#rudi volz

[germanpostwarmodern]

Town Hall (1962-66) in Reutlingen, Germany, by Wilhelm Tiedje & Rudi Volz

[popolitiko]

     Five Moments That Mattered in the Impeachment Hearing        

A new claim emerges as Democrats and Republicans take their lanes in the first day of public hearings

By     Dustin Volz  Nov. 13, 2019 6:30 pm ET                                

Wednesday’s impeachment hearing featuring testimony from two career diplomats offered a significant new revelation and several insights into the circumstances surrounding President Trump’s July 25 call with then newly inaugurated Ukrainian President      Volodymyr Zelensky.       The hearing also offered a taste of how Democrats and Republicans intend to proceed now that the inquiry has shifted into its public phase.

Here were the moments that mattered most:

‘Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden’

A new claim—and likely a new witness—emerged Wednesday, as Bill Taylor, the acting ambassador to Ukraine, testified that one of his staff members overheard a phone call in which President Trump allegedly said that he cared more about investigations into former Vice President      Joe Biden       and his son, Hunter, than he did about Ukraine.

At the conclusion of his 20-page opening statement, Mr. Taylor said he recently learned that an aide overheard a phone conversation between Mr. Trump and      Gordon Sondland,       the ambassador to the European Union, about investigations Mr. Trump wanted Ukraine to pursue.

Mr. Taylor said that on July 26, a day after Mr. Trump asked Ukraine President Zelensky in a phone call to undertake investigations of the Bidens and the 2016 election, Mr. Sondland called the president to update him on his meetings in Kyiv. In that call, Mr. Trump asked the ambassador—who had met with Mr. Zelensky that day—about “the investigations,” to which Mr. Sondland replied that the Ukrainians were “ready to move forward,” Mr. Taylor testified.

Mr. Taylor said he was alerted about the conversation by a member of his staff who was with Mr. Sondland during the call. He didn’t identify the aide, but a person familiar with the matter said it was      David Holmes,       a State Department official whom Democrats on Wednesday asked to appear for a closed-door deposition on Friday.

“Following the call with President Trump, the member of my staff asked Ambassador Sondland what President Trump thought about Ukraine,” Mr. Taylor said. “Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden, which Giuliani was pressing for,” referring to the president’s personal attorney,  Rudy Giuliani.      

Mr. Taylor’s testimony provides an additional link between Mr. Trump and a pressure campaign on Ukraine beyond what was previously known.

Up Next  ‘A low-rent Ukrainian sequel’

Rep. Devin Nunes,   the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, telegraphed in his opening statement that his party intends to stand behind Mr. Trump and will continue to accuse Democrats of leading a partisan investigation designed to undo the results of the 2016 election.

Calling the day’s proceedings “a low-rent Ukrainian sequel” to former special co unsel  Robert Mueller’s  investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Mr. Nunes and other Republican questioners suggested that Mr. Trump would be justified to think Ukraine had sought to undermine his candidacy in 2016.

Mr. Nunes laid out his vision of what is occurring in the impeachment inquiry: First, he argued that Democrats were disappointed by the results of the Russia investigation and have pivoted to the Ukraine probe. Second, Mr. Nunes accused Democrats of collaborating with the bureaucracy and the media to advance the Ukraine story. Third, Mr. Nunes complained about the process that Democrats have used in the impeachment investigation.

‘President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there’

Republicans complained that the witnesses who appeared Wednesday didn’t have direct, firsthand knowledge of Mr. Trump’s conduct. In response, Democrats noted that the Trump administration is preventing several witnesses from testifying.

Rep. Jim Jordan,    an Ohio Republican and vocal defender of Mr. Trump, accused Democrats of protecting the person who “started it all” by declining to call for testimony from the whistleblower whose complaint triggered the impeachment inquiry.

What’s your biggest takeaway from today’s impeachment hearing? Join the conversation below.

“I’d be glad to have the person who started it all to come in and testify. President Trump is welcome to come in and take a seat right there,” responded      Rep. Peter Welch,  (D., Vt.), eliciting laughter.

