WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – On Wednesday, House lawmakers worked on drafting the bill that’s expected to lead to public impeachment hearings against President Trump.
While that was happening, two more career diplomats testified behind closed doors while the White House faces questions about what was left out of the summary of that critical call between the president and Ukraine’s leader.
The two witnesses bring the total to twelve, approaching 100 hours of testimony as House Democrats prepare to move the impeachment inquiry to the next phase.
Foreshadowing the fight to come over the impeachment inquiry, members of the House Rules Committee are debating language set to be voted on by the entire House on Thursday.
The resolution formally sets the next steps in the investigation, including open hearings with more extensive questioning from both parties.
Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) said, “We are taking our responsibility seriously and this resolution proves that.”
Representative Tom Cole (R-Ok) stated, “Without a fair process that protects minority rights, I do not believe the American people will regard this process as legitimate.”
At the same time, closed-door testimony continues with lawmakers hearing from two State Department Ukraine advisors — one current, one former.
The current advisor, Catherine Croft, testified she was told the order to withhold military aid to Ukraine came “at the direction of the president.”
Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) said, “I think we know that there was a direct link between the suspension of military aid and what the president and Mr. Giuliani were seeking, namely political dirt on a prospective political opponent.”
Republicans insist a White House summary of President Trump’s July call with Ukraine’s leader clears him of wrongdoing.
Marc Lotter with the Trump 2020 reelection campaign said, “As we’ve seen from that call summary, or transcript, there was no quid pro quo.”
But Tuesday’s explosive testimony raised new questions about that official summary.
Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman — the National Security Council’s top Ukraine expert — told Congress it omitted “crucial words and phrases” including part of the discussion about Joe Biden and his son.
The president is again dismissing Vindman, who earned a Purple Heart in Iraq, as a “never Trumper” with no evidence to back that up.
Lt. Col. Vindman also testified that he reported concerns twice that the Trump administration was pushing Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.
Democratic leadership is now calling for Vindman to be given whistleblower protections, since he still works for the White House.
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