To members about this vote, it vindman not saying, court, size of san francisco. Decide, you tell me what to do, nearly 200,000 people under says this. We are taking the step to evacuation orders in california hes Behind Closed Doors right eliminate any doubt as to now. Wine country. Theres a different just the the fire there just 15 whet the Trump Administration may withhold documents, prevent different application already contained. Witness testimony, disregard that were seeing. So we are already seeing the theyve got a long way to go. Well keep a very close eye duly authorized subpoenas or move clearly doesnt satisfy the on. Were thinking of everything continue obstructing the house president s allies on the hill. Dealing with that in california. Of representatives. Thanks for being with us. Well see you back here tomorrow basically, you heard from jim i read that in short, maybe thats what theyre maybe morning. Im poppy harlow. Jordan, that this is essentially thats what they will be voting an empty vote. And im jim sciutto. On in this resolution, but will this vote really compel the but one thing that is also doing at this hour with kate balduan white house to hand over is it does put moderate starts right now. Everything that democrats want . Democrats in those swing states hello, everyone. I dont think so. Im kate balduan. I think this is more symbolic. That helped democrats win the thanks so much for joining me. Majority it, puts some of them so hes a decorated war veteran. I really dont think that this in a tough position. Vote in and of itself is going some not, because they have said he received a purple heart after to suddenly reverse course for very clearly that they want to being wounded by an ied in iraq. The white house. This is the old onetwo punch by vote. But some, it is putting them in hes a Current White House a tough spot, it puts them on pelosi. She is coming from a position of official. The National Security councils power, right, on the heels of the record, forces them on the top expert on ukraine, actually. That Federal District court record at this point on hes an active member of the judges ruling, saying, essentially impeachment. I think to play anthony br u. S. Army. Basically eviscerating the white Lieutenant ColonelAlexander House counsels argument, pat vindman. And hes sitting down in uniform, you see him walking cipollone, who says, we are not brindeesi of new york. Down right there. Hes sitting down in uniform going to take this inquiry as a are you going to vote for this resolution . To be honest, i havent even right now with house investigators. Legitimate inquiry, because it and according to his opening doesnt follow the precedence of read the text of the resolution yet. Statement, he is speaking out nixon and clinton, even though, im going to wait and see what against the commander in chief. As we know, you dont need a it says and make a decision this is the first witness to vote. Now shes really taking the wind before the vote comes up on out of their sails in that give an interview in the talking point, in that theres thursday. He very well might get there. Impeachment inquiry who was actually on that July 25th Call but hes not trusting in the
no due moroprocess. That sparked the shes now saying, all right, you speaker on this resolution and want a vote, here we go. How its being written at this whistleblowers complaint. Point. What is colonel vindmans story . Shes always said there was thats the democrats version going to be a vote and now of, i havent read the tweet. Theyre doing it. I havent read the tweet. Hes corroborating the accounts this is part of their strategy of some witnesses, contradicting i havent read the threepage, the accounts of others. Want to partake in any of this exactly. Its hard for some of these in that Opening Statement, people who are not sure where Lieutenant Colonel vindman says ropeadope in the court, use the politics is going to land on he sounded the alarm not once, this. But twice, regarding the whatever Block Testimony that its become very partisan. They have, and put a negative if you look at the polling, the president s efforts to pressure inference on it. Partisanship really has taken a ukraine. Writing this, and this is just hold on the issue of impeachment basically saying, thats going to corroborate the and they are relying on in part. Whistleblowers story. I was concerned by the call, i and so theyre going to use that did not think it was proper to in and of itself as an article moderates and maybe even some demand that a Foreign Government of impeachment, really, for republicans in their districts for the political power that investigate a u. S. Citizen and i they have. Obstruction. You do hear from democratic was worried about the obstruction of congress. And you have chael implications for the u. S. Governments support of ukraine. So after all of that, just wait leadership that the way out is just to vote present. They dont have to vote for or until you hear how the president and some republicans are trying against, just to vote present. To disparage Lieutenant Colonel thats a way Alexander Vindman already this we should call for that. Morning. But that is a way out. Lets get over to capitol hill but this is what pelosi has been right now. Cnns Phil Mattingly is there. Trying to avoid for a long time. Yes so, phil, hes behind closed but i do think we may be at a doors right now. What are you already hearing crossroads here, where from in there . You know, i think going into democrats shes trying to put this, obviously, weve seen the pressure on the republicans, politically, and shes trying to sixpage Opening Statement. And i think what democrats have get this Impeachment Inquiry to
