And they say that includes also unreleased Text Messages on a personal device of sondlands that are, quote, deeply relevant and also Text Messages, on this role in ukraine. Including Trading Information on an investigation over the bidens. Lets go to man knu raju. Well, house chairman adam schiff came out criticizing this move by this administration to block this witness coming forward. He detailed why he believed ambassador sondland could provide key testimony about the governments urge in investigating joe biden about the talk of why military aid was suspended, about the talk, about the meeting that the Ukrainian Government wanted to have in washington. He said essentially any efforts to obstruct their witnesses could be used against them. In other words, perhaps in an article of impeachment which is what democrats have been warning. Perhaps, theyre not going to go down the route of a prolonged litigation, but perhaps move quicker in impeaching this period, just the third time in history. Just moments ago after he surprised his committee that he would not appear under the state departments direction, adam schiff made clear the democrats wouldnt stand for it. We consider yet additional strong evidence of obstruction of the constitutional functions of congress a coequal branch of government. Reporter now, schiff would not take questions afterwards. I tried to ask him what the next step exactly is. Will they go to court. He would not take questions. Republicans did come out afterwards, their contention is in their view, is this not a fair process. While they believe sondland should have come, they said they understand his reason for not doing so. One reason why, because kurt volker, the former envoy in ukraine, he came out last week, there were Text Messages, republicans said they should have released more. They called that not a fair process. And trump asked governments to investigate his political rivals, jim gordon said the president was just doing his job. Oh, the state department in this decision to stop somebody from testifying. Kelly ayotte joins us, any more intel from the state department itself . Yeah, the state department has remained largely silent this morning and throughout the last few weeks. I think its important to note that this news came to us from ambassador sondlands personal lawyer. I just want to read the news that broke that he was being prevented from going forth from his deposition on the hill. It said from his attorney, ambassador sondland is profoundly disappointed that he will not be able to testify today. Ambassador sondland traveled to washington from brussels, in order to prepare for this testimony, and to be available to answer the committees questions. Arrangements had already been made regarding the logistics of his testimony. Ambassador sondland believes strongly that he acted at all times in the best interests of the United States, and he stands ready to answer the committees questions fully and truthfully. So, poppy, we can receive some sort of indication last week from secretary pompeo that this be coming. He wrote a letter to the hill saying that there were questions about the Legal Authority that the hill was forcing upon these state Department Officials to compel them to come forth and talk to them because they had not subpoenaed these officials. Now, does the hill go forth and issue subpoenas, potentially. But it appeared, at the time, that they had kind of worked through their issues. There were dates they put on the table. They pushed those dates back. And then just last night, chairman schiff said that the house was in discussions with the Legal Adviser at the state department, who gave noll indication that this was going to be halted in any way. So, clearly, this was a very lastminute decision that the state department made. And i think its important to note that ambassador sondland said in his statement that he hopes this is going to be resolved quickly. Were really learning no more from the state department this morning. Kylie atwood, thanks very much. As we learned there, the white house was engaged in late night discussions about blocking ambassador sondlands testimony. Jeremy diamond at the white house this morning. Jeremy, i wonder it looks like this order came down from the white house, does it not, as opposed to the state department . Because the state department is making investigations and after all, the ambassador flew back to give the testimony . Reporter thats right, what were hearing this is part of a broader impeachment strategy, of course, being run by the president and his team of lawyers, the White House Counsel Office and also his personal lawyers. And were being told this is indeed part of a broader strategy. There were discussions late last night between officials that discussed essentially how much they want to cooperate with this house impeachment inquiry. We know that this white house has been pressuring House Speaker nancy pelosi to move forward with a formal vote on the house floor to formally create this impeachment inquiry. The House Speaker is adamant that she doesnt need to do that. But trying to pressure House Democrats in particular to get vulnerable House Democrats to actually put forward a vote and put their name, yes or no, in favor of this impeachment inquiry. So theres a political dimension to this as well. I think its interesting a source close to these discussions told our colleague jim acosta that the days of playing nice are done. Thats a message from the white house. We also saw that in a tweet from the president where hes attacking, continuing to attack the house inquiry, jim. Jeremy diamond, thank you, very much. Our cnn legal analyst Jennifer Rodgers is still with us, political reporter of bloomberg and the bureau chief from the chicago suntimes. Lynn, let me begin with you, we had congressman mike quigley on, obviously from illinois, but he believed, he wasnt sure, but he surmised that the next step on