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Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday that the United States House of Representatives would launch a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, acquiescing to mounting pressure from fellow Democrats and plunging a deeply divided nation into an election-year clash between Congress and the president.
The announcement came amid reports that Trump may have abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government to undermine former Vice President Joe Biden, the current Democratic frontrunner, and help his own re-election.
In a summer phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Trump asked for help investigating Biden, according to a White House-released summary of the call. In the days before the call, Trump ordered advisers to freeze $400m in military aid for Ukraine – prompting speculation that he was holding out the money as leverage for information on Biden. Trump has denied that charge but acknowledged he blocked the funds, later released.
The Trump-Ukraine phone call is part of the whistle-blower’s complaint that was released this week.
Trump has blasted the inquiry as “Witch Hunt garbage” and said he has done nothing wrong.
As a formal impeachment inquiry in the House gets under way, here are all the latest updates:
Thursday, September 26
Schiff: Complaint lays out scheme to use leverage to obtain dirt on opponent
US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the whistle-blower complaint released on Thursday reveals a series of “damning allegations” concerning President Donald Trump’s conduct, including a telephone call in which he sought dirt on a political opponent from Ukraine’s president.
The complaint “sets out a series of the most damning allegations concerning the conduct of the president and others potentially within the administration,” Schiff told reporters after a hearing in which the acting US director of national intelligence testified that the complaint was credible.
On whistle-blower complaint, Pompeo says State Department acted appropriately
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday said he had not yet fully read the whistle-blower complaint about US President Donald Trump’s interactions with the leader of Ukraine but that he believed the State Department had acted appropriately.
“To the best of my knowledge and from what I have seen so far, each of the actions that were undertaken by State Department officials was entirely appropriate,” Pompeo told a news conference.
House intelligence panel hearing adjourns
The House Intelligence Committee hearing with testimony from acting National Intelligence Director Joseph Maguire has ended.
‘This is a cover up’: Pelosi says Trump betrayed oath of office
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says an intelligence community whistle-blower’s complaint shows President Donald Trump has undermined national security and tried to cover it up.
Pelosi told reporters Thursday at her weekly press conference that allegations Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rival Joe Biden show he “betrayed his oath of office, our national security and the integrity” of US elections.
She added: “This is a cover up.”
Trump has denied doing anything wrong.
Amid House testimony, Trump goes to fundraiser
While the nation’s top intelligence official is testifying in Washington, DC, President Donald Trump is attending a closed fundraising breakfast in New York.
The fundraiser is at a Manhattan restaurant and is expected to raise about $3 million for Trump and other Republican campaigns.
A woman on Thursday held a sign through the window of a nearby sandwich shop that said, “Whistle-blowers set us free.” Next door, a pizza place posted a homemade sign written on a pizza box that said “We love Mr Trump.”
Trump began his day with tweets denouncing House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry and urging Republicans to “fight hard,” saying “our country is at stake.”
Republican member of panel tells president ‘this is not ok’
A Republican member of the House Intelligence Committee said Trump’s conversation with the Ukrainian leader “was not ok”.
“I want to say to the president, ‘This is not okay,'” Mike Turner said of Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president. “That conversation is not okay. And I think it’s disappointing to the American public when they read this transcript.”
Read a summary of the call here.
Maguire: I didn’t withhold the complaint, I ‘delayed’ it
Acting National Intelligence Director Joseph Maguire said he didn’t withhold the whistle-blower complaint, he “delayed” it. He also said he was not directed to withhold the complaint from Congress by the White House or Trump administration.
“This is a unique situation,” Maguire said.
Read the full complaint here.
Maguire says whistle-blower can testify freely after clearances
Acting National Intelligence Director Joseph Maguire told the House Intelligence Committee that the whistle-blower, whose identity is unknown, will be able to testify freely once the security clearance issues for the individual’s counsel is sorted.
CNN reported late on Wednesday that the whistle-blower had tentatively agreed to testify if Maguire approved security clearance of the individual’s legal counsel so the lawyers can accompany their client.
