Transcript of key diplomat’s testimony in impeachment inquiry released

A State Department official told lawmakers that Rudy Giuliani's attacks were part of a "campaign of lies" against the former Ukraine ambassador, according to a transcript released Thursday.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent testified that President Donald Trump's personal lawyer's actions contributed to his decision not to speak out internally about Giuliani in the run up to the July phone call between Trump and the Ukrainian President. Kent, who oversees US policy on Ukraine, told lawmakers that he did not the speak to anyone at State to express his concerns about Giuliani because he had previously been told to "keep my head down" after Giuliani attacked him by name.

"I did not, in part because after Giuliani attacked me, as well as (then-US ambassador to Ukraine Marie) Yovanovitch and the entire embassy, in his late May interview, I was told to keep my head down and lower my profile in Ukraine," Kent testified in October.

Kent's testimony provides new insight into how then-US special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker and US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland worked with Giuliani on Ukraine, as well as the reactions inside the State Department to Giuliani's efforts that Kent and others say ran counter to US foreign policy. The three coordinated a draft statement for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce investigations into the 2016 election and Burisma, the company that hired former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden.
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72 comments

    1. @Bobby Pointer If Democrats are dumb, then how do you explain the fact that conservative red stats have the lowest levels of education in America? How do you explain the fact that conservative rural areas are unsuccessful, while most of the liberal big cities are very developed and prosperous? How do you explain the fact that 99% of Republican voters are ‘white christians without college degree”? I guess that’s too many fact for a trump supporter, but reality shows that Democrats are smarter, more successful and far more diverse than Republicans.

    1. @Bytor 1001 You lefties love Huawei, communism, organ harvesting and fascism. That’s why you’re all so angry about Trumps America vs China trade war.

    2. @Kurt Beck you just worry about defending the lefts heroic martyr Baghdadi. Worry about important things like putting more transgender MEN in bathrooms with our little girls and more transgender MEN in the MMA to fracture more women’s skulls. You just worry about how we are going to fund transgender abortions, lol and worry about how to create awareness for male periods. You just concentrate on learning the 52 gender pronouns and concentrate on calling out how biggited the bi community is for ignoring the other 50. You concentrate on sorting out all them racist white people that are so bad that the rest of the world comes here. You just worry about all those important things and let us Republicans take care of the silly things like running the country.

    1. @Crystal Giddens
      And trump wants to date his daughter. How fucking sick is that? I saw and heard trump say that.

    2. @Crystal Giddens Your satanist mother fuked you up for life? Oh, that’s your problem!!! I see it now! God bless you Crazy Crystal!!!

    1. @The Cat You ask a lot of questions you already know the answers to and im not going to add that to my already wordy responses.
      The extortion was withholding funds: “Most states define extortion as the gaining of property or money by almost any kind of force or threat of violence, property damage, harm to reputation, or unfavorable government action.” Sounds like withhold military assistance for a personal/political gain would fit in as a unfavorable government action.
      “Bribery refers to the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing the actions of an individual holding a public or legal duty. This type of action results in matters that should be handled objectively being handled in a manner best suiting the private interests of the decision maker”
      In this case the “item of value” is a public announcement of investigations into biden and the debunked story about a DNC server hidden in the sands over there. Trying to clear russia is kinda weird when our IC has alread universally said with certainty that Russia messed with our election
      Ive heard reasonable people deny that it was extortion but not bribery as it is legally defined.
      He is stonewalling congress just like nixon and just like him trump is obstructing justice.
      Looks like you are part of the cult that refuses to accept reality so its kinda hard to justify our conversation

    2. @John Gailey I always ask questions – always. Never take anything at face value. But again, I would like to see you point to the exact places in the transcript so I can better relate with what you are saying. You gave me definitions, don’t need them – need the part/parts in the transcripts where you say extortion/bribery took place. The exact wording – not the opinions of people that hate Trump. There’s lots of opinions of Trump haters and words twisted – Adam Schift tried to pass a “parody” as truth so wondering if you are basing your conclusions on parodies or actual wording via the transcript. And yes, if we’ve already moved into name calling I do prefer being a cult member to a Nazi Racist so thank you for that.

