Their lives. Nine fifty two m- and we are headed into the glass conference- are aware that we like being about ten, porters and wash your ears. Aviator Schmid, Annie Carney Maggie. However, men tell you with all gathered, watching span in their midst completely packed. The lake was light one life There's can entail two witnesses are now when a stable, they'll Taylor towards him here, we go. Today day, one of the public hearing

in the impeachment it's Thursday November. Fourteen so much met today guess we're in the middle of a story. We are so To this day, one in the public hearings of his engagement how does this began ten sixty m, but it will come to order Adam Shift, the top Democratic on the House Intelligence Committee, gobbles the hearing room to order he's got the Democrats on the

and all to his right. He has the Republicans on the left and he is too long time State Department, official sitting in front of him, George canned who's in charge it basically the state departments, policy towards Ukraine and the old tailor the acting in back, sixty six to Ukraine? Without? I now recognise myself to give an opening statement in the impeachment inquiry into Donald J Trump. The forty fifth president of the United States and shift form begins to lay out he's argument illness for why he believes that would Donald Trump did in regards to Ukraine is so important did he needs to be impeached in twenty four team. Russia invaded the United States Ally Ukraine to reverse that. Patients embrace of the west and to fulfil that a mere prudence

to rebuild a russian empire shift, says that Donald Trump and try to take advantage of a country that was in a very vulnerable spot. Fourteen thousand Ukrainians died as they battle superior russian forces they needed the United States is support, and perhaps more importantly, its military, earlier. This year Vladimir Zalewski was elected president of Ukraine on a platform of ending the conflict and tackling corruption. He was a newcomer to politics and immediately sought to establish a relationship with Ukraine's most powerful patron. The United States right in what shift seems to me

To do is to remind the public that the stakes of what was happening here in what most people think of as a quid pro quo was the actual life and death of Ukraine and its people. The questions presented by this impeachment in pre, or whether president trumped sought to exploit that allies vulnerability and invite you praise interference in our elections for the present Trump sorting condition official acts such as the White House meeting? Or? U S military assistance on Ukraine's willingness to assist with two political investigations that would help his re election campaign and at present Trump did either whether such an abuse of his power is compatible with the office of the presidency,

and shift poses the question. Is this such an egregious thing? The president has done that we as a country have to take a move that we ve only done twice before in history. The matter is as simple as terrible as that. Our answer to these questions will affect not only the future of this presidency, but the future of the presidency itself and what kind of conduct or misconduct the american people may come to expect from their commander. In chief, then, the top Republican on the committee thanks Joel Debbie Nunez gives his opening statement in July open hearing of this committee following publication of the Mauro Report, the Democrats in. Age, a last ditch effort to convince the american people that President Tromp is a russian agent, starts with him laying out how the Democrats tried as hard as they could do proved. Donald Trump was rushing agent that hearing

the pitiful finale of a three year long operation by the Democrats, the corrupt media and partisan bureaucrats to overturn the results of the two thousand sixteen election. EL, the damn July. Here they go again, they turned on a dime and now claim the real malfeasance is Republicans dealings with Ukraine and then what we will witness today is a tale of eyes the actual performance staged by the Democrats. He turned to the witnesses Embassadors Taylor. Mr Kent. I like to welcome you here, I'd like to congratulate you for passing the Democrats. Star chamber additions held

Last week's in the basement of the capital you have been recruited and by the democratic because of how well you performed blood in these private secret depositions assumes you agreed, wedding or unwittingly to participate in a drama, but the main reforms a Russia hoax has ended, and you ve been cast in the low rent ukrainian sequel right before these witnesses even have a chance to utter a word. The top Republican on the committee is done was marching in saying you're here in Cahoots with Democrats, and everything you're about to say is therefore poisoned by that reality. Current the spectacles doing great damage to our country. It's nothing more than an impeachment process in search of a crime.

And are you back in response shift starts reading the Reza Maze of the Witness Master William Taylor serve our country for over half a century there, the Reza Maze of career diplomats who have served both parties in two thousand and six President Bush nominated him as ambassador to Ukraine and come from backgrounds that are pretty a political good morning. My name is George Kent and I am the deputy assistant secretary of State for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, and then, when George can start to give his opening statement, I have served proudly as non partisan career foreign service officer for more than twenty seven years.

