Investigating the firm tide to joe bidens son hunter and Conspiracy Theory about the 10i6r 2016 election. William taylor described efforts outside diplomatic channels by which the lawyer Rudy Giuliani by which gordon sondland, rick perry and others sought an arrangement with the ukraine president zelensky. In are the sthort taylors testimony which wrapped up describes the very thing the president and supporters denied for weeks now. There was no quid pro quo. This turned. A full blown threat of a full blown quid pro quo and i dont see it. There was never any quid pro quo. There is no quid pro quo. No wrirpd. No wrirpd. No wrirpd. There is no pro quo. Well, keeping him honest, the white houses own transcript of that july 25th conversation which is a rough transcript not word for word between the president and ukrainian president also already makes a mockery out of the denials. Today ambassador taylors account makes it plainer. Everything taylor says he was told, everything depended on dlen ski committing to his end of that quid pro quo and doing so publicly. By his account there was nothing subtle about it. In a statement brody taylor describes the september 1st phone call with tim morrison, quoting now, during this same phone call i had with mr. Morrison he went on to describe a conversation that ambassador sondland had with mr. Yermak in war saw. Telling mr. Yermak that the Security Assistance moneyway are would not come until president zlency committed to pursue the investigation. Barisma, the Ukrainian Company hunter biden served on the board of. Yermak is a close aid to president dlenky of ukraine. The ambassador continuing he was alarmed by what he i was told by about yermak conversation this was the first time i heard the Security Assistance not just the white house meeting was conditioned on the investigations. That same ahe texted his concern to sondland, the two then spoke by phone. Quoting again from taylors statement, during that phone call ambassador sondland President Trump told him he wants zlenky to stay publicly that ukraine will investigate bars ma and alleged ukrainian interference in the 2016 u. S. Election. Ambassador sondland everything was dependent on such an announcement including Security Assistance. He said that President Trump wanted president zlenky in a public box by making a Public Statement about ordering such investigations. Again, ambassador taylor wrapped up testimony shortly before air time joining us right now is new york exact democratic congressman Gregory Meeks a members of the House Foreign Affairs committee. Congressman, how much more were you able to learn from ambassador taylor today beyond what he said in the Opening Statement which was long and detailed . Well, you know, what we learned was that he is a patriot, that he comes with no political agenda. His only concern is about the significance and importance of the ukraine relationship with the United States of america, and the fact that russia is actively engaged in military conflict with ukraine, where ukrainians die on a daily basis as a result of that attack. And his whole focus that he was not we would not have taken the job but for him wanting to do the best fors his country standing by his country to show the ukrainians that they can have an opportunity to be a free and Democratic Society and not subject to the dictates of the dictator from russia. Your republican colleague mark meadows said after hearing the ambassador testify tor ten hours saying i can assure you there is no quid pro quo. How important is it to have the hearings public, because isnt it important would it be important for the public to actually hear what is beinghead behind closed doors. At some point were going to get the public hearings. But remember this is impeachment inquiry. There is no special prosecutor as it had been previously. And so we are conducting an inquiry. And the same manner that a special prosecutor had in the past. And in fact this is more open because in the special prosecutor case there was no member of or anyone there. In this case there is democrats and republicans and their respective attorneys that are in the room. So. When you hear congressman meadows after hearing ambassador taylor that he can assure people there is in quid pro quo, what do you make of the comment . When apparently you both heard the same things. You will all i say to the American People its out there so read the transcript, read the text of the statement. Basically he said when one side to me almost seemed like a god father movie said youre a businessman and dont get paid anything until you deliver what you want. Then he said the president didnt say no quid pro quo as if that meant there was no quid pro quo but then he said dont release the money unless question we get what we want. Thats a quid pro quo. If you expect someone to say when he they know theyre thaeg breaking the law and apparently he did thats why he said no quid pro quo trying to protect himself knowing he was break the lawn hold up the president of the ukraine to get some political dirt so that he could benefit and in his Political Campaign in 2020. Given that there are several consistencies between ambassador told you today and what ambassador sondland who by the way is not a Career Foreign Service officer. He is a business person who a trump supporter and made the ambassador to the European Union based on that, there is inconsistenty with what taylor said and ambassador sondland told you last we can, do you think sondland needs to be called back to explain differences . I