The White House and the State Department have sought to block several officials from testifying who could speak more directly to Mr. Trump’s conduct, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser      John Bolton.      

Giuliani was ‘infecting U.S. engagement with Ukraine’

Senior State Department official George Kent testified he became aware this summer that Mr. Giuliani’s efforts to prompt Ukraine to pursue investigations into Mr. Trump’s political rivals were “infecting” Washington’s relationship with Kyiv.

“In mid-August, it became clear to me that Giuliani’s efforts to gin up politically motivated investigations were now infecting U.S. engagement with Ukraine, leveraging President Zelensky’s desire for a White House meeting,” Mr. Kent said in prepared remarks.

Mr. Kent’s opening statement adhered closely to what he told impeachment investigators behind closed doors last month, but it reflected his concerns about Mr. Giuliani’s activities. It also provided Democrats with a powerful sound bite. Republicans didn’t address Mr. Giuliani’s conduct during the hearing.

‘More Ukrainians would die’

Mr. Taylor’s testimony put into human terms his concern that nearly $400 million in U.S. aid was being withheld from Ukraine this summer in an effort to prompt Kyiv to announce investigations.

“One of the components of that assistance is counterbattery radar, another component are sniper weapons. These weapons and this assistance allows the Ukrainian military to deter further incursions by the Russians against Ukrainian territory,” Mr. Taylor said. “If that further incursion, further aggression were to take place, more Ukrainians would die.”

Mr. Taylor acknowledged it would be hard to draw “any direct lines” between specific deployments of aid and “any particular death on the battlefield,” but emphasized the aid was essential for Ukraine to be able to counter Russian aggression.

Republicans countered that Mr. Trump provided lethal military aid while President Obama declined to do so, and argued that no wrongdoing took place because the aid was unfrozen in September.

—Rebecca Ballhaus, Siobhan Hughes and Byron Tau contributed to this article.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/five-moments-that-mattered-in-the-impeachment-hearing-11573687838?mod=cx_immersive&cx_navSource=cx_immersive&cx_tag=poptarget&cx_artPos=8#cxrecs_s

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First Trump-Zelensky Call Barely Resembled Second

[bountyofbeads]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defends-conversation-with-ukraine-leader-11568993176?redirect=amp#click=https://t.co/rDKXOHhvRS

Trump Repeatedly Pressed Ukraine President to Investigate Biden’s Son

Interactions under focus amid whistleblower complaint on U.S. president’s dealings with a world leader

By Alan Cullison, Rebecca Ballhaus and 

Dustin Volz | Updated Sept. 20, 2019 4:03 pm ET | WSJ | Posted September 20, 2019 4:30 PM ET |

President Trump in a July phone call repeatedly pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden ’s son, urging Volodymyr Zelensky about eight times to work with Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, on a probe, according to people familiar with the matter.

“He told him that he should work with [Mr. Giuliani] on Biden, and that people in Washington wanted to know” whether allegations were true or not, one of the people said. Mr. Trump didn’t mention a provision of foreign aid to Ukraine on the call, said this person, who didn’t believe Mr. Trump offered the Ukrainian president any quid-pro-quo for his cooperation on any investigation.

Mr. Giuliani in June and August met with top Ukrainian officials about the prospect of an investigation, he said in an interview. The Trump lawyer has suggested Mr. Biden as vice president worked to shield from investigation a Ukrainian gas company with ties to his son, Hunter Biden. A Ukrainian official earlier this year said he had no evidence of wrongdoing by Mr. Biden or his son.

After the July call between the two presidents, the Ukrainian government said Mr. Trump had congratulated the new president on his election and expressed hope that his government would push ahead with investigations and corruption probes that had stymied relations between the two countries.

The White House declined to comment. The Biden campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment. Last week, a Biden campaign spokesman said of Mr. Giuliani’s efforts to pressure Ukraine: “This is beneath us as Americans.”

Mr. Trump on Friday defended his July call with Mr. Zelensky as “totally appropriate” but declined to say whether he had asked the Ukrainian leader to investigate Mr. Biden, a former U.S. vice president. “It doesn’t matter what I discussed,” he said.