Five president's three republican and two Democrat, he sort of ECHO's that theme I represent the third generation of my family to have chosen a career in public service and sworn the oath of office that all? U S? Public servants do in defence of our constitution. Indeed, there has been a George can't sworn to defend the constitution continuously for nearly sixty years, universes trains, or is he the paint them as part of this democratic effort in their Reza maize or rising up in speaking for themselves. The United States has very clear national interests at stake in Ukraine. Ukraine success is very much in our national interest. Anyway? We set a tone early on that these two witnesses were going to speak with great authority about not only what happened,

how it fits into the larger story of the United States is foreign policy. Ukraine has been on the front lines not just of Russia's conventional war in Eastern Europe, since twenty fourteen and its broader campaign of malign influence, but are the greater GEO political challenges now facing the United States and then its bill Taylor STAR with German I'm appearing today at the committee's request, to provide perspective on the events that are the subject of the committee's inquiry. I want to emphasise at the outset there, while I am aware that the committee has requested my testimony as part of impeachment proceedings. I am not here to take one side or the other as soon as he began. Speaking of his commanding nature, animal booming voice. Facts really start to steal the show once I arrived and give I discovered a weird combination of encouraging,

confusing and ultimately alarming circumstances. He starts to describe how american foreign policy was functioning under Donald Trump. There appear to be too channels of U S: policy making and implementation, one regular and one highly irregular as the acting ambassador I'd authority over the regular formal diplomatic processes. There is essentially the american foreign policy on paper which the State Department and diplomats are trying to carry out. At the same time, however, I encountered an irregular informal channel of: U S, policymaking with respect to Ukraine unaccountable to Congress, and then there's this other track. I was clearly and the regular channel, but I was also

in the irregular one to the extent that investors vulgar and someone, including me in certain conversations. Although this irregular channel was well connected in Washington, it operated mostly outside official State department channels. As some diplomats who usually wooden deal with Ukraine and a bit of real Giuliani mixed tat. I began to sense that these two separate decision making channels the regular and the irregular were separate and at odds for those of us who have followed this closely we're servicing their saying? Well, that was in his testimony We read that in a transcript came out last week, but for everyone else in the country bringing this story to life or not securities is it was so important for you

as well as our own national interests, to withhold that assistance for no good reason other than help with a political campaign made no sense. It was counter productive to all of what we have been trying to do. It was illogical could not be explained? It was crazy. What so? Much of this has been laid out in closed or testimony and interest groups from their testimony that has been released to the public. So we know a lot of what Bill Taylor is saying here to do. We actually learn anything with authority to tailor comes with two new pieces of information The twenty sixteen one of the chief arguments the Trump Administration has made is dead. How could there be a quid pro quo cause. They didn't know the aid was being held up. The Ukrainians never really understood the money was being withheld. They argue correct, know how no foul they didn't know what was going on also on July Twentieth Phone Commerce,

with Alexander done. You look present Zalewski National Sue security adviser who emphasised that presents Linsky did not want to be used as an instrument in a U S, re election campaign, but Taylor begins to describe relations that he had with Ukrainians about that give us a sense that this was being felt by the day. Were feeling the pressure when he was asking them for the favor. I got several questions. Other officials got several questions as well from Ukrainians asking about the security assistance. So what I know is the securities, as this was very important to the Ukrainians. They had begun to hear from best or someone that this occurs as this was not gonna come until the investigations were pursued. They knew then, if they didn't do, would Trump wanted. They were going to get the thing that they need

It is in the landscape and it makes the whole ploy more substantive and substantial, because the arguments been they didn't know, but they did and Tailor says here's how I know them and once a second thing, The second thing is new evidence that draws Donald Trump deeper into the story. Last Friday, a member of my stuff, told me of events that occurred on July, twenty sixth carelessness not something I saw, but one of my aid. The day after day, now famous call between Trump and the ukrainian President overhears a phone conversation between tromp in a top american diplomats. The member of must have good here, present drop on the phone asking about Sir Simon about the investigations, as some untold present

The Ukrainians were ready to move forward and by investigations he means the President's desired digging into his political rivals, namely Joe Biden, correct election and after the call the aid follows up the american diplomats and says what was at all about following the call with President Trump, the member of my staff asked investor salmon. What President Trump thought about your great as the sauna responded that present from care more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for in the diplomat, said. The thing trump cares more about is the investigations more. Then, Ukraine and its security correct the committee, so here we are in a day after the famous caused learning about a new internet, well in which the president is reiterating how important these

investigations, particularly on the burdens, are to him, and this is all unfold. Chronologically logically at a moment when the, U S, aid to Ukraine is being withheld after the president has, as you said, asked for a favor So this is one more data point showing that the President wants Ukraine to duties politically motivated investigations into his rivals, and it becomes increasingly hard correct for anyone to claim that the president's intention and conduct here are ambiguous, correct your building towards a law.

