fraud being played out against the American people by the Fake News Media & their partner, the Do Nothing Democrats,” Trump tweeted Monday, claiming the hearing rules “are rigged” by Pelosi and Congressman Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence panel.”But we are winning, and we will win!” Trump contended. 
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