At the same time, he reiterated his call for an investigation into Mr. Biden’s effort as vice president to oust Ukraine’s prosecutor general. “Somebody ought to look into that," he told reporters.

In recent months, Mr. Giuliani has mounted an extensive effort to pressure Ukraine to do so. He told The Wall Street Journal he met with an official from the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office in June in Paris, and met with Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Mr. Zelensky in Madrid in August. Mr. Giuliani told the Journal earlier this month that Mr. Yermak assured him the Ukrainian government would “get to the bottom” of the Biden matter.

The August meeting came weeks before the Trump administration began reviewing the status of $250 million in foreign aid to Ukraine, which the administration released earlier this month. Mr. Giuliani said he wasn’t aware of the issue with the funds to Ukraine at the time of the meeting.

He said his meeting with Mr. Yermak was set up by the State Department, and said he briefed the department on their conversation later. The State Department had no immediate comment.

The interactions between the president, Mr. Giuliani and Ukraine have come under scrutiny in recent days in the wake of a whistleblower complaint that a person familiar with the matter said involves the president’s communications with a foreign leader. The complaint, which the Washington Post reported centers on Ukraine, has prompted a new standoff between Congress and the executive branch.

Separately, lawmakers have been investigating whether the president or his lawyer sought to pressure the Ukrainian government to pursue probes in an effort to benefit Mr. Trump’s re-election bid.

Mr. Trump is to meet with Mr. Zelensky in person for the first time next week, during the annual United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York.

Michael Atkinson, the Trump-appointed inspector general of the intelligence community, met Thursday morning with the House Intelligence Committee in a closed session to discuss the whistleblower complaint. Mr. Atkinson declined to tell lawmakers the substance of the complaint or whether it involves the president, but he did say it involves more than one episode and is based on a series of events, according to several people who attended or were briefed on the meeting.

Joseph Maguire, a retired Navy vice admiral serving as the acting director of national intelligence, is to appear before both the Senate and House intelligence committees next week about the complaint, though it remains unclear if he will be willing to divulge details about its underlying substance.

Stymied Democrats in Congress continued to mull potential avenues to obtain the complaint. Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he was considering a lawsuit to obtain the complaint or withholding funding from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Mr. Schiff has accused Mr. Maguire of violating the law by not sending the complaint to Congress, as required under the federal whistleblower statute.

“It’s been very hard for the director of national intelligence to explain why he is the first ever in that position to withhold an urgent whistleblower complaint from Congress,” Mr. Schiff told reporters.

Mr. Maguire’s office consulted the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, which determined that the allegation didn’t meet the statutory definition of an “urgent concern” requiring reporting to the intelligence committees, the Justice Department said.

That guidance is binding on the executive branch, legal experts said, and it remains unclear how or whether Mr. Maguire could transmit the complaint to lawmakers now.

Even before the debate over the whistleblower complaint, Democratic lawmakers had begun investigating interactions with Ukraine by the president and his lawyer. Earlier this month, the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees sent letters to the White House and State Department seeking records of interactions involving the president and Mr. Giuliani and the Ukrainian government.

Lawmakers are investigating whether there was any connection between the review of foreign aid to Ukraine and the efforts to pressure Kiev to look into Mr. Biden.

In the interview this month, Mr. Giuliani said he had sought in the spring to meet with Mr. Zelensky—at the time Ukraine’s president-elect—and planned a trip to Kiev to pressure the Ukrainian government to pursue two investigations: one into whether Ukraine, under its previous leader, had sought in 2016 to hurt the Trump campaign and bolster his opponent; and another into diplomatic efforts in the country by Mr. Biden, who is currently leading the Democratic presidential field.

Mr. Giuliani ultimately canceled that trip after his plan was made public. Mr. Trump was aware of the planned meeting, he said.

Mr. Giuliani’s criticism of Mr. Biden centers on the then-vice president’s efforts to seek the ouster of former Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Shokin, who had investigated a private Ukrainian gas company, Burisma Group, of which Hunter Biden was a board member.

