An arduous day for the White House got considerably worse on Friday evening when CNN obtained the opening statement from closed-door testimony by Bill Taylor aide David Holmes, who spoke to impeachment investigators about a phone call he overheard between Donald Trump and EU ambassador Gordon Sondland.
Earlier this week, during the first public hearing of the impeachment probe, Chargé d’Affaires Taylor revealed that one of his staff heard Sondland and Trump discuss “the investigations”.
“The Ukrainians were ready to move forward”, Sondland allegedly told the president. Taylor’s aide then asked Sondland about Trump’s feelings towards Ukraine. The ambassador “responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for”.
On Thursday, reports indicated a second US official overheard the call, which came just a day after the infamous conversation between Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
In the opening statement obtained by CNN, Holmes told lawmakers that during the call, Sondland told Trump that Zelensky “loves your ass” and would be willing to do “anything you ask him to”.
“I then heard President Trump ask, ‘So, he’s gonna do the investigation?’ Ambassador Sondland replied that ‘he’s gonna do it,'”, Holmes testified.
As for how Holmes was able to hear all of this, he’s happy to explain. Essentially, it’s because Trump screams when he talks. To wit:
While Ambassador Sondland’s phone was not on speakerphone, I could hear the President’s voice through the earpiece of the phone. The President’s voice was very loud and recognizable, and Ambassador Sondland held the phone away from his ear for a period of time, presumably because of the loud volume.
Holmes also said he asked Sondland if Trump “did not give a s–t about Ukraine”.
“[Trump cares about] big stuff”, Sondland responded.
Asked if the White House considered the war in the country “big”, Sondland responded “Big stuff’ that benefits the President, like the Biden investigation that Mr. Giuliani was pushing”.
You can find Holmes’s full statement below.
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More damning evidence. If this were a reality TV show, House Democrats would be saying, “You’re fired!”
Sondland will be forced to amend his already amended testimony, or face perjury charges.
I feel so sorry for Zelensky. A good guy trying to do the best for his country which is a very tough situation and he is being made to look like a fool
Even though the trump core is likely not YUGE it feels as if fox news has immense media power — it reminds me of Star Wars, with The Evil Empire concentrated and well organized — while the “good guys” are a fragmented hodgepodge-band of chumps scattered across a chaotic universe.
Obviously a big game is underway to play politics and weaponize media, as trump’s disruptive twittering campaign plays into the hands of the waiting media and readers that want more. What seems strikingly unfair, is the concept that trump is emboldened to spin out disruptive propaganda and feed shit to his base, while he shocks everyone else. It’s as-if the media depends on him for traffic and income — the monster feeds itself. As this type of game plays out, the distractions become the focus, while the process of something like an impeachment hearing is drowned out and diluted. It’s bad enough that the Senate will most likely defend trump versus the Constitution, but it seems like nobody really gets how destructive that pending outcome will be.
The David Holmes testimony and the cases being built against trump appear to be good news for the good guys — but it all makes zero impact on the GOP/nazi Senate — and thus, we continue to circle around the image of trump being able to kill anyone he wants at anytime, without being accountable.
Why was it that nixon felt a sense of obligation to step down for his behavior, and why was the law different then than now — and why doesn’t the trump coup fear the law or accountability? I think I’m like a lot of people who were shocked by trump claiming he could kill — but his game show fans love that idea and like sports fans, they buy trump merchandise and embrace his lawlessness. I find that absolutely chilling and horrifying!
It is really scary that he basically is the head of the cult. I am guessing laughs when he thinks about what fools his followers are. It is scary and sad and not good for anyone.
One word, CULT, explains everything.
How does one deal with a cult? Is there any way to make the followers snap out of it?
They are being fed the cult’s version of truth every minute of every day.
Their self image and self worth is completely dependent on trusting the cult’s “teachings” being true.
CNN reporting that Trump met with Ghouliani, Parnas and Fruman in WH seven months before 2nd phone call with Zelensky and ‘tasked” them with getting Ukraine to open an investigation into the Bidens. Another smoking gun. Trump is lying about this — and his entaglement with Putin — up, down, and six ways to Sunday. Will be a test of his claim that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue (do something blatantly illegal and unconsitutional) and his base wouldn’t care.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/15/politics/parnas-trump-special-mission-ukraine/index.html