think there is further questions. Thats why we are in the inquiry. This is a serious process we are engaged in. Its not something thats a joke or we take lightly. And so we are looking at and listening to all of the witnesses that testified, because this is a drive for the truth. The American People deserve to know the truth. And thats what we are trying to do here. We are taking further testimony. There will be more testimony all of next woke. Well combine. Transcripts will be open for people to read. At some point there will be opening hearings. And so, look, we are doing a meticulous thats fair and open to the president. Just lastly, the president today tweeted you want i want to read something he tweeted. He quoted im quoting so some day if a democrat puck ric abouts president the republicans win the house by a tiny margin they can impeach the president without due process or legal rights all republicans must remember what we are witnessing here a lynching but we will win. He came under a lot of criticism from many quarters today. I know that back in 1998, you called the president clinton impeachment a political lynching. Im wondering what you make of the president s use of the term. I said those words. But you cant put it in the same context. The President Trump with me an individual in the context whose people and whose family had been subject to lynching, and so when you also think about who donald trump is and what he said, he is the president of the birther movement. He is the one that said those in Charlotte Charlottesville are fair people or people thats good people on both sides, those are the same individuals that lynched my ancestors when you think about what he has done, you talk about the central park five, all of the whistle the conversation that hes has in regards to Race Relations and the discriminatory practices he said in his businesses donald trump does not have the liberty to say and use that word. Congressman meeks i appreciate your time. Thank you very much. In addition to that tweet, the white house has just added this. Press secretary Stephanie Grisham putting out a statement. President trump has done nothing wrongs in a coordinated Smear Campaign from far left lawmakers and unelected bureaucrats waging war on the constitution. There was no quid pro quo. The statement continuing today was just more triple hearsay and selective leaks from the democrats politically motivated closed door secretive hearings. Every day in nonsense continues more taxpayer time and money is wasted. Frufrp President Trump is leading the way for the American People by delivering a safer stronger more secure country. The do nothing democrats should consider doing the same. A lot to pock about joining us is david gergen who who like ambassador taylor served republican and democrat ibs sentence and Gloria Borger joining us as well as seen questioner adviser to president obama host of the axe files files and axelrod. And White House Correspondent abby phillip. David axelrod, its pretty rich to hear sfefny grisham first of all nice to hear from her bus we rarely do. There havent been any briefings in so long. To hear her a, talk about misuse of tax mayor money. The allegation again President Trump is Holding Hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer money over the head of the ukrainian president in order to get dirt on his own domestic political opponent. The idea. Yes. That theyre suddenly concerned about the misuse of taxpayer money is pretty rich and also ambassador taylor i mean, whether you believe him or not, if you look at his service to the country, you know, west point graduate, served in vietnam, this is no no slouch. No. And in fact he has devoted himself to service of the country. Clearly not a political. 50 years of service. And deeply offended by what he saw, you know, appalled by what he saw, as he shall have been. About the president s tweet aside from the use of the word lynching which is a story in and of itself. I hope that if another president were to do in of either party that the congress would would do what theyre doing now, because basically this isnt a story about the corruption of the Ukraine Ukrainian government, this is corruption at the highest levels of the United States government. And taylors account today was pains takingly detailed. He had obviously taken copious notes. It read like a detective novel. And his own exercise and discovery that his worst fears had had been true all along and the fact is the president of the United States through his agents were shaeg down the ukrainian government. I mean its an appalling thing. Last pinpoint on this because i know others have thoughts on this. The other thing that was appalling about in was the notion that there were two missions going on at once. One was the official u. S. Policy to work with ukraine to ward off the attack, the ongoing attack from the russians, and the other was running completely in a parallel direction. And that only compounds the seriousness of this i think. Right. And it was contrary to u. S. Foreign policy. Nothing to do with u. S. Foreign policy and everything to do with donald trump reelection policy. And whats so ominous about it is they had the inside track to President Trump, because of tv lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and where is the whereas the the career diplomats did not. The ambassador gets fired. And taylor describes on several occasions career officials, policy makers boxed out of the Decision Making process. It wasnt just that president President Trump