Trump attacks impeachment witness on Twitter, Democrats see intimidation

By Susan Cornwell, Richard Cowan and Patricia Zengerle

 

Marie Yovanovitch, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, is sworn in to testify before a House Intelligence Committee hearing as part of the impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump launched a Twitter attack on a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine on Friday while she was testifying to an impeachment hearing in Congress, in an extraordinary moment that Democrats said amounted to witness intimidation.

 

Trump blasted Marie Yovanovitch, a career diplomat, as she explained to the second day of televised impeachment hearings how she had fought corruption in Ukraine and how the Trump administration abruptly removed from her post earlier this year.

 

Democrats say Yovanovitch was pulled back to Washington to clear the way for Trump allies to persuade Ukraine to launch corruption probes into Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who was on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.

 

Trump's pressure on Ukraine is at the heart of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry into whether the Republican president misused U.S. foreign policy to undermine one of his potential opponents in the 2020 election.

 

As Yovanovitch testified, Trump fired off criticism on Twitter in a move Democrats labelled "real-time" witness intimidation.

 

"Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad. She started off in Somalia, how did that go?" Trump asked.

 

In the most dramatic moment of the impeachment hearings that began on Wednesday, Adam Schiff, the Democrat chairing the hearing in the House Intelligence Committee, asked Yovanovitch for her reaction to the tweet. She said it was "very intimidating."

 

"I can't speak to what the president is trying to do, but I think the effect is to be intimidating," she said.

 

Schiff replied: "Well, I want to let you know, ambassador, that some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously."

 

Afterward, Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, a member of the committee, told reporters the Trump attack could be considered for a separate article of impeachment against Trump for obstruction of justice.

 

'MORE OBSTRUCTION'

 

"It’s evidence of more obstruction: intimidating, tampering with the witness’s testimony. But it really goes to guilt, his knowledge of what he did," Swalwell said. "Innocent people just don’t do this."

 

At the White House, Trump told reporters he did not think his tweets were intimidating.

 

"I have the right to speak. I have freedom of speech just as other people do," Trump said.

 

Republican Representative Jim Jordan also dismissed any suggestion that Trump's tweets were designed to influence the witness.

 

"The witness is testifying. She wouldn’t even have known about the quote if Mr. Schiff hadn’t read the tweet," he said.

 

Yovanovitch was removed from her post as ambassador to Kiev in May after coming under attack by Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, at a time when he was working to persuade Ukraine to carry out two investigations that would benefit the Republican president politically.

 

Giuliani also was trying to engineer a Ukrainian investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory embraced by some Trump allies that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.

 

The main focus of the impeachment inquiry is a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was elected in May, to open the investigations.

 

Democrats are looking into whether Trump abused his power by withholding $391 million in U.S. security aid to Ukraine as leverage to pressure Kiev to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to take on Trump in the 2020 election.

 

The money, approved by the U.S. Congress to help U.S. ally Ukraine combat Russia-backed separatists, was later provided to Ukraine.

 

The hearings could pave the way for the Democratic-led House to approve articles of impeachment - formal charges - against Trump. That would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to convict Trump and remove him from office.

Republicans control the Senate and have shown little support for Trump's removal.

 

Many Republicans in Congress say Trump's actions regarding Ukraine are not impeachable offences, and the president denies any wrongdoing. Republicans have offered no evidence of corruption by former vice president Biden or his son.

Yovanovitch said that her removal had undercut confidence in the U.S. diplomatic corps.

 

"I had no agenda other than to pursue our stated foreign policy goals," she said. "I still find it difficult to comprehend that foreign and private interests were able to undermine U.S. interests in this way."

 

Republican Devin Nunes criticised Democrats for launching the impeachment inquiry, calling it a political exercise based on second- and third-hand hearsay. He noted Yovanovitch was not involved in Trump's July 25 phone call, or deliberations on the pause in security aid for Ukraine.