the Intelligence Committee would be to subpoena. To subpoena someone, and if you get nowhere with that you hold them in contempt. What choice do democrats on the committee have . Well, they dont have much choice. And i talked to representative quigley yesterday, too, on this very topic anticipated of the white house stonewalling. What the democrats dont have now is the game plan to back up what we should now realize that no one of note is going to come testify or cooperate with the democraticled impeachment inquiry. If theres any doubt there that President Trump is calling this calling the shot, just look at the tweet he center out a few minutes ago, where he said id love to send sondland, but unfortunately, its a kangaroo court. Now, when you take stonewalling to this agrdegree, youre deali with something that is unknown procedurally and thats where democrats have to figure out what to do. Subpoena is the next step as congressman quickly said, then you hold in contempt. But that doesnt get you the information. Yeah. So, they have to figure out a new strategy. Ball back in democrats court. We watched this public support for impeachment tick up fairly consistently over the last few weeks. Yes. 58 say the house was correct to start an impeachment inquiry, 38 say no. I will say, you heard from republicans that they were briefed on their own party polling which shows opposition in swing districts. And its that opposition to impeachment in swing districts, and its that polling that theyre more focused on than National Polling . Thats absolutely right, jim. The polls have shown us a stunning shift in impeachment among americans overall. That shift is democrats moving in favor of impeachment and a lot of independents. And thats where we get to a net 20point support. And republicans have not really moved as much. Its less of a legal strategy. Its more of a base first pr strategy. As long as they feel 80 to 90 against impeachment, as long as his job approval remains at 80 or 90 , its difficult to see any conviction happening in this senate which is required to remove the president from office. Very good point. Lets everyone listen to the part of adam schiffs comments that struck jim and i the most. Here it is. But were also aware that the ambassador has Text Messages or emails on a personal device which have been provided to the state department. Those messages are also deeply relevant to this investigation. And the impeachment inquiry. Jennifer rodgers, twoprong question, deeply relevant messages that the public hasnt seen yet. And it isnt clear if schiffs committee hasnt seen them. Also something on a personal device. Moving a conversation to it sounds like a personal device. What do you make of it . Well, it sounds like there were conversations that they wanted to take offline because they didnt want people to know about it. If you follow the text, you can see what happened, theyre talking about the tit for tat and the quid pro quo, and someone says, lets take this offline. And then theres a period of five hours where theres no communication on the official communication devices which sounds like they were talking about it on another way. And it sounds like the personal device is the way. Whether or not mr. Schiff had seen this, his statement that theyre highly relevant is true. Looking at the relevance here, that this is not a based strategy but pr strategy. How does that work, i just wonder if its possible that could back fire on the president and republicans if americans see them to be stonewalling here . Was that for me, jim . Sorry, thats lynn. Lynn, i was quoting your wisdom, sahil, but going to lynn for her wisdom . Thats for me . Yeah. One of the beefs that President Trump had on his twitter feed is that no one is reporting, in fact we have, this is how we know it, that sondland sent in a tweet, youre interpreting whatever is going on wrong, nothing untoward is going wrong. One of the things we can do, President Trump, if you think this message needs to be amplified then you have sondland come and say it again. If theres another story to tell, Everyone Wants to hear it. This is not a kangaroo court. If theres another side, exculpatory material, mitigating material, thats why we call this an impeachment inquiry. Lets put the inquiry part of this first. Inquiry, and then impeachment. And maybe people will understand, if he had a tweet that puts this in a different light, come and explain it. Sahil, i feel what youre saying, but new polling shows republicans move for 7 support for impeachment inquiry in july to 28 in todays Washington Post poll. Thats movement, not just a few percentage points. Look, thats an important point. Its a key number to watch. If it moves to critical mass, and i dont know that number, 30, 40, 50 . Thats a key number to watch. That chamber is majority republican, it is full of members in small red states, where President Trump is very popular. So if you want movement in terms of house impeachment inquiry, its something that the president cannot stop. Democrats have the votes to do that. Now, i think youre going to see a back and forth where democrats are going to accuse the president of trying to cover something up, being afraid of what sondland might say by refusing to testify and hes going to continue to attack the investigation try to undermine the investigators and say this is all political. So, that is going to be the context of the debate of which we might or might not see numbers move. We do know, Jennifer Rodgers, from a legal perspective, and congressman quigley said that to us on the air that there are going to be multiple obstruction if not multiple obstruction articles of impeachment, multiple cases of obstruction cited in an article of impeachment. And Something Like this added to that list. Thats right. Because what you really want to show is a pattern of behaviors right . You dont want to show one instance where they stonewall and there was an excuse for