decided to dell fate gait ukraine to an outside adviser in giuliani and giuliani was working in a no normal process. He was working outside of the normal process against Foreign Policy and leaving out career officials from the process. At the same time doing business in ukraine with a bunch of irk kas. At the same time. Picking up amp the break i want to hear from david and glory whennia when come back as we learned about ambassador told lawmakers ar behind closed doors. A splimt among republicans. Top ally and the Senate Majority leader hanging the president out to droi. Details ahead. About 50 of people with severe asthma have too many cells called eosinophils in their lungs. Eosinophils are a key cause of severe asthma. Fasenra is designed to target and remove these cells. Fasenra is an addon injection for people 12 and up with asthma driven by eosinophils. Fasenra is not a rescue medicine or for other eosinophilic conditions. Fasenra is proven to help prevent severe asthma attacks, improve breathing, and can lower oral steroid use. Fasenra may cause allergic reactions. Get help right away if you have swelling of your face, mouth, and tongue, or trouble breathing. Dont stop your asthma treatments unless your doctor tells you to. Tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection or your asthma worsens. Headache and sore throat may occur. Havent you missed enough . Ask an asthma specialist about fasenra. If you cant afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. Man can i find an Investment Firm that has a truly longterm view . It begins by being privately owned. With more than 85 years of experience over multiple market cycles. With Portfolio Managers who are encouraged to do whats right over whats popular. Focused on helping me achieve my investors unique goals. Can i find an Investment Firm that gets long term the way i do . With capital group, i can. Talk to your advisor or consultant for investment risks and information. Talk to your advisor or consultant bleeding disorderste medlike hemophilia. S so victor can keep doing whats in his blood. At bayer, this is why we science. If ylittle thingsate tcan be a big deal. , thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not a cream. Its a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. With otezla, 75 clearer skin is achievable. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. Tell your doctor about your medicines and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Otezla. Show more of you. Even before Ambassador William Taylor spoke to congress today, the president was speaking out. Listen to what he said yesterday and asked ask yourself did he perhaps know how damaging todays testimony might be . Theyre interviewing ambassadors who i never heard of. I dont know the people. I never heard of them. I dont know most of the people. If i do i met them quickly or know them little. Ambassadors and some others. I dont know most of them i never heard of their names. Back now with david gergen. Gloria boringen and abbey gill ip and david axelrod. I dont know this person is a common trope from President Trump and Michael Cohen and and others. I want to read Something Else from the ambassadors statement. Ambassador sondland tried to explain that President Trump is a businessman. When a businessman is about to sign a check. He asks the businessman asks somebody to pay up before signing the check. Im not sure what that means. Sondland is himself is a businessman and knows of what he speaks in terms of that. But it seems perfectly aligned with how the president sees the world. But in business he was known for stiffing people and undercutting how much he paid suppliers. And this is not his money, its american taxpayers money. Thats the point. This money had been appropriated by congress, period. Supposed to go to ukraine. Whereas mr. Taylor pointed out today, 13,000 ukraines died at the hands of the russian. And this was an existential issue as far as he was concerned. Instead the president was playing politics and said im not letting you have the money that legally you are entitled to unless you do me a political favor and dig up dirt on my political opponent. And i think thats why in testimony today was so devastating. As you pointed out, anderson, taylor is somebody with great deal of credibility. He has been a Public Servant over 50 years. He is seasoned in diplomacy and Foreign Policy. And he found himself trying to figure out like a wilderness of mirrors what was going on in the policy he was trying to oversee and he couldnt figure out until somebody told him, guess what, the president doesnt want ukraine to get the that money unless ukraine does exactly what he wants. And it was stunning. And i dont see how anybody sitting in that room i know there are republicans coming out saying differently. I dont know how anybody sitting in that room could say that was okay. And yet the white house from the president saying i dont know this person never heard of this person, goes after the the service of this person. You know, theyll write them off as deep state, professional bureaucrats. 50 years of service from west point to vietnam war to, you know, high positions, that means something. Its not you know, the president may be familiar with bottle service. But Actual Service to the country, you know, that used to mean something in washington to the president. To a president. It did, anderson. And i do think youre right to talk about the respect in which mr. Taylor is held which hadly. Its also worth pointing out that he was first s