 

"I'm not exactly sure what the ambassador is doing here today," Nunes said. "This is the House Intelligence Committee that's now turned into the House impeachment committee."

 

During their questioning, Republicans on the panel praised Yovanovitch for her long career of foreign service, a characterization at odds with Trump's description of her as "bad news" in the call with Ukraine's president.

 

Some people in the hearing room applauded when Yovanovitch's testimony ended after more than four hours.

 

Two other U.S. diplomats, William Taylor and George Kent, testified on Wednesday in the first public hearing, expressing alarm over the pressure tactics on Ukraine by Giuliani.

 

Taylor is acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. His aide David Holmes, who Taylor said overheard a July 26 telephone conversation in which Trump asked about progress in getting the Ukrainians to launch the investigations, is due to appear before lawmakers in a private session later on Friday.

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Susan Cornwell, Richard Cowan, David Morgan, Doina Chiacu and Karen Freifeld; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-16

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13 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Trump attacks impeachment witness on Twitter

What a small, small man.

 

It is truly a sad thing to see where the US has gone under Trump; as a kid I recall thinking that the US was Reagan's "Shining Beacon" and was a country that was a (imperfect) model for others. Now, it is simply embarrassing.

 

I have said it before and sadly need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

I sincerely hope that the US can find it way again after the departure of this bucket of slime.

 

 

 

 

As far as I know she wasn't aware of the tweet until it was read to her today.

Cannot get more bizarre than this! That man is out of control, with fingers on red buttons. Scary! Impeach!

Demos not happy that their planting of her over there in the first place... to help smooth the way for the Bidens to do their underworld Ukraine thing - got twarted

 

 

11 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

Cannot get more bizarre than this! That man is out of control, with fingers on red buttons. Scary! Impeach!

The guy is completely absorbed in his own "spectacle"-a twitter or social media creation if you like, so he can respond no other way.

3 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

The guy is completely absorbed in his own "spectacle"-a twitter or social media creation if you like, so he can respond no other way.

seems to be working though!

  - the world is his captive audience, absorbing ever syllable uttered... 

11 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

As far as I know she wasn't aware of the tweet until it was read to her today.

Why would this matter?

 

Is it okay to slander someone if they don't know about it?

 

The post quoted above is emblematic of the current state of decline in the US. Does it contribute to a discussion? No. Does it contribute to a point/position? No. does it advance a point of view? No. Does it elevate the discussion in any way? No. was it helpful in any way, shape or form? No.

 

It is a knee-jerk reaction to an indefensible action.

 

It is the equivalent of a school-yard chant of "Neener Neener".

 

It epitomizes the dearth of intellect prevalent in the US political discourse.

 

It is textbook Trumpism; it says nothing while insulting a person. It is a by-product of a movement based on nothing but grievance-spewing and childish rants, concerned only with trying to defend their side sans intellect, morals, or empathy. It demonstrates the emptiness of Trumpism, an "ideology" that is meaningless save for the idea that 'I hate my perceived opponents'.

 

It is terribly sad to see what the US has become.

 

The sadder part is that one really has to wonder if the US can ever recover.

Hey when ya got no defense ya gotta go with what ya know he been getting away with it for years shielded by wealth now by the office of the president this needs to stop now he needs a beat down!and removal

8 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Why would this matter?

 

Is it okay to slander someone if they don't know about it?

 

The post quoted above is emblematic of the current state of decline in the US. Does it contribute to a discussion? No. Does it contribute to a point/position? No. does it advance a point of view? No. Does it elevate the discussion in any way? No. was it helpful in any way, shape or form? No.

 

It is a knee-jerk reaction to an indefensible action.

 

It is the equivalent of a school-yard chant of "Neener Neener".

 

It epitomizes the dearth of intellect prevalent in the US political discourse.

