Speaking on behalf of the House Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a press conference last Tuesday (October 15, 2019) that the House of Representatives will not subject the impeachment inquiry into a voting process.
Speaker Pelosi said
“We’re not here to call bluffs,” “This is not a game to us. This is deadly serious.”
Yet, Republicans continue to question the authority of the Lower House to conduct the impeachment probe. Actually, their contention is one of the “talking points’ recommended by the White House to support the Trump administration’s refusal to cooperate in the ongoing impeachment inquiry; particularly in submitting other documents related to Trump’s controversial phone call with Ukraine President Zelensky.
In fact, the White House officially declared war against the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives by way of a letter that conveyed the Trump administration’s refusal to cooperate with what it terms as an “illegitimate court.”
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Republican Representatives are aware of the power given by the Constitution to the Lower House with regard to the impeachment process. Chairman Schiff rationalized that Republicans know it, but are merely dodging discussions about Trump’s illegal conduct, by steering focus of discussions on the impeachment process instead.
However, as the House continues to issue subpoenas, the White House is slowly losing ground as former Trump administration officials defied orders not to appear before the impeachment inquiry hearings.
White House’s Flimsy Position Crumbles as Former Ambassador and Ukraine Advisor Confirm Whistleblower’s Complaint
Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, testified in Congress that she was ousted from her post through the machinations of Rudy Guilani and two former Ukraine officials (now held under indictment charges filed by the FBI.) The ambassador said the ouster came about because she disapproved of how Rudy Guilani was making deals with corrupt Ukraine officials.
After Ambassador Yovanovitch, the House proceeded in receiving the testimony of Fiona Hill, former national presidential adviser for EU affairs specializing in Russia and Ukraine matters. Ms. Hill volunteered to testify, outside of the subpoena issued to her by Congress.
Her testimony provided information upholding the whistleblower’s complaint that there is an underlying quid pro quo shrouding the controversial Ukraine telephone call.
Ms. Hill mentioned the names of EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland, acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and of course, Rudy Guilani as persons having a hand in the plan to withhold the Ukraine military aide, in exchange for Ukraine’s cooperation to dig up dirt on Joe Biden. According to Ms. Hill, Sondland claimed he was in-charge of the matter, whilst claiming that his authorization to do so came from Donald Trump himself.
Ambassador Sondland was previously called upon by the House to testify in connection with a text message mentioning quid pro quo about the Ukraine aid, but backed out because he received orders from White House not to do so. Ambassador Sondland though, has now expressed willingness to appear in Congress, despite White House orders, but after he was issued a subpoena.
He is scheduled to appear next Thursday, October 24, 2019, to which Chairman Schiff’s committee will grill him not only about the text messages, but also on the information provided by former Russia and Ukraine adviser, Fiona Hill.
Republicans’ call for impeachment voting has apparently been doused by the spate of serious information underlying the controversial Ukraine call. Now silent, they are apparently waiting for advisory on “talking points” they could use on how to best defend their “lord and master” Donald Trump.