Day four of the public impeachment hearings again takes place in two parts. Gordon Sondland, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, will testify first at the public hearing before the House Intelligence Committee at 9am ET.
In the afternoon session Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Ukrainian and Eurasian affairs and David Hale, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, will be testifying at 2:30pm ET
Fox News Livestream – Fox Business Livestream – PBS Livestream Link

Representative Jim Jordan does an outstanding job of encapsulating the impeachment fiasco and motives of entrenched administrative bureaucrats who didn’t like the diplomatic approach taken by President Trump and Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker.
In essence State Dept. officials George Kent and Bill Taylor were butthurt having been cut out of the direct Ukraine policy and diplomacy being organized by State Dept. Special Envoy Kurt Volker.  Additionally, U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch was butthurt about being sidelined and no longer having most influence or access to Ukraine affluence.
Meanwhile, back in Washington DC, Jennifer Williams and Alex Vindman were aghast at President Trump’s direct expectation that Ukraine corruption -writ large- including corrupt officials speaking negatively about the U.S, must cease.  Lt. Col. Vindman, believing he alone had control over White House policy toward Ukraine; and with his feelings hurt because he felt smaller; manufactured a false narrative to his sketchy CIA resistance member Eric Ciaramella to construct a false whistle-blower leak.
Meanwhile, after the Trump-Zelensky call, envoy Kurt Volker arranged a series of meetings and diplomatic contacts with President Zelensky and U.S. officials; people he knew that President Trump would later respect their opinion.  Upon return to debrief President Trump affirmations of intent were made, and a U.S-Ukraine relationship was restarted under new leadership.
“Mr. Volker you did your job”….  WATCH:
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This afternoon at 2:30pm ET, Kurt Volker, former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine and Timothy Morrison, special assistant to the president and senior director for Europe and Russia at the National Security Council will testify to the impeachment committee.
Fox News Livestream – Fox Business Livestream – PBS Livestream Link

HPSCI Ranking Member Devin Nunes questioned NSC official Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman about whether he had shared the contents of the phone call between President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky with anyone outside the White House.
In responding Vindman stated “two people”, and then named State Dept George Kent, and a person from the intelligence community.  Then things get interesting.  Vindman refused to name the intelligence agency because it would likely expose the CIA “whistle-blower”.
This non-answer makes Alexander Vindman the source for the CIA “whistleblower” Eric Ciaramella.

Today the House Impeachment Committee (HPSCI) begins day three of public hearings toward their goal of removing U.S. President Donald J Trump from office.
The first hearing begins at 9 a.m ET with Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, the Ukraine usurper on the National Security Council who leaked to Eric Ciaramella for the construction of a fraudulent ‘whistle-blower’ complaint; and Jennifer Williams, the executive usurper/aide to Vice President Mike Pence.  Both were on the phone call between President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky.
Then at 2:30pm ET Kurt D. Volker, the former United States special envoy to Ukraine, and Timothy Morrison, a Europe and Russia expert for the NatSec Council will testify.
CSPAN Livestream Link – PBS Livestream Link – Fox News Livestream Link

Senator Ron Johnson, in a letter to Devin Nunes, has provided a lengthy outline of his contacts, discussions and perspectives surrounding U.S-Ukraine foreign policy as it relates to the current democrat impeachment narrative. [Cloud Link to Johnson letter]

Senator Johnson, attended the inauguration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky along with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and shared his concerns that National Security Council official Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was running a rogue and independent foreign policy toward Ukraine expressly against the intents of President Trump.
CTH readers will note we identify Vindman as a very sketchy character within the entire construct of the impeachment fiasco.  It is virtually certain Vindman is the primary source for the CIA ‘whistleblower’ dossier (complaint).  Beyond the rogue Vindman foreign policy, there is an even more sketchy affiliated network that surround him. First, here’s the letter:
[scribd id=435705400 key=key-kFIjpZ8yo5F1UuTWxXvJ mode=scroll]
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Jim Jordan appears on Fox News to highlight four central and unwavering facts that run counter to the Democrat impeachment narrative:

1. We have the call transcript, there’s no discussion of linking aid to any investigation.
2. The two principals on the call, President Trump and President Zelenskyy, have both stated there was no linkage of any aid to Ukraine dependent on any investigation.
3. The Ukraine government had no idea that aid was being held-back pending confirmation of the stable intent -no corruption- within the new Ukraine administration.
4. President Zelenskyy didn’t announce, didn’t start, and didn’t acknowledge he was going to start any investigation to get the aid released; and it was released without contingencies.

The Supreme Court has halted a lower court ruling that granted the Committee on Oversight and Reform access to President Trump’s tax returns.  However, that’s not necessarily the lede.
The issue at stake is whether the legislative branch can penetrate the constitutional firewall which exists within the separation of powers. The House issued a subpoena in February for eight years of the president’s tax returns, which the Committee then later argued was part of the September House impeachment investigation.

All of the surrounding court rulings are predicated on accepting a constitutional process for an official impeachment investigation is underway.  However, the Supreme Court will hear arguments that will likely challenge that assertion.  To wit, within the buried lede to the background issue we find this paragraph:

On Monday, Douglas Letter, general counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, had sent a letter to the court, agreeing to a brief 10-day stay while the parties filed their court papers debating the need for an injunction while the case is being considered. (link)

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Representative Lee Zeldin appears on Fox News to discuss the ongoing House impeachment inquiry and how HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff is manipulating the release of transcripts that are adverse to his political agenda.

As a reminder John Ratcliffe is one of only four members of congress who has reviewed all of the classified documents that surrounds the current background for the Inspector General report on FISA abuse.  That said, the quoted comment from Ratcliffe, while it will be overlooked by most, is the first visible sign reconciling a fundamental challenge previously highlighted.
In the 2018 IG report on FBI conduct in the 2016 election, the IG stated there was no evidence of any FBI activity being taken for political intents.  Yes, there was a tremendous amount of politically motivated evidence noted within the report; but the top-line statement by Horowitz was counter to the underlying evidence.
A year ago that led us to ask: how could the IG outline political motives in the FISA investigation, if he previously stated there was no politically motivated action by the FBI?
The statement today by Rep. John Ratcliffe seems to speak to this issue.  The implication within the words is that the evidence is so overwhelming the IG has few options.