Tag: Gordon Sondland

With revised statement, Sondland adds to testimony linking aid to Ukraine investigations that Trump sought

Washington Post logoIn a significant revision to his testimony nearly three weeks ago before House impeachment investigators, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, now says he told a Ukrainian official that security assistance to the country would be likely to resume only if the authorities in Kyiv opened investigations requested by President Trump that could be damaging to former vice president Joe Biden.

In a “supplemental declaration” provided to the House impeachment inquiry Monday, Sondland wrote, “I now recall speaking individually” with a Ukrainian official and in that conversation saying “that resumption of U.S. aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti-corruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks.”

Sondland’s new statement adds to testimony by other national security officials that describes an effort directed by Trump and his personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani to link nearly $400 million in security assistance to investigations that could politically benefit the president.

View the complete November 5 article by Shane Harris and Aaron C. Davis on The Washington Post website here.

US Ambassador Sondland says Trump directed officials to work with Giuliani on Ukraine

The Hill logoU.S. diplomat Gordon Sondland will tell House lawmakers on Thursday that President Trump directed administration officials to work with his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, on Ukraine matters, according to his prepared remarks for testimony as part of the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry.

The U.S. ambassador to the European Union offers a forceful rebuke as he seeks to distance himself from Trump and Giuliani’s efforts to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate one of the president’s top 2020 political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden.

“We were also disappointed by the President’s direction that we involve Mr. Giuliani. Our view was that the men and women of the State Department, not the President’s personal lawyer, should take responsibility for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine,” he will say, according to a copy of his opening statement obtained by The Hill.

View the complete October 17 article by Olivia Beavers on The Hill website here.

Gordon Sondland, Trump envoy and key figure in impeachment probe, faces criticism over $1 million taxpayer-funded home renovation

Washington Post logoBRUSSELS — Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union and a central figure in the House impeachment inquiry of President Trump, is overseeing a nearly $1 million renovation of his government-provided residence, paid for with taxpayer money, that current and former officials have criticized as extravagant and unnecessary.

The work on the ambassador’s home on the outskirts of Brussels includes more than $400,000 in kitchen renovations, nearly $30,000 for a new sound system and $95,000 for an outdoor “living pod” with a pergola and electric heating, LED lighting strips and a remote-control system, government procurement records show.

The State Department also has allocated more than $100,000 for an “alternate” residence for Sondland for September and October, while work is performed.

View the complete October 16 article by Michael Birnbaum, Shane Harris and John Hudson on The Washington Post website here.

Trump’s EU ambassador to testify after Democrats’ subpoena

The Hill logoA key witness in House Democrats’ ongoing impeachment inquiry will testify next week despite the State Department’s objection.

U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland will testify before the House on Thursday in compliance with a congressional subpoena, according to his counsel.

“Notwithstanding the State Department’s current direction to not testify, Ambassador Sondland will honor the Committees’ subpoena, and he looks forward to testifying on Thursday,” according to a statement from Sondland’s attorneys, Robert Luskin and Kwame Manley.

View the complete October 11 article by Morgan Chalfant on The Hill website here.

Scoop: EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland to testify next week

Axios logoU.S. Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland will testify next Wednesday before the House committees investigating President Trump and Ukraine, despite being blocked by the State Department from appearing at a closed-door deposition this week, 4 congressional sources tell Axios.
Driving the news: Sondland’s lawyer confirmed Friday that the ambassador does plan to testify — “notwithstanding the State Department’s current direction not to testify.”

Why it matters: One source familiar with the rescheduling tells Axios that after the State Department pulled the plug on Sondland’s testimony, Republicans close to Trump encouraged the president to let the ambassador come before the committees. Trump’s allies believe Sondland’s testimony will be helpful to their side.

View the October 10 post by Alayna Treene on the Axios website here.

Schiff: State withholding Sondland texts, messages on personal device

The Hill logoA key witness the State Department blocked from an impeachment deposition on Tuesday has messages on a personal device that has not been provided to Congress, according to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

The House Intelligence Committee chairman ripped the State Department for blocking the deposition of Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, and said the messages being withheld were relevant to the House impeachment inquiry.

“Not only is the Congress being deprived of his testimony, and the American people are being deprived of his testimony today, but we are also aware that the ambassador has text messages or emails on a personal device which have been provided to the State Department,” Schiff told reporters shortly after the State Department blocked Sondland’s appearance.

View the complete October 8 article by Cristina Marcos on The Hill website here.