an end point, as quickly as kind of cekeyed on up to this possible. Good luck, speaker. Point is how much it lines up thanks, guys. With past individuals who have its great to see you. Testified and given depositions all right, still ahead for on several key events. You also underscored the us, after two fatal crashes that significance. Led to a worldwide grounding of he is the first Current White House official to come in and testify. Obviously, the top ukraine the 737 max yet, congress is demanding answers from boeing expert on the National Security about the Design Problems with council inside the white house. The jet and the fix coming from he is also the first individual to come in behind closed door boeing. Up next, the ceo of boeing facing a grilling on capitol and testify who was actually listening to the call between hill. Farther than ever before. The ukrainian president and President Trump. A call which weve seen the transcript to. You look at the bio as well and with more engineers, more towers, democrats are certainly keen on more coverage. This. A career military officer, its a network that gives you. Someone who had a purple heart when he was serving in the war in iraq. And somebody who has dedicated with coverage from big cities, to small towns. His career to a nonpartisan way of doing things or an apolitical introducing tmobiles 600mhz signal. Way of doing things. And thats why people have been so struck by some of the attacks no signal reaches farther or is more reliable. Hes received in advance of his testimony. Now, these attacks came and its built 5g ready. Primarily from republican commentators, who were questioning, because he was originally born in the soviet union, came from ukraine, emigrated to the United States aveeno® with Prebiotic Striple oat complex at the age of 3, that perhaps he had dual loyalties or some sort balances skins microbiome. Of smear along those lines. So skin looks like this the president saying in a tweet
and you feel like this. Aveeno® skin relief. This morning, that nevertrumpers are the only get skin healthy™ people that are coming out and testifying against him. I relayed that to a republican member as i was walking into the capital this morning, just to get his sense. Is this the broader message that republicans are going to use to counter testimony that i think most people believe would be damaging to the president. And the members stopped, and i can say, was honestly, legitimately horrified to some degree that this might be the path that they were going down. And i think thats actually been reflected more and more by republicans throughout the course of this day. They will certainly disagree with what mr. Vindman, colonel vindman is going to be saying today, but they dont agree with what some republican commentators have done in terms of attacking him. Take a listen to what liz cheney, the number three republican and ardent defender of the president had to say just a moment ago. I also want to say a word about Something Else thats been going on over the course of the last several hours and last night, which i think is also shameful. And that is questioning the patriotism, questioning the dedication to country of people
like mr. Vindman, Lieutenant Colonel vindman, who will be coming today, and others who have testified. I think that we need to show that we are better than that as a nation. It is shameful to question their at bayer, were into the golden years. With better heart treatments, patriotism, their love of this nation. And we should not be involved in advanced brain disease research, that process. And better ways to age gracefully. Yeah, and just quickly to at bayer, this is why we science. Back the member i was talking to this morning, he said, quote, if we do this, we deserve to get our blanks kicked. So i think members are moving away from the republican commentators, but clearly, they still disagree with at least the opinion or the assessment that colonel vindman had related to that call, kate . Fascinating, phil. All right, so lay out for folks what lieutenant lay out what Lieutenant Colonel vindman is also, additionally, saying in this Opening Statement and obviously is conveying Behind Closed Doors. He wasnt just concerned about the July 25th Call, right . He was also concerned about Ambassador Gordon Sondland. Yeah, i think this is actually going to be the most important part of the testimony, at least based on the Opening Statement that weve seen up to this point. Is related to ambassador gordon
sondland, you talk about how he went to white house lawyers, National SecurityCouncil Lawyers after the july 25th phone call. He also went to white house lawyers after a July 10th Meeting, between white house officials and a top ukrainian official, at which point, according to vindman, ambassador sondland brought up the idea of if the ukrainians wanted a visit to the white house their newly inaugurated president , they would need to deal with or make a Public Statement related to investigations. He says, in part, ambassador sondland emphasized the importance that ukraine deliver the investigations into the 2016 election. The bidens and burisma. I stated to ambassador sondland that his statements were inappropriate, that the requests to investigate biden and his son had nothing to do with National Security, and that such investigations were not something the nsc was going to get involved in or push. Dr. Hill, fiona hill, then entered the room and asserted to ambassador sondland that his statements were inappropriate. Let me tell you why this matters. Gordon sondland has testified Behind Closed Doors, and in that statement, said he had no recollection of anything related to National Security council
