Sure presidents Olinsky to investigate former v.p. Biden witnesses who testified in the inquiry have denied having awareness of criminal activity or even an impeachable offense on the key question of the president's state of mind there is no clear evidence that President Trump acted with malicious intent overall at best the impeachment inquiry record is riddled with hearsay presumptions and speculation there are conflicting and ambiguous facts throughout the record facts that could be interpreted in different ways to paraphrase To paraphrase Professor Turley from last week the impeachment record is heavy on presumptions and empty on proof that's not me saying that that is Professor Turley So let me start with the best direct evidence of any potential quid pro quo or impeachable of ski scheme this is President Trump's phone call with Selenski for which the National Security Council and the White House situation room staff prepared a call summary according to testimony from Tim Morris and at the n.s.c. This summary was accurate and complete and as the staff member Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vinland testified that any omissions in the summary were not significant and that editing was not done maliciously President Trump has declassified and released the call summary so the American people can review it and assess it for themselves I'll make a few points that seem to have gone under noticed the call summary reflects absolutely no pressure or conditionality resident Selenski vocalize no concerns with the subject matters discussed and there is no indication of bribery. Or sion or other illegal conduct. On the call the call summary shows President Trump and President Selenski engaged in pleasantries and cordiality calls some reveals laughter Simply put the call is not the sinister mob shakedown that some Democrats have described President Trump raises concerns about European allies paying their fair share in security assistance to Ukraine a concern that President Trump would continue to raise both publicly and privately there is no discussion on the call I repeat no discussion on the call about the upcoming 2020 a lecture or security sectors assistance to Ukraine beyond the call summary the next best piece of evidence are the statements from the 2 participants on the call President Alinsky has said he felt no pressure on the call on September 25th that the United Nations he said we had I think a good phone call it was normal nobody pushing on October 6th president Lansky said I was never pressured and there were no conditions being imposed 4 days later on October 10th residents of Lenski said again there's nothing wrong with a call no blackmail this is not corruption it was just a call and just recently in Time magazine President Lansky said never talk to the president from his ition of a quid pro quo because President Selenski would be the target of any alleged who'd pro quo scheme his statements denying any pressure carry significant weight he is in fact the supposed victim here other senior Ukrainian government officials confirmed President Selenski statements. Foreign Minister pre-strike Ghose said on September 21st I know what the conversation was about and I think there was no pressure all Xander Danny look who was then secretary of Ukraine's national security and defense council. Basher Bill Taylor on the night of the call that the Ukrainian government was not the stirred by anything on the call. President Trump of course has also said that he did not pressure President Selenski on September 25th President Trump said there was no pressure when asked if he wanted President Selenski to do more to investigate the former v.p. President Trump responded No I want to do whatever he can what every He can do in terms of corruption because corruption is massive That's what he should do several witnesses attested to the president's concerns about Ukrainian corruption the initial readouts of the July 25th call from both the Ukrainian government and the State Department raised no concerns all those 10 a colonel of Inman noted concerns those concerns were not shared by National Security Council leadership they were not shared by General Keith Kellogg who listened on the call to General Kellogg said in a statement I heard nothing wrong or improper on the call I had and have no concerns Lieutenant Colonel women superior to Morrison testified that he was concerned the call would leak and be misused in Washington's political process but he did not believe that anything discussed on the call was illegal or improper much has also been made about President Trump's reference on the July 25th call to Hunter Biden's position on the board of Barisan. A corrupt Ukrainian energy company and the actions of certain Ukrainian officials in the run up to the 2016 election Democrats dismiss these comparisons conspiracy theories to suggest that the president has no legitimate reason other than his own political interests to raise these issues with President Selenski the evidence however shows that there are legitimate questions about both issues with respect to Barisan. Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent testified that the company had a reputation for corruption the company was founded by me Collazo cesky served as Ukraine's minister of ecology and natural resources when so cesky served in that role his company Barisan received will expiration licenses without public options resume a brought 100 Biden on to its board of direction or of directors according to The New York Times as part of a broader effort by Barisan to bring in well connected Democrats during a period when the company was facing investigations back not just by Don't mess to Ukrainian forces by officials in the Obama administration George Kent testified about these efforts under Biden reportedly receive between 50000 and $83000.00 a month as compensation for his position on Barisan his board at the time that Hunter Biden joined the board his father the former v.p. Was the Obama administration's point person for