Your merit is that of light Trump was up to and what he really want. This German. I recognise that this is rather a link. The recitation of the events of the past few months told, for my vantage point, give, but I also recognise the importance of the matters your committee is investigated, and I hope that this chronology will provide some framework for your questions. So at this point like it feels like the Democrats are pulling off a pretty successful day, one of their public hearing from ever spected. They are demonstrating that ukrainian lives were at stake when this money was being withheld and is good for gross came. They establish that the Ukrainians felt the pressure of this arrangement that it was not abstract to them, and finally, they are putting the president directly at the centre of this all protector, adding new details that both

their story and for the first day of testimony, that's a pretty good accomplishment. But then the Republicans have a chance to ask questions and they have a pretty effective strategy. If the round will be right back. The distance between Washington in Wall Street get shorter all the time. Our finances, portfolios and the markets are affected daily by the policies in politics coming out of the nation's capital, MIKE Townsend Charles Schwab's, vice president four legislative and regulatory affairs hosts the original podcast Washington. Wise investor, where he takes a nun Edison. Let the stories that matter most to investors down

the latest episode in subscribe at swapped out palm Slash, Washington, wise or wherever you listen so like once Republicans get to ask these two witnesses questions. Why? Does their strategy actually look? Like one by one, the republican representatives train watered down the Democrats, arguing that, take on the issue of whether the Ukrainians truly felt pressure to commit to these investigations. Note this important fact: security assistance was provided to Ukraine without the UK, and, having done any of the things they were supposedly being blackmailed to do in one Ukraine's rascals, did you feel pressure from Donald Trump to do this Ukrainian said no ukrainian present stood in front of the World Press and repeatedly consistently over and over again interview after interview said

had no knowledge of military aid being withheld, meaning no quid pro quo. No pressure, no demands, no threats, no blackmail, nothing corrupt, and so this is a clear strategy of try to take the air out of what the Democrats these are arguing and saying instead, so it on the top a quid pro quo, but actually The military aid gets to the Ukrainians, so that takes away one half of it. And those investigations that we're son. They never happened which argue takes away the other half of it. It's the argument of quid pro, so so what I mean can boost those things be true, though, that you can ask for something and not get it and still be wrong, will the Democrats when they train come back and clean is up say? Is it attempted murder. A crime is attempted robbery crime, even if Donald Trump didn't

succeed in this? He tried in that matters. How do the Republicans on this panel, with the new revelations that appear pretty damning from Bill Taylor, That's right! You know the reason why that the sixth amendment does allow hearsay is because its unreliable and rely because, frequently its untruthful defeat, hearsay ambassador. You testified about a number of things that you heard. Isn't it possible that the things that you hard not true that some of the belief that understandings that you had or not accurate than in fact, you're mistaken about some of the things that you testified today and a factual basis for that staff for their Taylor was talking about? Was at Stanford Talk. You, the president, know that stuff was not staffer. Just overheard that conversation and by the way that safer than can be said to you, build Taylor which essentially thirty and correct. In there

public and Ass Captain Taylor went on the car. Where you present, you didn't listen, I'm present trumps, compress less he's got that. Did you ever talk to the prison about the quid pro quo? Know you never talk the cheapest out of any. I never did. Did you ever talk to the president in IRAN met the president. That's correct know this. This is what I can't believe. You're there STAR witness you're their first wit so where are these first hand accounts if we're going to impede the president in Rome move him from office. Where is the direct evidence tying him to this. Why is it important that those two diplomats it or didn't, have a conversation with president? As best I can tell all the testimony so or has been from career. Diplomats who are finally in the middle of the bureaucracy and expense? against what they regarded as this improper scheme.

