Top Diplomat’s Impeachment Testimony Throws Trump Off-Kilter

0
927

Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) has a machine gun approach to questioning. He fires each one, a hollow-point bullet, into witnesses. This rapid-fire style has the effect of throwing people off-kilter. Before they comprehend his first question, the Ohio representative is off to another question, then another, and another. There was a reason that the Republicans brought in Jordan in as a temporary prosecutor at the impeachment hearings — and it was this witness.

Even a man who graduated from West Point Military Academy fifth in his class — out of 800 — would have trouble keeping up with Jordan. What made Jordon’s questioning so mean-spirited and disrespectful was that he thoroughly enjoyed pelting the life-time public servants giving witness.

With that West Point standing, Taylor had his choice of assignments. Instead, he went into the rifle infantry in Vietnam. He has encountered far worse than Jordan. Most recently, he has been serving as the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine.

Screen-Shot-2019-11-13-at-4.24.18-PM Top Diplomat's Impeachment Testimony Throws Trump Off-Kilter Corruption Crime Domestic Policy Donald Trump Election 2016 Election 2020 Featured Impeachment Investigation Military National Security Politics Top Stories War

When Jordan asserted Taylor was the Democrats’ “star witness” in the House’s impeachment hearings the soldier’s soldier responded quietly on C-SPAN:

‘I don’t consider myself a star witness for anything.’

Then, Jordan referred to the Democrats on the Intelligence Committee and said:

‘They do.’

Taylor answered:

‘I’m responding to your questions. I’m not here to take one side or the other or advocate any particular outcome. My understanding is only coming from people I talked to.’

The Intelligence Committee Republicans on the committee, who are the president’s top allies, have claimed Democrats think Taylor and top State Department official George Kent were their strongest witnesses. Yet, they counter, saying these two diplomats could not possibly be reliable sources. After all, they did not hear the July 25 phone call that the impeaching hearings revolve around.

Screen-Shot-2019-11-13-at-4.23.57-PM Top Diplomat's Impeachment Testimony Throws Trump Off-Kilter Corruption Crime Domestic Policy Donald Trump Election 2016 Election 2020 Featured Impeachment Investigation Military National Security Politics Top Stories War

Jordan continued, pointing to Taylor’s absence of firsthand information:

‘I’ve seen church prayer chains that are easier to understand than this back and forth [and Taylor was talking about] six people having four conversations in one sentence.’

Jordan went on to note that Taylor had met three times with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while the U.S. military aid was delayed. He said Taylor’s closed-door deposition had shown there was no tie between the aid and U.S dollars used to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

Screen-Shot-2019-11-13-at-4.23.41-PM Top Diplomat's Impeachment Testimony Throws Trump Off-Kilter Corruption Crime Domestic Policy Donald Trump Election 2016 Election 2020 Featured Impeachment Investigation Military National Security Politics Top Stories War

Then, Taylor said that it was his “clear understanding” the two were linked. Jordan shot back:

‘Your clear understanding was obviously wrong, because it didn’t happen … where did you get this clear understanding?’

Taylor responded that it was based on conversations with Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland.

Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.

The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.