14 November 2019 - Public impeachment hearings begin
Public impeachment hearing paints damning portrait of Trump
Stephen Collinson (CNN, 14/11/2019)
Dramatic new disclosures on Day 1 of the House impeachment hearings painted an incriminating picture of Donald Trump as a President instinctively willing to sacrifice America's interests for his own.
In the most critical step so far in the investigation into Trump's alleged scheme to coerce Ukraine's help for his reelection campaign, Democrats posed a question to every US citizen at the core of this dark national chapter.
"If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?" House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, asked, arguing that the republic's values and the concept of an accountable presidency were at stake for future generations.
Key Moments From the First Public Impeachment Hearing
Michael D. Shear (The New York Times, 13/11/2019)
Witnesses testified that President Trump pressured a foreign power to help him win re-election during historic hearings that previewed an intensely partisan battle.
Bill Taylor Says Aide Was Told Trump Cared More About Biden Probe Than Ukraine
Hayley Miller and Ryan J. Reilly (The Huffington Post, 13/11/2019)
Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor, while testifying in an impeachment inquiry hearing Wednesday, revealed new information about President Donald Trump’s conversations about Ukraine.
In his opening remarks to the House Intelligence Committee, Taylor said one of his staff members told him just last week about a conversation he had with Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland the day after Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Donald Trump Jr. on day one of public impeachment hearings: ‘I’ve never seen anything more ridiculous’
Talia Kaplan (Fox News, 14/11/2019)
Donald Trump Jr. reacted to the first day of public hearings in the impeachment inquiry against his father on Wednesday saying, ‘‘I’ve never seen anything more ridiculous.”
The first day of public hearings wrapped up with no major revelations -- but he said it also highlighted weaknesses in Democrats' key witnesses, who relied primarily on second-hand information.
Speaking on “Hannity” on Wednesday night, Trump was quick to point that out.