Nunes to Maguire: ‘Be careful what you say’
House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes questions Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo]
At the end of his questioning, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Devin Nunes, told acting National Intelligence Director Joseph Maguire to be “careful what you say because they are going to use your words against you”.
Acting DNI says he went to White House counsel after receiving complaint
After being pressed, the acting director of national intelligence said he first went to the White House Office of Legal Counsel to determine any executive privilege concerns regarding the whistle-blower complaint.
Maguire says whistle-blower ‘did the right thing’
The acting director of national intelligence said a whistle-blower “did the right thing” by coming forward to report concerns over the White House’s handling of a call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s leader.
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo]
Joseph Maguire told the House intelligence committee at a hearing on Thursday the whistle-blower followed the law “every step of the way”.
Acting DNI: Everything in this matter is totally unprecedented
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, citing questions of executive privilege regarding the whistle-blower complaint, said the matter is “totally unprecedented”.
Acting DNI: I handled this matter in full compliance with the law
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire told the House Intelligence Committee that he believes he was acting in full compliance with the law at all times.
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire is sworn in before testifying before the House Intelligence Committee [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo]
Schiff to spy chief: Why did you seek DOJ opinion
The House Intelligence Committee chairman asked the US’s top spy chief why he asked for Justice Department’s opinion on whether to provide the whistle-blower complaint to congress.
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire is testifying before the House Intelligence Panel.
House intel committee releases redacted whistle-blower complaint
The House Intelligence Committee has released a redacted version of the whistle-blower complaint.
This complaint should never have been withheld, and it provides a roadmap for our investigation.
We will do everything we can to protect this courageous whistleblower.
The public has a right to see the complaint and what it reveals.
Read it here:https://t.co/B0DrqDt4MS
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 26, 2019
Acting DNI chief Maguire to testify
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire is set to testify on Thursday morning on the whistle-blower complaint that helped prompt House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to announce the House was moving forward with an impeachment inquiry of Trump.
The hearing is set to begin at 10am local time (13:00GMT)
Whistle-blower complaint declassified, may be released Thursday
US Representative Chris Stewart tweeted late on Wednesday that the whistle-blower complaint has been declassified.
US media, citing unnamed sources, reported that it could be released as early as Thursday.
“I encourage you all to read it,” Stewart said.
Majority of US House now favour impeachment inquiry
The majority – 217 Democrats and one Independent – of the US House members now favour some kind of impeachment inquiry or action, according to US media.
Some tallies put the number at 219 Democrats and one Independent.
US media tallies are based on public statements and comments to US news outlets.
According to the New York Times, more than 70 Democrats have said they support impeachment since Monday.
Whistle-blower tentatively agrees to testify: CNN
The whistle-blower who filed the complaint now at the centre of an impeachment inquiry of Trump has tentatively agreed to testify, CNN reported.
According to the news outlet, the whistle-blower will only agree to appear before members of congress if acting DNI chief Joseph Maguire approves security clearances of the individuals legal counsel so the counsel can accompany their client.
Wednesday, September 25
Schumer calls for whistle-blower complaint to be ‘immediately’ released
Chuck Schumer, the US Senate’s top Democrat, on Wednesday called for the immediate release of a complaint filed by an intelligence official reportedly about a call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“The public has a right to read the whistle-blower’s complaint for themselves. The contents of the complaint should be made public immediately,” Schumer said in a statement.
Some politicians were able to view the complaint on Wednesday, but have been barred from publicly discussing the contents of it.
Republican US senator calls details in whistle-blower complaint ‘troubling’
A Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday said there are “real troubling things here” in a whistle-blower’s complaint about President Donald Trump’s conversation with Ukraine’s leader.
Senator Ben Sasse, speaking to reporters upon leaving a secure room for senators to read the complaint, added that “Republicans ought not just circle the wagons” to protect Trump.
Similarly, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters that the document was “very troubling.” “There are so many facts that have to be examined,” Schumer said.
US House intel panel chair Schiff says whistle-blower complaint credible, disturbing
US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said on Wednesday after viewing a whistle-blower complaint concerning President Donald Trump that the allegations were “deeply disturbing” and “very credible”.
“I found the allegations deeply disturbing. I also found them very credible,” Schiff told reporters.
