A former White House analyst denounced as “fictional” the contention from some Republicans that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election, as she testified Thursday in the presidential impeachment inquiry on Capitol Hill.Live testimony from the impeachment hearings in Washington, with former top Russia specialist on the National Security Council, Fiona Hill, who has previously raised concerns over Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani. 0:00Trump impeachment: Day 5 of public testimony National Security Council’s Fiona Hill criticizes lawmakers who are promoting ‘alternative narrative’ that the Ukrainian government is an American adversary. Foreign service officer David Holmes says ex-U.S. ambassador Marie Yovanovitch was subjected to smear campaign. Hill and Holmes are the 8th and 9th witnesses to appear. No others currently scheduled. A former White House Russia analyst on Thursday denounced as “fictional” the contention from some Republicans that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election, and warned lawmakers not to advance a politically motivated narrative helpful to Russia as they defend President Donald Trump in the impeachment probe. “I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” Fiona Hill said in prepared opening remarks to the House intelligence committee.Hill was an aide to former national security adviser John Bolton and stressed that she is “non-partisan” and has worked under Republican and Democratic presidents. “I have no interest in advancing the outcome of your inquiry in any particular direction, except toward the truth,” Hill said. But she said the conclusion by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the election “is beyond dispute.” Former White House national security aide Fiona Hill, and David Holmes, a U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, are sworn in to testify before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday. (The Associated Press) She said the assertion by some Republicans that Ukraine interfered in the election “is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves.” “I refuse to be part of an effort to legitimize an alternative narrative that the Ukrainian government is a U.S. adversary, and that Ukraine — not Russia — attacked us in 2016,” she said. Hill and Holmes are the eighth and ninth witnesses to testify publicly before the House impeachment hearings against the 45th president. The Democrats have seen a number of officials close to Trump’s orbit — including Giuliani, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and budget chief Mick Mulvaney — defy subpoenas compelling their appearance. Hill has said Bolton cut short a July meeting with visiting Ukrainians at the White House when Sondland started asking them about “investigations.” Hill said Bolton told her he didn’t want to be involved in any “drug deal” Sondland and Trump’s acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney were cooking up over the Ukrainian investigations Trump wanted. “I saw Bolton stiffen … it was unmistakable body language,” said Hill, who resigned several days later. Separate nations could have meddled: Nunes Some Republicans have advanced the Ukraine election interference — based on a convoluted theory involving the Democratic National Committee hacking and Crowdstrike, the company that helped investigate the breach — as a talking point as they seek to defend Trump from allegations that he pressed Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Democrats and rival Joe Biden. They, and Trump himself, have said he was trying to root out corruption in the country. Multiple investigations, including one led by the Republican-led Senate, have concluded Russia was behind the DNC cyberintrusions. Republican Devin Nunes, right, seen with House intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff, holds up a document he submitted to the panel about 2016 U.S. election interference. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press) Hill said U.S. support for Ukraine, “which continues to face armed Russian aggression, has been politicized.” Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee, took exception with Hill’s characterization that U.S. lawmakers don’t believe that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. “Needless to say it is entirely possible for two separate nations to engage in election meddling at the same time and Republicans believe we should take seriously by all foreign countries, regardless of which campaign is the target,” he said. Holmes defends ambassador, talks about Trump call Holmes said he was at a lunch with Ambassador Gordon Sondland and others when Sondland got on his mobile phone to speak with the president. Holmes told the committee he overheard Sondland talking with Trump about Zelensky and Trump’s voice “was loud and recognizable.” He overheard Trump ask about “doing the investigation.” And Sondland told him Zelensky would do it and would do “anything you ask him to.” Missed previous testimony? See the highlights. Day 1: U.S. ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor and deputy assistant secretary of state George Kent. Day 2: Marie Yovanovitch, Washington’s former ambassador to Ukraine. Day 3: 4 witnesses, including Lt.-Col. Alexander Vindman and Kurt Volker, the former special envoy to Ukraine. Day 4: U.S. ambassador to European Union Gordon Sondland. Holmes said his recollections of events through the spring and summer were “generally consistent” with previous witnesses Bill Taylor and Marie Yovanovitch. He described the campaign led by Giuliani and others to oust Yovanovitch as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine “unlike anything I have seen in my professional career.” On Wednesday, Sondland testified it was his understanding the president was holding up nearly $400 million US in military aid, which Ukraine badly needs with an aggressive Russia on its border, in exchange for the country’s announcement of the investigations As the hearing proceeded, he spoke to reporters outside the White House. Reading from notes written with a black marker, Trump quoted Sondland quoting Trump to say the president wanted nothing from the Ukrainians and did not seek a quid pro quo. He also distanced himself from his hand-picked ambassador, saying he didn’t know him “very well.” The fourth day of hearings is over. Catch up with a recap of the day’s testimonies 23:25 Trump concluded, “It’s all over” for the impeachment proceedings. Sondland, who donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, estimated he had spoken to the president about 20 times. The next steps are unclear. The House could debate articles of impeachment, with a simple majority in the chamber needed to impeach the president, which has happened only twice previously in U.S. history. A trial in the Republican-led Senate could then ensue, presided over by the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Key witnesses will cap intense week in impeachment inquiry | CBC News