that. You really need to show time and time again its been obstructed all along. The quote about about playing nice. When did they ever play nice . Every step of the way they have not proceeded in that step of inquiry. I do hear the tweet that someone was moved to a protected server. Jennifer, all you smart, wise, people, thanks very much. We will have you back. Theres a lot to digest. We continue to follow the breaking news. Trump administration blocking the key essential witness really in the impeachment inquiry. Were going to talk potential next steps with a member of the House Judiciary Committee coming up. Plus, the number of lawmakers criticizing the president s phone call is increasing. This, as the president defends his move to pull troops out of syria. After the backlash over the handling of northern syria, the question remains why are so many republicans staying silent on the phone call and speaking out about syria . Saturdays happen. Pain happens. Aleve it. Aleve is proven better on pain than tylenol. When pain happens, aleve it. All day strong. Were following breaking news this morning and its moving quickly. White house blocking Eu Ambassador sondland to testify just minutes before he was set to testify on capitol hill. He flew in from europe. Specifically about his interactions with ukraine. Democratic house intelligence chairman calling the move to keep sondland from speaking to lawmakers, quote, strong evidence of obstruction. Joining me steve cohen from tennessee. He sits on the House Judiciary Committee. Congressman, we appreciate you taking the time this morning. Fleiss to be witnice to be w. The white house firing a shot across the bow here, refusing to give testimony, possible, this will be the first of many cases of stonewalling here. I just wonder how congress enforces its power of oversight. They can issue a subpoena, but the white house showing no indication of defying subpoenas. What do the House Democrats need to do to get the information they need to proceed with the inquiry . The only power they have is subpoena, which is under power of law. And that has to go through the courts. And the courts have been slow. The administration has slowwalked, continued to appeal, and in certain more powerful contempt efforts to bring somebody and charge them with contempt, the attorney general bill barr would have to be the prosecuting attorney. And hes not going to prosecute. So that kind of puts us in a difficult position. How do you get out of that position . What do you do . Theres a ding of being stymied here, right, if the white house wins this case . Well, theres some talks about inherent contempt, being able to use that, perhaps there would have to be procedures set up. And the leadership has moved in a very conservative manner, so i dont know if thats been developed or not. Well, i ask, again, and we spoke to a member of the house Intelligence Committee in the last hour, mike quigley, and he made the point that if this continues it will stymie democrats efforts to establish potential wrongdoing with the president s action with ukraine. He does say it gives more evidence of obstruction, but he granted that it gets in the way of getting to the bottom of this. And im just curious what the strategy is. It sounds like democrats are still trying to develop a strategy. Well, i think we are, and i think judiciary had the same problem, we were stonewalled. People refused to comply with subpoenas. Weve gone to court on contempt case citations that the courts are still ruling and or theyve been appealed. I think all of this is obstruction of congress and that can be a charge in itself. What i think theyre doing is contributing to obstruction of justice. Trump said during the campaign that people who plead the fifth are like the mafia. But when you dont give an oral deposition to mueller, thats kind of like pleading the fifth. And when you dont show up to testify or you dont comply with subpoenas, thats kind of like pleading the fifth. They are doing everything they cannot to testify, not to be subject to crossexamination. Not to have to testify to the American People and their representatives. Thats indices of guilt. And overall, you can use that i think, to show guilt, and that can come forth in an impeachment hearing. Okay. In the same category you might say adam schiff revealing this morning that there are Text Messages and emails on a private device of ambassador sondland that the state department has and is withholding. I wonder how central you think those texts and emails are. And do you have an issue, imagine what we were talking about in 2016, but using a private device for official communications . I think that there was a reason why that was done, just like the ambassador told volker, i believe it was, call me call me on that one. Or find another he said, call me, dont text back. He knew. Right. He didnt want to leave a trail thats more indices of guilt or bad conduct. Okay. The democrats have an aggressive, ambitious time line for completing an impeachment inquiry. There was some talk of having it all wrapped up by thanksgiving. Here we are, october 7th, 8th d and you have the white house stonewalling on key interviews, documents and Text Messages. You can keep to that time line . If we do, its going have to be an abbreviated amount of facts that are given to the senate to present in trial. That may be what senators use to invoke the fact that the proof wasnt induced. But again, common sense tells you theres guilt all over this white house. They refuse to comply. They refuse to give depositions. Trump said i want to talk to mueller, then he didnt. Then when he gave a deposition, a third to half of his answers, i dont remember, i dont know. Thats not being open with the public. Today, he tweeted an hour ago, i want sondland to testify, but its a kangaroo court. Thats all huey. Thats all huey. This is all hiding the truth, hiding the facts and dodging. Before you go, congressman