“I want to thank the whistle-blower for coming forward. I think what this courageous individual has done has exposed serious wrongdoing,” he said.
Trump says he doesn’t like precedent of releasing details of calls with foreign leaders
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he decided to release a summary of a controversial phone call with Ukraine’s leader because “horrible things” were being reported about it, but that he did not like the precedent of releasing details of such calls.
“I don’t like the precedent,” Trump said at a news conference on the sidelines of a UN General Assembly meeting. “I don’t like it where you’re dealing with heads of state and to think that their call is going to be released.”
Trump calls inquiry ‘a hoax’
Trump again used his often repeated line when it comes talking about investigations of him and his administration: “a hoax”.
“The Democrats did this hoax during the United Nations week. It was perfect,” Trump said during a news conference in New York on Wednesday. “Because this way it takes away from the tremendous achievements that we’re taking care of doing that we’re involved in. In New York City at the United Nations.”
Trump also said he “didn’t threaten anybody”, denying that he attempted to pressure Ukraine’s leader.
Trump says he backs transparency, calls for transparency from Dems
Trump on Twitter and in a press conference said he has informed Republicans that he full supports transparency “on so-called whistle-blower information” but he said he insists “on transparency from Joe Biden and his son Hunter, on the millions of dollars that have been quickly and easily…taken out of Ukraine and China”.
“Additionally, I demand transparency from Democrats that went to Ukraine,” he said.
Ukraine president thought only US side of Trump call would be published
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he thought that only US President Donald Trump’s side of their July phone call would be published.
According to a summary of the momentous telephone call released by the Trump administration, Trump pressed Zelensky to investigate a political rival, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, in coordination with the US attorney general and Trump’s personal lawyer.
“I personally think that sometimes such calls between presidents of independent countries should not be published,” Zelensky told Ukrainian media in a briefing in New York that was broadcast in Ukraine. “I just thought that they would publish their part.”
Zelensky said he did not know the details of an investigation into Biden’s son, repeating that he wants his new general prosecutor to investigate all cases.
Whistle-blower complaint to be delivered to Congress Wednesday: reports
Several US media outlets reported that the House and Senate intelligence committees will gain access to the the whistle-blower complaint at 4pm local time (20:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Biden says Trump hurt US national security
Joe Biden said President Donald Trump not only has compromised national security but mounted “a direct attack on the independence” of the Justice Department.
The document shows Trump asking Zelensky to “do us a favour” by investigating Biden and his son, Hunter. Trump urged Zelensky to talk to Attorney General William Barr about the matter.
Biden said Trump “put personal politics” above US national security interests by soliciting a foreign leader’s help in damaging one of the US president’s domestic political rivals. Biden is a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
Trump says he put ‘no pressure’ on Zelenskiy
President Donald Trump said he placed “no pressure” on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden.
Trump commented on Wednesday during a meeting in New York with Zelenskiy on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly.
Trump speaks to Zelensky on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City [Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]
Asked about their July telephone call, Zelensky said it was a “good phone call” and “normal” and that he and Trump discussed “many things.”
Zelenskiy added, “Nobody pushed me.”
Top US spy official threatened to quit if pressured on testimony: report
The top US spy official threatened to resign over concerns the White House might press him to withhold information from Congress in scheduled testimony on Thursday about a whistle-blower complaint about President Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
Citing unnamed current and former US officials, the Post said acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire told the White House he was not willing to stonewall Congress.
It said the move was partly aimed at forcing the White House to make an explicit legal decision on whether it was going to assert executive privilege over the whistle-blower complaint, which Maguire has so far withheld from Congress.
Ukraine president says was not pushed by Trump to act on Biden
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he was not pushed by US President Donald Trump to investigate a political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and does not want to involved in the US elections.
“I don’t want to be involved to democratic open elections of US state,” he said. “We had I think good phone call, it was normal, we spoke about many things … I think, and you read it, that nobody pushed me.”
Republicans slam Democrats, defend Trump
The vast majority of Republicans have dismissed Trump’s phone call with his Ukrainian president as a “nothing call”.