In the places where they were not as people work directly with the present correct much of the testimony so far has been from this sort of second air of folks who were not directly talking to the president, and I think what the Republicans are trying to say is that if we Would you take this extreme measure of removing a president for the first time in american history, we need more evident than just these people who were not talking directly to tromp over the next few weeks. We're gonna have more women like we ve, had today that the Democratic will operate in here, and there are going to say this so and so said such insides does so and so and therefore we got in peace to president ass. Well, we're gonna hear, but no matter what they buy then argument. Anyway. Republicans seem to be making the case?

until they hear directly from a witness who heard something directly from the president. They are not going to be persuaded correct, and it's a little disingenuous because the White House is blocking those people closer to the president right from talking to Congress. So in that sense the kind of a convenient strategy correct, but is it effective? It starts to build room. Were Senate Republicans to say we do not have enough evidence directly tying trunk. To this end, it begins to open up that gap. And water down. The Democrats argument that this is something tromp should be removed, for it feels like this line of questioning for the Republicans, especially the hearsay. Arguments reveals a pretty complicate

reality for the Democrats, who are running these hearings, which has its easy to poke holes in the case for impeachment, whereas it relatively difficult to make a highly compelling case to hope. Tree for impeachment, as you said, especially when the White House is blocking the witnesses with the most direct access to the press. Without those witnesses, the Democrats are sort of fighting with one hand tied behind their backs and they do not have access to those closest to Trump and to take us such a severe move. Republicans are gonna say Where are those accounts where Is that evidence and that's where the Democrats will struggle over the weeks to come over the days to come? either. We will hear from other dedicated public servants, like. How does this hearing come today of this after six hours of back and forth between

in the Republicans in the democratic in the witnesses and chief sort of book, ends the here and now eyes again to remind people of what was at stake here. At the end of the day, we're gonna have to decide, based on the evidence that you and others provide whether we are prepared to accept a situation where the president can condition military aid, diplomatic meetings or any other performance of an official. Act in order to get help in their reelection in why this was so important with that. This concludes this portion of the hearing any gambles it to a close when we resume shortly will take up. This kind of his motion MIKE Hearing was designed very much for the public, and it was the first time that the public got a chance to meet these career foreign service officers, who believe that the president did something wrong here. So what do you think that that public will take away from

day. They will have seen two witnesses in Canton Taylor, who saw things that they thought were real problem. They had been in government a long time and this then came a long and could be real trouble in terms of life death. Up until this point we had heard about. Concerns we had read about them, but today in bill tailors voice, you felt them and that was differ, but on the other hand, as a Republicans and point out the thing they most You heard what Bill Taylor was so scared of didn't happen. It didn't happen and that dilutes the importance of which suddenly

It's an intriguing question that I suppose may hang over. The rest of all these hearings are the president's motivations. Are his proven conduct, no matter what the outcome If the thing he plodded and schemed happened or didn't happen, is the fact He wanted a dab in any put it in motion. Is that enough to be impeached reoccurring theme in the Trump story. The president tries to do something, but ultimately is not effective enough to act. We get it done so should we penalize him for those attempts is the attempt and everything that goes in

with and everything they get set in, motion reach that bar for Congress to remove the precedent and that's where the debate may be in the coming weeks for the rest of these hearings. Thank you. My thanks for em, we'll be right. Back Hey everyone, you know, a lot of things are changing our professional lives. So and learning wants to give you a hand with skills that can help you and your career may have oversight. Ten thousand courses top by industry experts. It's great. You can

How to stay engaged while working from home or get tips on finding a job from a career strategist, so keep learning skills, you need to rise to any moment and try one month free. Linked in learning dot com, slash the Daily what else you need to know Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States and the rest of the Republic of Turkey on Wednesday, President Trump hosted Turkey's president register tired arrow at the White House, despite the fact the Turkey has invaded Syria oh widely condemned operation. They killed her allies of the? U S, we ve each other that Turkey will continue to appalled. It's supposed to appalled Emma a big fan of the president to tell you that A joint news conference with aerial Trump decline.

Criticise era one for the operation instead praising him. Reaching a ceasefire in Syria I know that this use fire while complicated, is moving forward and moving forward at a very rapid clip and the times reports that are former governor of Massachusetts, Duvall Patrick, told senior Democrats that he will enter the presidential ways even more volatility too and all the unusually fluid democratic private Patrick's decision comes just three months before the ILO Caucasus and these after the former You're of New York City Michael, took steps of his own entered the democratic climate. That is what it is unworkable by sea

this episode, The daily is supported by the new Showtime original series penny dreadful city of angels when a gruesome air shocks. One thousand nine hundred and thirty eight LOS Angeles, detective Thiago Veiga and his partner Louis Michener, find themselves grappling with nazi spies, crooked politicians and powerful supernatural forces, Natalie Dormer, Daniel Zovatto and Nathan, Lane STAR in penny, dreadful city of angels. Now streaming only on Showtime, the daily listeners can try show free for thirty days, go to show timed out come now, and intricate daily offer expires. May twenty fourth, twenty twenty,