Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2019)
A5 THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, NOvEmbER 21, 2019 Republicans assail security aide who reported Trump call the administration’s push to have Ukraine investigate Democrats, he testified. He highlighted a July 10 meeting at the White House when Ambassador Gor- don Sondland told visiting Ukraine officials they would need to “deliver” before next steps — a meeting Zelenskiy wanted with Trump. “Ambassador Sondland referred to investigations into the Bidens and Burisma in 2016,” he testified, refer- ring to the gas company in Ukraine where Joe Biden’s son Hunter served on the board. On both occasions, Vind- man said, he took his con- cerns about the shifting Ukraine policy to the lead counsel at the NSC, John Eisenberg. An immigrant who came to the U.S. as a toddler from Ukraine, Vindman opened his testimony by assuring his father that in America he would be “fine for telling the truth.” Yet Vindman spent long stretches fielding Republi- can attacks on his loyalty and his career in public ser- vice. The Republicans’ lead counsel asked at one point about an offer he got from a Ukrainian official to become the country’s defense minister. Vindman called it “com- ical” and said he swiftly reported it up his chain of command. “I’m an American,” Vindman said. “And I immediately dismissed these offers.” By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press WASHINGTON — A career Army officer on Don- ald Trump’s National Secu- rity Council testified Tues- day he was duty-bound to object to the president’s clearly “improper” phone call seeking Ukrainian inves- tigations of U.S. Democrats. Republicans answered him with doubts about his loyalty to the United States. Arriving on Capitol Hill in military blue with med- als across his chest, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman told impeachment investi- gators he felt no hesitation in reporting the president’s request of Ukrainian Presi- dent Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Vindman, a 20-year mil- itary officer who received a Purple Heart for being wounded in the Iraq War, was among the officials who listened in to the July 25 call when Trump asked Ukrainian President Volody- myr Zelenskiy for “a favor” — investigations of Dem- ocrat Joe Biden and other issues. “It was inappropriate, it was improper for the presi- dent to request, to demand an investigation into a polit- ical opponent,” Vindman told the House Intelligence Committee. Democrats say Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden while withholding U.S. military Andrew Harnik/AP Photo U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland listens as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill Wednesday. President Trump directed Ukraine quid pro quo, key witness says By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press WASHINGTON — Ambassador Gordon Sond- land declared to impeachment investigators Wednesday that President Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani explicitly sought a “quid pro quo” with Ukraine, leverag- ing an Oval Office visit for political investigations of Democrats. But he also came to believe the trade involved much more. Besides the U.S. offer of a coveted meeting at the White House, Sondland testi- fied it was his understanding the president was holding up nearly $400 million in mili- tary aid, which Ukraine badly need with an aggressive Rus- sia on its border, in exchange for the country’s announce- ment of the investigations. Sondland conceded that Trump never told him directly the security assistance was blocked for the probes, a gap in his account that Repub- licans and the White House seized on as evidence the president did nothing wrong. But the ambassador said his dealings with Giuliani, as well as administration offi- cials, left him with the clear understanding of what was at stake. “Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’” Sondland testified in opening remarks. “With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.” The rest, he said, was obvi- ous: “Two plus two equals four.” Sondland, the ambassa- dor to the European Union and a major donor to Trump’s inauguration, was the most highly anticipated witness in the House’s impeachment inquiry into the 45th president of the United States. In often-stunning testi- mony, he painted a picture of a Ukraine pressure cam- paign that was prompted by Trump himself, orches- trated by Giuliani and well- known to other senior offi- cials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Sond- land said he raised his con- cerns about a quid pro quo for military aid with Vice Presi- dent Mike Pence — a conver- sation a Pence adviser vigor- ously denied. Pompeo also dismissed Sondland’s account. However, Sondland