Republicans leaned heavily on the fact that the rough transcript did not include direct evidence of a quid pro quo.
“Dems launched an impeachment inquiry based on a rumor instead of waiting for the facts,” tweeted Republican Representative Steve Scalise.
Dems launched an impeachment inquiry based on a rumor instead of waiting for the facts.
It’s now clear: there was no quid pro quo. @realDonaldTrump didn’t break any laws.
But this has never been about facts or laws for Dems & the media—they just want to undo the 2016 election.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) September 25, 2019
“Nothing remotely impeachable in transcript,” tweeted Republican Pete King. “Ukrainian President brought up Giuliani before @POTUS Trump mentioned Biden. No quid pro quo. Pursuing impeachment is indefensible.”
Nothing remotely impeachable in transcript. Ukrainian President brought up Giuliani before @POTUS Trump mentioned Biden. No quid pro quo. Pursuing impeachment is indefensible.
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) September 25, 2019
Schumer calls for Senate intelligence panel to probe Trump’s handling of Ukraine
The US Senate intelligence panel should probe President Donald Trump’s handling of Ukraine, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Wednesday following the release of a memo outlining Trump’s July call with the Ukrainian president.
Schumer, speaking to reporters, said the memo – which showed Trump asking Kiev to investigate his potential 2020 Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden – raised a number of questions that Republicans should also want answered.
The Senate committee, led by Republican Senator Richard Burr, conducted a largely bipartisan investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.
US House chairmen threaten subpoenas after ‘damning, shocking’ call
The chairmen of four of the US House of Representatives committees involved in the impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump called a summary of his call with Ukraine’s president “an unambiguous, damning, and shocking abuse” of office on Wednesday.
The four committee leaders, all Democrats, repeated that Congress needs full, unredacted access to the whistle-blower complaint that fueled calls for the impeachment inquiry and threatened to subpoena the State Department and White House if they do not turn over related records for a Thursday deadline.
Pelosi: Memo confirms need for impeachment inquiry
Democratic US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the summary of a July phone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s president released by the Justice Department on Wednesday confirmed the need for an impeachment inquiry of Trump.
“The release of the notes of the call by the White House confirms that the President engaged in behavior that undermines the integrity of our elections, the dignity of the office he holds and our national security,” Pelsoi said in a statement.
House intel panel chair: Trump’s Ukraine call far more damning than expected
The chairman of the US House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, on Wednesday said President Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukraine’s president was far more damning than expected.
Schiff, a Democrat, said the memo of the call that the White House released earlier on Wednesday in which Trump asked Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, currently seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, sounded like threats made by the mafia.
The transcript of the call reads like a classic mob shakedown:
– We do a lot for Ukraine
– There’s not much reciprocity
– I have a favor to ask
– Investigate my opponent
– My people will be in touchNice country you got there.
It would be a shame if something happened to her.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 25, 2019
Nadler calls on Barr to recuse himself ‘until we get to the bottom of this’
Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, tweeted on Wednesday that Barr “must recuse himself until we get to the bottom of this matter”.
The President dragged the Attorney General into this mess. At a minimum, AG Barr must recuse himself until we get to the bottom of this matter. #UkraineTranscript https://t.co/lBMsllCafp
— (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) September 25, 2019
Barr connection marks possible new issue for Trump
Trump told Zelensky that Attorney General William Barr, the top US law enforcement official, would reach out to him about re-opening the investigation into the Ukrainian gas company, according to the rough transcript of a call between the US and Ukrainian leaders.
The connection to Barr marked a new and potentially more serious issue for Trump because it shows he took steps to involve the US government with a foreign country to investigate a political rival.
Trump did not ask Barr to contact Ukraine, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said, and Barr has not communicated with Ukraine about a possible investigation or any other subject. Barr, a Trump appointee, first found out about the conversation several weeks after it took place, Kupec said.
Memo shows Trump repeatedly prodded Ukraine president
President Donald Trump repeatedly prodded Ukraine’s new leader to work with Rudy Giuliani and the US attorney general to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden. That’s according to a five-page memo summarising the July 25 call.
The White House released the memo on Wednesday.