Mr. Giuliani has accused Mr. Biden of acting to protect his son, a lawyer who has been involved in several investment and consulting firms, even though Mr. Shokin had already completed his investigation of Burisma Group before he left office.

Mr. Biden has said he sought Mr. Shokin’s ouster because he wasn’t doing enough to investigate corruption. Other countries had also criticized Ukraine for not appropriately addressing the country’s corruption problems.

Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraine’s prosecutor general at the time, told Bloomberg News in May he had no evidence of wrongdoing by Mr. Biden or his son.

In an interview Thursday evening, Mr. Giuliani said he wasn’t aware whether the whistleblower complaint related to Ukraine. But in a Twitter post later that evening, he defended the possibility that Mr. Trump had urged Mr. Zelensky to investigate his potential campaign opponent.

“A President telling a Pres-elect of a well known corrupt country he better investigate corruption that affects US is doing his job,” Mr. Giuliani wrote.

Mr. Giuliani said earlier this month that Mr. Trump likely would raise the Biden matter with Mr. Zelensky when they meet, saying the matter was “on his mind.” A senior administration official said Friday that the two would discuss how to expand energy cooperation and trade ties.

[nationalsportinguk]

Trump considers Mattis, Romney for top national security jobs

BEDMINSTER: the dull, James Mattis – spoken Marine standard who went the united states military order since Afghanistan and the Middle-East, surfaced like a leading prospect for protection assistant on Saturday, with president elect Donaldtrump contacting him “spectacular.”

Trump, who had been keeping a number of conferences at his golfing resort in Bedminster, Nj, with applicants for articles in his incoming management, fulfilled on Sunday with Mattis and Romney, formerly a Trump critic who now’s in mind for assistant of condition.

Trump stated he considered him as business assistant and fulfilled with Wilbur Ross on Sunday. Requested whether the task was needed by him, journalists were told by Ross: “Properly, period may inform.” Trump and Iowa Assistant of State Kobach subsequently satisfied for attorney-general.

Previous Governor Perry, who created an unsuccessful quote for the presidential nomination , may talk with Trump and it is being regarded for Cupboard articles including power protection and experts affairs jobs, the move group of Trump stated.

Trump told journalists he’d probably possess some notices on the top management positions but didn’t state those.

Trump wrote that ” James ‘Mad-Dog’ Mattis, who’s being regarded for Assistant of Protection, was spectacular recently. A Standard that is genuine ‘s Common!”

Mattis from 2010 to 2013 went the U.S. armyis Main Order, which runs procedures extending in the Horn of Africa and into Key Asia including Pakistan and Afghanistan. Throughout that period, he was about the have to get ready for possible threats and about assets for Afghanistan at-odds using the federal government.

66, Mattis, offered being a National leader within the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and was considered to be popular amonst the soldiers.

Talking on “Foxnews Saturday,” Vice-President-choose Mike Pence, who today heads the move group of Trump,” stated Mattis had “a military profession that was renowned.”

Incoming Whitehouse Key of Team Reince Priebus stated it had been a “really genuine chance” Mattis might obtain the work, informing the ABC plan ” This Week, ” “I understand that president elect Trump enjoys commanders like Normal Mattis.”

ROMNEY UNDER ‘SIGNIFICANT THOUGHT’

Pence stated Trump had a great assembly and “a comfortable along with a purposeful trade.”

“I will state that Romney is under significant and active thought to function as assistant of state-of America,” Pence stated about the CBS plan “Encounter the Country.”

The presidential nominee, Romney, was a pacesetter of the institution motion that attempted from getting the nominee this season to dam Trump. In March, Romney named Trump “a phony,” “a fraud” and “a con-man.”

A supply near to Romney from his period as Ma governor indicated worry he may be “frozen out” by authorities whose thinking seems to be nearer to Trumpis, for example Michael Flynn, the president elect’s option for national-security agent, Mattis, Whitehouse therapist Steve Bannon, and people of Trump’s household.