 

It is textbook Trumpism; it says nothing while insulting a person. It is a by-product of a movement based on nothing but grievance-spewing and childish rants, concerned only with trying to defend their side sans intellect, morals, or empathy. It demonstrates the emptiness of Trumpism, an "ideology" that is meaningless save for the idea that 'I hate my perceived opponents'.

 

It is terribly sad to see what the US has become.

 

The sadder part is that one really has to wonder if the US can ever recover.

Well said imo his whole campaign and presidency is based on smears slander and playing the victim when called out he needs removal ASAP and to be managed till then to protect the USA and the world imo

12 minutes ago, tifino said:

seems to be working though!

  - the world is his captive audience, absorbing ever syllable uttered... 

Yes-I agree with you to a certain extent.

 

That is what set me thinking about Daniel Debord's book "The Society of the Spectacle" (1968)

56 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad. She started off in Somalia, how did that go?" Trump asked.

 

In the most dramatic moment of the impeachment hearings that began on Wednesday, Adam Schiff, the Democrat chairing the hearing in the House Intelligence Committee, asked Yovanovitch for her reaction to the tweet. She said it was "very intimidating."

 

I am a person that rarely gives a hoot about politics as it all has long gone bad but.....

What I read is Trump said she sucked at her job

 

She calls that very intimidating???

If anything her answer reads more like witness leading in trying to claim an intimidation case

 

All these nitwits need to get back to work.

Surely there is something in the USA that needs doing to better represent the folks that hired/voted for them. But I guess that would be asking too much.

 

 

 

43 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

As far as I know she wasn't aware of the tweet until it was read to her today.

She would have known about it at the brake, known about it if subsequent testimony was necessary, known about it if articles of impeachment are drafted and she is called back to testify in the Senate, 

Other who are slated to testify know about it and could affect their testimony. 

trump is an idiot!!

 

Democrats see a lot of things that aren't there.

Having CNN news on tv and to see the fixation they have to undermine Trump at every stage of his presidency, has made me change channels, then to see Fox News as one eyed supporter of Trump it is clear as an outsider the divide in American politics has changed to a more scrutinised and dissecting of every syllable, getting over the loss has been never accepted by the democrats, that I understand, 

Then you look at Trumps policies and reactions to gauge how he is doing in the top job, 

 

His retracting from the nuclear deal, climate change accord, building oil pipe line, North Korea, embassy move in Israel, the list continues with Ukraine, 

 

It must be his handicap that he plays off or he must suffer from being

 bipolar.

He needs help.

 

 

7 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

getting over the loss has been never accepted by the democrats, that I understand, 

Democrats have lost before , yet we had none of this, What do you suppose is different now?

 

CNN does not  make trump tweet all his nonsense, CNN does not force him to lie, CNN did not make him to say "I am a stable genius" CNN did not make him say what he said about Putin,CNN did dot stop him from reporting it to the FBI when the Russians approached him, etc etc, too much to even keep track of.

CNN is the messenger, he is shaping the message.

The trump  presidency has being an unmitigated disaster, the sooner he is out the better, I don't care who replaces him Democrat or Republican, could not possibly be worst .

 

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I sincerely hope that the US can find it way again after the departure of this bucket of slime.

The US voters could start by thinking if that is the president they want?

Obviously lots of people don't want him. But there are still 50 million or more Americans who want to be represented by Trump. Unbelievable - but true.

How should people all over the world respect a country where people vote to be represented by Trump?

These Americans obviously get what they deserve.

Sorry for the rest of you. It must be really hard.

 Watching Yovanovitch on the stand was painful. She had no evidence to help the witch hunters. I can't help thinking this whole affair has been poorly thought out. For example Ambassador Stevens comes home mutilated in a body bag, and crickets chirp. Ambassador Yovanovitch comes home with a pet lip and it's meltdown time. Bad optics I'm afraid.

1 minute ago, TopDeadSenter said:

 Watching Yovanovitch on the stand was painful. 