The conversation between Trump and Ukraine’s president is just one piece of a whistle-blower’s complaint made in mid-August.
The complaint is central to the impeachment inquiry announced Tuesday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Trump told the Ukrainian president “If you can look into it … it sounds horrible to me”.
Trump was talking about unsubstantiated allegations that Biden sought to interfere with a Ukrainian prosecutor’s investigation of his son, Hunter.
Trump also confirmed that he ordered his staff to freeze nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine a few days before the call.
The president said he did nothing wrong.
House to vote on resolution calling for release of whistle-blower complaint
The Democrat-led House of Representatives plans to vote on Wednesday on a non-binding resolution condemning the Trump administration for withholding the whistle-blower complaint related to Trump’s phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart. The resolution also calls on the administration to release the complaint.
Asked about Trump, Ukrainian leader says only his son can pressure him
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asked whether US President Donald Trump had put improper pressure on him during a July phone call, said nobody can put pressure on him except his six-year-old son.
“Nobody can put pressure on me because I am the president of an independent state,” Zelensky told Russian reporters in New York where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.
“The only one person by the way who can put pressure on me … is my son, who is six years old,” said Zelensky whose comments were broadcast by the Rossiya 24 channel on Wednesday morning ahead of an planned meeting between Zelensky and Trump.
Trump complains again of harassment
Donald Trump described himself Wednesday as the worst-treated president ever after Democrats announced a formal impeachment inquiry against him.
“The Democrats are frozen with hatred and fear. They get nothing done. This should never be allowed to happen to another President. Witch Hunt!,” Trump tweeted.
Prior to the Democrats announcement, Trump asserted than an impeach inquiry would be a “positive” for him.
Tuesday, September 24
White House to release whistle-blower complaint
The White House is preparing to release a whistle-blower complaint about US President Donald Trump’s call with Ukraine’s leader by the end of the week, Politico magazine reported on Tuesday, citing a senior administration official.
Trump said on Tuesday he would release a transcript of the call between the two leaders, but the White House had previously resisted releasing the complaint.
Trump: impeachment inquiry ‘garbage’
President Donald Trump reacted swiftly to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that the Democratic-controlled House is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.
Trump noted that Pelosi’s announcement comes as he meets Tuesday with world leaders at the United Nations. He tweeted that “the Democrats purposely had to ruin and demean it with more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage. So bad for our Country!”
He added: “They never even saw the transcript of the call. A total Witch Hunt!”
Before the announcement, Trump asserted that an impeachment inquiry would be “positive for me”.
Pelosi orders impeachment inquiry
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced the US House is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.
Pelosi made the announcement on Tuesday from the speaker’s office at the Capitol saying “no one is above the law”.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces the House of Representatives will launch a formal inquiry into the impeachment of US President Donald Trump [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]
The move puts the Democratic speaker’s stamp on the investigations that have been under way in the House.
Pelosi said the president “must be held accountable.”
Senate approves resolution of release of complaint
The Republican-led Senate has approved a nonbinding but symbolically important resolution calling on the Trump administration to immediately provide the House and Senate intelligence committees a copy of a whistle-blower complaint involving President Donald Trump.
The measure put forward by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer passed by a voice vote after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed the idea and noted that the bipartisan leadership of the Senate Intelligence Committee was working behind the scenes to obtain the complaint.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House would vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday.
Biden: Congress must use ‘full constitutional authority’
Former Vice President Joe Biden said Congress must use its “full constitutional authority” to determine whether President Donald Trump asked the Ukrainian president for dirt on Biden as he runs for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Biden said if Trump doesn’t comply on that and other inquiries, he “will leave Congress … with no choice but to initiate impeachment”.
Biden said that would be a tragedy of Trump’s “own making”.
He added that the president apparently believes he is “above the law”.
Whistle-blower wants to speak
The chairman of the House intelligence committee said a whistle-blower who has been blocked by the Trump administration would like to speak to Congress.
The whistle-blower, whose identity is unknown, lodged a formal complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, but the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, determined that it could not be forwarded to Congress.
The complaint at least partly involves President Donald Trump’s interactions with the leader of Ukraine.