” much permission and impact he’ll have is likely to be up-to Trump, plus they do not be seemingly on a single site about significantly,” the origin stated.

On Saturday, Trump and many more challengers for mature careers were meeting, including Ny Rudy Giuliani, who is also within the operating for assistant of condition.

Trump was planned to meet up with Nj Chris Christie, who had been a detailed agent during his strategy but was eliminated as mind of his move group.

Radio talk-show number Laura Ingraham that was traditional established on Saturday Trump is considering her to function as Whitehouse secretary.

DEMOCRATS DELIVER SIGN OF ASSISTANCE

While Trump requires office on Jan. 20, his other Republicans will control each chambers of Congress. Intense resistance could be, nevertheless, faced by him to some of his visits and a lot of of his legal projects.

But Democratic chief Charles Schumer, who comes from the house state-of Ny of Trump, kept the chance out that Democrats can work to improve shelling out for U.S. structure.

Schumer stated on “Foxnews Sunday” he’d spoken about structure to Trump and stated it had been feasible that “we’re able to obtain a main structure statement completed,” perhaps even yet in his presidency’s very first 100 times.

“It’s to become daring and big. A billion bucks have been discussed by Trump. Great,” Schumer said.

Trump stated on Facebook that “I’ve usually had a connection that was good with Schumer” and also the senator “has got the capability to accomplish things.”

Priebus provided indicators that were combined on Sunday initial saying: “I’m-not likely to rule something out.”

But then he stated: “We Are not likely to possess a registry centered on faith” but you will find “many people which are radicalized” and “many people who’ve from entering this nation to become avoided.”

Trump seems to be setting his management to have a hard-line facing militancy up.

On “This Week” that, Priebus stated regarding Islam ” there are several facets of that religion which are difficult. And they are known by us. We have noticed it. However it undoubtedly is not a quilt for several folks of that religion.”

Communications representative of Trumpis move group, Miller, rejected to verify a study within the Ny Article that the pair and also first lady Trump is 10- year-old Barron, boy, won’t transfer to the Whitehouse.

Cooper stated he’d no official declaration however but that there is “some awareness” to shifting the child out-of his present Ny college in the school year’s middle.

(Extra reporting by David Shepardson, Dustin Volz and Toni Clarke in Wa; Publishing by Will Dunham; Modifying by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney)

from national sporting heritage day http://nationalsportingheritageday.co.uk/trump-considers-mattis-romney-for-top-national-security-jobs/

[graciedroweuk]

Trump considers Mattis, Romney for top national security jobs

BEDMINSTER: the dull, James Mattis – spoken Marine standard who went the united states military order since Afghanistan and the Middle-East, surfaced like a leading prospect for protection assistant on Saturday, with president elect Donaldtrump contacting him “spectacular.”

Trump, who had been keeping a number of conferences at his golfing resort in Bedminster, Nj, with applicants for articles in his incoming management, fulfilled on Sunday with Mattis and Romney, formerly a Trump critic who now’s in mind for assistant of condition.

Trump stated he considered him as business assistant and fulfilled with Wilbur Ross on Sunday. Requested whether the task was needed by him, journalists were told by Ross: “Properly, period may inform.” Trump and Iowa Assistant of State Kobach subsequently satisfied for attorney-general.

Previous Governor Perry, who created an unsuccessful quote for the presidential nomination , may talk with Trump and it is being regarded for Cupboard articles including power protection and experts affairs jobs, the move group of Trump stated.

Trump told journalists he’d probably possess some notices on the top management positions but didn’t state those.

Trump wrote that ” James ‘Mad-Dog’ Mattis, who’s being regarded for Assistant of Protection, was spectacular recently. A Standard that is genuine ‘s Common!”

Mattis from 2010 to 2013 went the U.S. armyis Main Order, which runs procedures extending in the Horn of Africa and into Key Asia including Pakistan and Afghanistan. Throughout that period, he was about the have to get ready for possible threats and about assets for Afghanistan at-odds using the federal government.

66, Mattis, offered being a National leader within the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and was considered to be popular amonst the soldiers.