officials saying they had problems with the meeting. Now fiona hill, bill taylor related to what he was told here, hello starts with hi mple. How can i help . About the July 10th Meeting, and colonel vindman all say the same a data plan for everyone. Everyone . Everyone. Lets send to everyone [ Camera Clicking ] thing, that sondland says has a different recollection wifi up there . Ahhh. Eye on as weeunant colonel vind sure, why not . Howd he get out . a camera might figure it out. That was easy going to tell investigators glad i could help. Behind closed doors, as theyre at xfinity, were here to make life simple. Easy. Awesome. Speaking right now, he is already, as phil is laying out, so come ask, shop, discover at your xfinity store today. Already saying quite a bit in just his Opening Statement. Now does his account fit in with all of the others about the calls, about the meetings, about the pressure surrounding President Trump and ukraine. Cnns Senior National correspondent, alex marquardt, hes tracking all of this for us. So alex, Connect The Dots for folks here, please. There are more dots every day with every passing testimony. Now these dots are all starting to align. And as you point out, we dont
know what hes going to say in his testimony Behind Closed Doors, but already with that Opening Statement, colonel vindman is painting this much fuller picture, giving more weight to what has already been said by those witnesses to those three different committees, not just about the infamous july 25th phone call, when President Trump asked for a favor from president zelensky, but also on the oneyear anniversary confirming the deep unease that of the first Fatal 737 Max jet people who are charged with shaping and directing ukraine crash, the ceo of boeing is on policy felt about what was going capitol hill right now trying to on in the white house. Convince lawmakers that his now, vindman is echoing what his planes are safe to get back in boss on the nsc, dr. Fiona hill, the air. Said about that same july 10th 346 people were killed in two separate 737 max crashes in meeting and Ambassador Gordon Sondland was in, that phil was october and march in the past year. And ceo dennis muilenburg, hes just talking about. Dr. Hill Accused Sondland of saying going into this hearing, connecting investigations to a white house meeting with the ukrainian president. And then she said that her boss, quote, we understand and deserve john bolton, then the national this scrutiny. Security adviser, likened this whole affair to a drug deal, and listen. Weve made mistakes. Told her and Vindman To Go see and we got some things wrong. The nsc lawyers. Now, vindman is also backing up were improving and were learning and were continuing to ambassador bill taylor, who is the most senior u. S. Diplomat in learn. Is that enough for congress
ukraine. He told the committees in his item is that enough for the victims families. Testimony last week about a call cnns rene marsh has been that he was on following that following this very closely and July 10th Meeting and he wrote, is joining us now. They gave me an account or rene, whats happening . The first words out of dennis rather, he said, they gave me an account of the July 10th Meeting muilenburgs mouth were an with the ukrainian officials at apology to the victims and the white house, specifically, saying that, and im quoting him they told me that ambassador sondland had connected now, we will never forget. When he first walked into the investigations with an oval Senate Hearing room, he had to Office Meeting for president face those families and they zelensky, which so irritated were holding pictures of their ambassador bolton that he loved ones. Abruptly ended the meeting, we have the image of that during telling dr. Hill and mr. Vindman this moment here at this they should have nothing to do hearing, that we can show you. These were loved ones lost in with domestic politics. He also directed dr. Hill to, quote, brief the lawyers. Two of those 737 max crashes and so, colonel vindman today in his hear more if boeing ceo just a Opening Statement, is saying the short time ago. Exact same thing. All of these people, vindman, taylor, hill, they are take a listen. Careerists. They are apolitical experts, and on behalf of myself and the they are contradicting what boeing company, we are sorry, Ambassador Gordon Sondland said. In his testimony, he told the do deeply and truly sorry. Committees, if ambassador bolton, dr. Hill, or others i want you to know that we carry those memories with us every harbored any misgivings about day. The impropriety of what we were and every day, that drives us to doing, they never shared those
miss givings with me, then or improve the safety of our airplanes and our industry. Later. Now, we should just remind our and that will never stop. Well, boeing ceo continues to viewers, sondland is a political fe face tough questions right now. Appointee. We know that he was told by the as we speak, did boeing conceal president in a phone call to insist to