said, “Everyone was in the loop. It was no secret.” The ambassador said that he and Trump spoke directly about desired investigations, including a colorful cellphone call this summer overheard by others at a restaurant in Kyiv. Trump himself insists daily that he did nothing wrong and the Democrats are just trying to drum him out of office. As the hearing proceeded, he spoke to reporters out- side the White House. Read- ing from notes written with a black marker, Trump quoted Sondland quoting Trump to say the president wanted nothing from the Ukrainians and did not seek a quid pro quo. “I want nothing, I want nothing,” insisted the pres- ident, who often exhorts Americans to “read the tran- script” of a July phone call in which he appealed to Ukraine’s leader for “a favor” — the investigations. He also distanced himself from his hand-picked ambas- sador, saying he didn’t know him “very well.” A month ago, he called Sondland “a really good man and a great American.” The impeachment inquiry focuses significantly on alle- gations that Trump sought investigations of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son — and the discredited idea that Ukraine rather than Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election — in return for the badly needed military aid for Ukraine and the White House visit. In Moscow on Wednes- day, Russian President Vladi- mir Putin said he was pleased that the “political battles” in Washington had overtaken the Russia allegations, which are supported by the U.S. intelligence agencies. “Thank God,” Putin said, “no one is accusing us of interfering in the U.S. elec- tions anymore. Now they’re accusing Ukraine.” Sondland said that condi- tions on any potential Ukraine meeting at the White House started as “generic” but more items were “added to the menu including — Burisma and 2016 election meddling.” Burisma is the Ukrainian gas company where Biden’s son Hunter served on the board. And, he added, “the server,” the hacked Democratic com- puter system. Susan Walsh/AP Photo National Security Council aide Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill. aid to Kyiv may be grounds for removing the 45th pres- ident. Republicans have argued both that there was no linkage between the two matters and that there would be nothing inappropriate even if there was. In a remarkable day of back-to-back hearings, Vind- man testified alongside Jen- nifer Williams, an adviser in Vice President Mike Pence’s office. Both said they had concerns as they listened to Trump speak with the newly elected Ukrainian president about political investigations into Biden. Trump insists Zelenskiy did not feel pressured and has cast the impeachment probe as a partisan affair aimed at pushing him from office. The White House lashed out at the Army officer. It wasn’t the first time Vindman was alarmed over CHEERS FELLOW FANATICS! WANTED Come visit us at our beautiful, airy brewpub in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Enjoy award-winning beer on rotating taps, gourmet seasonal cuisine, patio seating with outdoor firepits, merchandise and beer available to take home. We offer a casual, family-friendly atmosphere the whole group can enjoy. Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 P E L I C A N B R E W I N G .CO M | 5 0 3 . 9 0 8 . 3 37 7 | 1 37 1 S . H E M LO C K S T. C A N N O N B E AC H Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA WATERFRONT BRIDGES REPLACEMENT PROJECT ALTERNATE ROUTES TO WATERFRONT BUSINESSES ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES Treasure Alley—11th St. Access BAKERY & ESPRESSO The Naked Lemon—11th St. Access Thank You for your patience & patronage while we renovate our waterfront bridges to be sturdy, safe & secure FOOD • BEER • COCKTAILS Buoy Beer Co.—7th St. Access Inferno Lounge—11th St. Access Pier 11 Pizza—11th St. Access Smoked Bones BBQ—11th St. Access WINE BAR Wine Kraft—11th St. Access GOONIES GEAR Treasure Alley —11th St. Access PIER 11 USE 11TH ST. ACCESS F PROFESSIONAL OFFICES & SERVICES Astoria’s Best Computers —11 St. Access PARKING ON MARINE DR. RECOMMENDED ST ORI A A NO ACCESS TO 6TH STREET PIER STOP R i ve r wa l access during normal PIER 11* thru business hours only. k PIER 12 Bond St. 1 1 t h S t . 1 0 t h S t . 9 t h S t . 8 t h S t . Commercial St. Map courtesy of Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce 1 2 t h S t . Marine Dr. PHASE 2 —UNTIL SUMMER 2020 NO THRU ACCESS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION OPEN TO PEDESTRIANS ONLY OPEN TO TRAFFIC RIVERWALK DETOUR P 1 1 t h S t . M a r i n e Dr. 1 0 t h S t . 9 t h S t . 7th St. 6th St. N 8 t h S t . Astor St. Ma r in e D r. RE ON G STOP P Marine Dr. 5th St. 8 t h S t . P 7th St. 6th St. STOP O TO HWY 101 STOP DOWN REE TO NOV. 2 WN PARKIN G 9 TH - J AN. 1 ST TO HWY 30
