Page 2 - Second Hand Information News Today

And theyre blocking primary source documents. >> all that is true, but i didnt hear a counter narrative to any of that so-called secondhand information. it was remarkably consistent. and dont screw with a guy who takes notes. you know, i once worked for a philadelphia mayor named frank rizzo who said never write a letter and never throw one away. >> he had a reason to say that. >> i was thinking of that yesterday. maybe he did, john. but hes not here to defend himself. but i was thinking of that...

So i think it just says that this is not just the phone call. this goes beyond it. and the president was involved beyond the phone call as well. >> heres what the president had to say about that phone call when he was asked about this yesterday. >> i know nothing about that. first time ive heard it. the one thing ive seen that sondland said he did speak to me for a brief moment. and i said no quid pro quo under any circumstances. and thats true. the other, ive never heard this. in any event, its...

Privileges, absolute immunity, the more this information is necessary, the more compelling the argument that it needs to be turned over. and so, every time they attack these witnesses as hearsay and second-hand information, they are making the case that these documents should be turned over. >> i also want to ask you, barb, about the new information we got today. bill taylor says a member of his staff overheard a phone call that gordon sondland placed to the president personally from a cell phon...

Secondhand information. >> the president -- you didnt listen in on president trump and zelenskys call? >> i did not. >> you never talked with chief of staff mulvaney. >> i didnt. >> and you never met the president and it didnt come up. >> and two of those it didnt hear as far as i know -- >> and president zelensky never made an announcement. this is what i cant believe. and youre theyre star witness. youre their first witness. >> let me just say that i dont consider myself a star witness for any...

>> the president also in this news conference underway responding to the new evidence revealed by ambassador taylor. lets listen. >> but there was one moment where ambassador bill taylor recounted a conversation that an aid of his overheard -- it was the day after the phone call with zelensky on july the 26th. that -- how are things going with proceeding with the investigations. the sondland repeated back to you according to his aid that ukraine was prepared to do everything that you wanted some...

Dirt on a political opponent. remember what some republicans said about the complaint? they used -- it was the hearsay argument. >> i went back yesterday and actually read what was said, and there is. theres a lot of secondhand information, a lot of sort of hearsay -- not hearsay but in the sense that it was passed on, it wasnt a direct conversation. >> did he talk to the president? >> he talked to ambassador sondland, who talked to the president. >> oh. thats hearsay. >> hmm. you can find a bun...

Whistle-blower sent to congress back in august. the whistle-blower expressing concerns that the president was abusing his office by pressuring a foreign government to dig up dirt on a political opponent. remember what some republicans said about the complaint? they used -- it was the hearsay argument. >> i went back yesterday and actually read what was said, and there is. theres a lot of secondhand information, a lot of sort of hearsay -- not hearsay but in the sense that it was passed on. it wa...

Despite this testimony from earlier this week. brooke? >> manu, thank you very much. lets analyze. cnn political reporter is with us and cnn special correspondent jamie gangel. phrases i heard, oh, secondhand information. or hearsay. behind closed doors youre hearing a different story? >> absolutely. so they have to say that. president trump is watching, and the white house has been lobbying for them, but whats really going on is, im told from a senior republican source on capitol hill, that b...

Weve seen i would say is not a good one, right? hes talking about taylor. so then today he -- he tried to walk it back. heres john thune. >> i went back yesterday and actually read what was said, and there is -- theres a lot of secondhand information, a lot of sort of hearsay -- not hearsay, but in the sense that it was passed on. it wasnt a direct conversation. >> so -- so -- so look, rachel. im curious, from your reporting covering congress what do you think is happening there? obviously, neve...

Couldnt trust what he said because it was not firsthand. >> you dont just take pieces of the trial and take them out of context. >> reporter: you think this is out of context? >> yeah. >> theres a lot of secondhand information. a lot of sort of hearsay -- not hearsay, in the sense it was passed on not a direct conversation. >> you hear testimony, oh, thats the end of it, until you hear the other side. >> you give me 15 pages of testimony never subject to cross-examination and want me to comment ...