    3. @John Gailey Wow, just cause you literally can’t point it out in the transcripts doesn’t mean you have to go all nasty. No one can point it out, that’s the facts but facts are foreign to you and well, so is patriotism. I leave you with this warning, 2020 and beyond is going to be rough for you, prepare now.

    4. John Gailey all of Obama admin needs to and answer for their crimes and cover ups. All political and elected officials should be tried and serve prison time for every crime they commit. No exception

    1. @Tom McDermott
      BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
      FOR WHAT
      YOU ARE JOKING
      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
      when that senile pos goes before Congress they need to waterboard him on TV.
      if the pos dies TOUGH.

    2. wait till the truth comes out in a few weeks and the demascum thats been trying to destroy you i and our whole nation comes out. theyve served them selves and would light a match to you and me. i was a dem untill i started paying attention and reseaching things. i hope you and every other of my fellow citizen will do the same without bias.

    1. @Y B usa is the only country which is not always fighting a war
      Iran
      Not
      China
      Not
      EU
      Not

      Why do Americans love war is it the American version of Christians who love American youth to die
      Seriously
      I am a New Zealander
      Why do you americans love death
      Is it for money?

    2. @Y B curious if Trump is aggressively pushing for political ideas Putin asked for, only because Putin has given trump corporation money over the years.

      Like not supporting Ukraine so Russia can invade totally

      What level of crime would that be?

    1. Weird place to start your morning lol. But I wish you a good morning too ✌️☺️ I’m American, and I hope you don’t judge us based on our current president.

      Edit: I understand if you do, tho. I’m still confused about this entire presidency.

    2. @Alexander Supertramp Hello everyone I apologize I do not understand the language I love you my friendsπŸ™πŸ’žπŸ˜πŸ’Œβ¦βœŒοΈβ©

    3. @ABDERRAHIM BELADJAL I don’t use Facebook. And the link you have says the page doesn’t exist. I wouldn’t trust that page at all, if I were you. Facebook is full of liars and scammers, so you never what’s real or not.

  1. They have read it, including Lindsey – just no defense. I bet he read the tee shirt – it clearly says, READ THE TRANSCRIPT!

    SO Pathetic.

    1. @Dorothy Wiese-Bergan TRUTH πŸ˜πŸ’—πŸ’—πŸ’—πŸ’—βœŒβœŒβœŒπŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ€―

    2. @TangieTown81
      “Collusion hoax”. That is all you needed to say to let me know you have nothing of substance to defend your position.
      Trump was proven by the Mueller report and testimony, that tRump DID collude with Russia. But “collusion” is not a prosecutable offense with a sitting president. tRump DID obstruct the investigation. Trump was NOT exonerated, and it was PROVEN by two years of investigation, that Russia has and, as Mueller testified, “is, as we speak, interfering in our elections”.
      You are fooling YOURSELF if you think this is a “hoax”. Read a book.

    1. @Nancy Rocks
      Seditionist? That is not even a word. And I find it funny that when Democrats play by the rules established by Republicans, they are illegally attempting and coordinating a coup? Maybe because Republicans are crybabies who can’t handle how things are done when the Democrats have the majority in the House, and follow the rules made by Republicans. Get a clue.

  2. Last, if anything shows from all this, we have serious holes and gaps that really need to be addressed, such as Whistle Blower Protections all the way to how we go about Impeachment.

    1. It should be a crime to not show up when you’ve been subpoenaed, punishable by jail time. Also, if you refuse to answer questions or say you don’t recall, that should also be a punishable offense. These are public officials, and they should be held to a higher standard, that includes being punished for wrongdoing.

    1. @Banned B!!!! So you’d rather turn a blind eye to students get sexually harassed? Typical conservative

  3. Waiting for those last second holdout Republicans to start jumping off TRUMP’S CORRUPT CRUISE SHIP!!!!!πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ™ŠπŸ™ŠπŸ™‰πŸ™‰

  4. I thought we learned not to vote entertainment personalities into office, in 2019 we are watching a reality TV con man president get caught pressuring a Ukrainian actor president? This is getting out of hand.

  5. Cohen should be released and reinstated to his purview, no questions. He knew the job was dangerous when he took it. I’m sure he can shed light on a few other issues as well, which would be quite damning to his former client.

  6. Pence the Putz is a phony,”holier than thou”,insincere empty suit, this man has the nerve to lie everyday. He will answer to God for his crimes

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