Talking on “Foxnews Saturday,” Vice-President-choose Mike Pence, who today heads the move group of Trump,” stated Mattis had “a military profession that was renowned.”

Incoming Whitehouse Key of Team Reince Priebus stated it had been a “really genuine chance” Mattis might obtain the work, informing the ABC plan ” This Week, ” “I understand that president elect Trump enjoys commanders like Normal Mattis.”

ROMNEY UNDER ‘SIGNIFICANT THOUGHT’

Pence stated Trump had a great assembly and “a comfortable along with a purposeful trade.”

“I will state that Romney is under significant and active thought to function as assistant of state-of America,” Pence stated about the CBS plan “Encounter the Country.”

The presidential nominee, Romney, was a pacesetter of the institution motion that attempted from getting the nominee this season to dam Trump. In March, Romney named Trump “a phony,” “a fraud” and “a con-man.”

A supply near to Romney from his period as Ma governor indicated worry he may be “frozen out” by authorities whose thinking seems to be nearer to Trumpis, for example Michael Flynn, the president elect’s option for national-security agent, Mattis, Whitehouse therapist Steve Bannon, and people of Trump’s household.

” much permission and impact he’ll have is likely to be up-to Trump, plus they do not be seemingly on a single site about significantly,” the origin stated.

On Saturday, Trump and many more challengers for mature careers were meeting, including Ny Rudy Giuliani, who is also within the operating for assistant of condition.

Trump was planned to meet up with Nj Chris Christie, who had been a detailed agent during his strategy but was eliminated as mind of his move group.

Radio talk-show number Laura Ingraham that was traditional established on Saturday Trump is considering her to function as Whitehouse secretary.

DEMOCRATS DELIVER SIGN OF ASSISTANCE

While Trump requires office on Jan. 20, his other Republicans will control each chambers of Congress. Intense resistance could be, nevertheless, faced by him to some of his visits and a lot of of his legal projects.

But Democratic chief Charles Schumer, who comes from the house state-of Ny of Trump, kept the chance out that Democrats can work to improve shelling out for U.S. structure.

Schumer stated on “Foxnews Sunday” he’d spoken about structure to Trump and stated it had been feasible that “we’re able to obtain a main structure statement completed,” perhaps even yet in his presidency’s very first 100 times.

“It’s to become daring and big. A billion bucks have been discussed by Trump. Great,” Schumer said.

Trump stated on Facebook that “I’ve usually had a connection that was good with Schumer” and also the senator “has got the capability to accomplish things.”

Priebus provided indicators that were combined on Sunday initial saying: “I’m-not likely to rule something out.”

But then he stated: “We Are not likely to possess a registry centered on faith” but you will find “many people which are radicalized” and “many people who’ve from entering this nation to become avoided.”

Trump seems to be setting his management to have a hard-line facing militancy up.

On “This Week” that, Priebus stated regarding Islam ” there are several facets of that religion which are difficult. And they are known by us. We have noticed it. However it undoubtedly is not a quilt for several folks of that religion.”

Communications representative of Trumpis move group, Miller, rejected to verify a study within the Ny Article that the pair and also first lady Trump is 10- year-old Barron, boy, won’t transfer to the Whitehouse.

Cooper stated he’d no official declaration however but that there is “some awareness” to shifting the child out-of his present Ny college in the school year’s middle.

(Extra reporting by David Shepardson, Dustin Volz and Toni Clarke in Wa; Publishing by Will Dunham; Modifying by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney)

from network 4 http://nationalsportingheritageday.co.uk/trump-considers-mattis-romney-for-top-national-security-jobs/

[germanpostwarmodern]

Town Hall (1962-66) in Reutlingen, Germany, by Wilhelm Tiedje & Rudi Volz

[germanpostwarmodern]

Town Hall (1962-66) in Reutlingen, Germany, by Wilhelm Tiedje & Rudi Volz

[germanpostwarmodern]

Town Hall (1962-66) in Reutlingen, Germany, by Wilhelm Tiedje & Rudi Volz