National Security Official Alarmed by Ukraine Call Arrives to Testify

“They never shared those misgivings with me, then or later,” Sondland said. “We had regular communications with the NSC about Ukraine, both before and after the July meeting; and neither Ambassador Bolton, Dr. Hill, nor anyone else on the NSC staff ever expressed any concerns to me about our efforts, any complaints about coordination between State and the NSC, or, most importantly, any concerns that we were acting improperly. Furthermore, my boss Secretary Pompeo was very supportive of our Ukraine strategy.”

Vindman’s remarks also line up with testimony delivered to Congress by Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine.

Taylor told lawmakers last week that both Vindman and Hill described the meeting with Sondland to him, and that Sondland tied the investigations sought by Trump to an Oval Office meeting for Zelensky.

Vindman, who received a Purple Heart after being wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq, is the first White House official who listened in on the July 25 call to testify.

On Tuesday, Trump lashed out at the active military member.

“Supposedly, according to the Corrupt Media, the Ukraine call ‘concerned’ today’s Never Trumper witness” Trump tweeted. “Was he on the same call that I was? Can’t be possible! Please ask him to read the Transcript of the call. Witch hunt!”

It was the second time in an hour that Trump alluded to Vindman. 

“How many more Never Trumpers will be allowed to testify about a perfectly appropriate phone call when all anyone has to do is READ THE TRANSCRIPT!” the president wrote. “I knew people were listening in on the call (why would I say something inappropriate?), which is fine with me, but why so many?”

No transcript of the call has been made public. To date the White House has released only a summary.

In his opening remarks, Vindman clarifies that he is not the whistleblower at the center of the inquiry and appears before the committee voluntarily. Vindman will  also say he has not had any direct contact with the president. 

Vindman’s opening remarks were first obtained by The New York Times late Monday. According to related documents that the news organization reviewed exclusively, Vindman also plans to tell lawmakers that he drafted a memo to restart military aid to Ukraine, at Bolton’s direction in mid-August, but Trump refused to sign it.

Vindman also reportedly plans to tell lawmakers he has experienced some level of retaliation since August. The Times reported Monday that documents Vindman is providing to the committee indicate he was cast out of important meetings and diplomatic trips, including one to Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

While Vindman testified in the House, Senate Republican leadership members met for a press conference.

Fielding questions from reporters, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he wouldn’t comment on Vindman’s patriotism or the loyalty of any of the other people coming forward to testify for lawmakers.

But McConnell didn’t hold back on criticism for the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, which he suggested Tuesday was part of a larger, long-simmering ulterior motive.

“The first headline I saw when he was elected was ‘The Impeachment Process is Beginning’ or something like that. This is further evidence of what they had in mind from the very beginning,” McConnell said.

The full House is expected to vote Thursday on a resolution that will open the inquiry more publicly and set guidelines around standards and procedures for interviews, the handling of transcripts and more.

“We’ll see what the House comes up with,” McConnell said. “It’s about how they deal with the case. Not the merits of it, but the process. We’ll see if what the House comes up with passes the smell test for due process protections that President Trump and his team are entitled to just like President Clinton was and President Nixon.”

McConnell also expressed doubt that House Democrats would be able to corral enough votes once the final resolution goes to the floor.

“We’ll see whether they actually open it,” he said. “It will be a very interesting vote.”

Speaking at his own press conference Tuesday, Schumer defended the witness.

“Vindman made a very strong case that what the president did happened, and it was very, very wrong. Sometimes you wonder how low this president can go and he just keeps going lower and lower. And some of my colleagues will follow him,” Schumer said. “Last night, someone accused Vindman of espionage. A man who has a Purple Heart and served us in Iraq.”

In response to Republicans who criticized the procedural aspect of the inquiry, Schumer said House Speaker Pelosi addressed those objections when agreeing to hold a vote in the House.

“When you're in the gym, you hear Republicans talk about Trump a lot differently,” Schumer said, adding that Democrats merely want a fair proceeding. “We hope McConnell will talk to we Democrats about how to do it.”

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