Only painful if you do not want to see more nails being hammered into Trumps coffin. 

It is over for Trump, his tweets are unhinged.  He is ranting like a baby.  

He has no defense other than to lash out at others who defy his uneducated and deluded views  

1 hour ago, meechai said:

 

I am a person that rarely gives a hoot about politics as it all has long gone bad but.....

What I read is Trump said she sucked at her job

 

She calls that very intimidating???

If anything her answer reads more like witness leading in trying to claim an intimidation case

 

All these nitwits need to get back to work.

Surely there is something in the USA that needs doing to better represent the folks that hired/voted for them. But I guess that would be asking too much.

 

 

 

Part of their job is holding the executive in check and protecting the nation against a criminal president.

 

They are on it.

1 hour ago, Kelsall said:

Democrats see a lot of things that aren't there.

And Trump’s supporters are blind to his crimes.

 

 

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Well said imo his whole campaign and presidency is based on smears slander and playing the victim when called out he needs removal ASAP and to be managed till then to protect the USA and the world imo

He is guided by the Murdoch media model; divert, confuse, tell lies about the opposite person, have no evidence but just keep repeating the lies the public will eventually accept them as truth.

It's over. If that's the best the Dems have - second hand hearsay and hurt feelings, it's over... ???? 

 

MAGA 

Democrats really are going hell for leather against Trump hoping to lose him the 2020 election because they know they don't stand a chance to do it at the ballot box on the issues alone. 

 

Taking discourse even further into the gutter, alienating a large swath of the electorate, and further diving a nation that's  almost fractured and not giving a single <deleted> about any of it as they go along - all because they can't stand Trump and can't win on the issues. 

 

Trump is a symptom of a disease rotting away at the US political system and no matter how bad Trump may seem - the opposition is right there to make it worse. The Democrats are not trying to 'save' the country and help it 'heal' they are going full on slash & burn to win. How anyone can support such tactics and at the same time blame the right for all the country's problems is clearly just as blind as the most severe Trump supporter. 

 

This latest "intimidation" call is just more evidence of the above. 

1 minute ago, Thainesss said:

can't win on the issues.

 

The 2018 mid-terms, arguably more important than VA and KY, appear to blow a massive hole in your argument. 

 

The president, who has the largest pulpit, is the one doing the dividing - I mean that's his entire strategy.

 

The number of republicans in Congress who are retiring should be a message, even for you.

 

All that said, I'm sure the president is innocent, and that he will cooperate, by releasing documents and allowing people to testify, with the Impeachment Inquiry in order to prove "it was a perfect call".

 

Not cooperating makes him appear guilty.

 

That he knows he cannot win re-election without tampering in the election is challenging to rebut.

 

 

 

 

If truthful don wants to comment im sure there is a chair at the hearing where he can say all he wants.

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

 Watching Yovanovitch on the stand was painful. She had no evidence to help the witch hunters. I can't help thinking this whole affair has been poorly thought out. For example Ambassador Stevens comes home mutilated in a body bag, and crickets chirp. Ambassador Yovanovitch comes home with a pet lip and it's meltdown time. Bad optics I'm afraid.

But but but...Benghazi!!!

Safe to conclude all the adults who might tell Trump that tweeting attacks on witness during hearing not a good idea have left the room.

No Mattis, Kelly, Tillerson, even "the mooch"....

As Neil Young song goes

"Ain't nothing like a friend

tell you you're just pissing in the wind"

32 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

It's over. If that's the best the Dems have - second hand hearsay and hurt feelings, it's over... ???? 

 

MAGA 

Now thats is a case of premature adjudication.

11 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

The president, who has the largest pulpit, is the one doing the dividing - I mean that's his entire strategy.

 

The only way this makes sense is if you completely ignore the events preceding Trumps election, which I admit would be a favorable point of view for the left to have because it absolves them of any blame, but it would be a false position to have. Politics in the USA has been in a steady decline for over a decade.