Ukraine Ivan has no specific corporate governance expertise and we don't believe he speaks Ukrainian or Russian We don't believe he moved there so he's getting this gigantic paycheck for what. The Washington Post wrote at the time of Biden's appointment to Barisan his board it looked nepotistic at best and the Washington Post said The Washington Post nefarious at worst according to The Wall Street Journal anti corruption activists in Ukraine also raise concerns that the former v.p. Son received money from asking and worried that that would mean so cesky would be protected and not prosecuted witnesses in the impeachment inquiry noted Hunter Biden's role on the board and how it presented at minimum a conflict of interest lieutenant colonel of Inman testified that Hunter Biden did not appear qualified to serve on Barisan his board witnesses testified that Hunter Biden's role on the board was a legitimate concern to raise in fact George can explain that in 2015 he raised the concern to the office of former Vice President Biden at Hunter Biden's role on Barisan his board presented a potential conflict of interest however Hunter Bunz role did not change and former Vice President Biden continued to lead u.s. Policy in Ukraine on this record there is a legitimate basis for President Trump who have concern about Hunter Biden's role on board the prospect that some senior Ukrainian officials worked against President Trump in the run up to the 2016 election draws an even more visceral reaction from most Democrats let me say very very clearly that election interference is not binary I'm not saying that it was Ukraine and not Russia I'm saying that both countries and work to influence an election. A systemic ordinated Russian interference effort does not mean that some Ukrainian officials some Ukrainian officials did not work to oppose President Trump's candidacy did not make statements against President Trump during the election ambassador Volcker testified in his public hearing that it is possible for more than one country to seek influence in u.s. Elections Dr Hill testified likewise at her public hearing contemporaneous news articles in 2016 noted how President Trump's candidacy led key vhs wider political leadership to do something they would never have attempted before intervene however indirectly in a u.s. Election in August 26th seen the Ukrainian ambassador to the Us published an op ed in The Hill criticizing candidature on other senior Ukrainian officials called Candidate trump a clown and other words they allege that he challenge the very values of the free world one prominent Ukrainian parliamentarian explained that the majority of Ukraine's political figures were on Hillary Clinton's side a January 27000 Politico article lays out in more detail efforts by the Ukrainian government officials to oppose president trumps candidacy the article notes how you crane work to sabotage the Trump campaign by publicly questioning his fitness for office the article details how woman name Alexandra Chalupa a Ukrainian American contractor paid by the d.n.c. And working with the d.n.c. And the Clinton campaign traded information and leads about the Trump campaign with the staff at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington. Explained how the Ukrainian Bisi worked directly with reporters to point them in the right direction. Witnesses in the impeachment inquiry testified that the allegation of Ukrainian influence in the 2016 election was appropriate to examine ambassador Volcker testified that he thought it was fine investigate allegations about 2016 influence Ambassador Taylor said for example that the allegations surprised and disappointed him on this record I do not believe that one could conclude that President Trump had no legitimate basis to raise a concern about efforts by Ukrainians to influence the 2016 election let me now turn to the 1st assertion that President Trump withheld a meeting with President Selenski as a way of pressuring him to investigate the former v.p. Here it is important to note Ukraine's long profound history of endemic corruption several witnesses in the inquiry have testified about these problems ambassador Marie Yvonne of each for example said Ukraine's corruption is not just prevalent but frankly is the system witnesses testified to having firsthand knowledge that President Trump is deeply skeptical of Ukraine due to its corruption back years and that this skepticism contributed to President Trump's initial hazard. To meet with President Saleh ambassador Volcker testified so I know he had a very deep rooted skeptical view and my understanding at the time was that even though he agreed in the meeting that we had with him say Ok I'll invite him I'll invite him he didn't really want to do it Volcker said and that's why the meeting kept getting delayed another relevant set of facts here is the effort of some Ukrainian officials to approach president Trump's candidacy in the 2016 election. Some of these Ukrainian politicians initially remanding government when presidents Alinsky took over witnesses testified that these Ukrainian efforts in 2016 color helped President Trump the you do crane it's also important to note that President Alinsky was a relatively unknown quantity for u.s. Policy makers ambassador Evanovich called him an untried politician Dr Hill testified that there were concerns within the National Security Council about Selenski relationship with Igor Kohl Moyse a controversial of guard and Ukraine although President Selenski ran on a reform platform president Selenski appointed lawyer Mr Bowden as his chief of staff oath embassador Volcker and Senator Ron Johnson noted that this appointment raised concerns these facts are important in assessing the president's state of mind in understanding whether President Selenski was truly committed to fighting corruption in Ukraine the evidence shows the President Trump invited President Selenski to meet at the White House on 3 separate occasions all without any conditions the 1st was on April 21st during the initial congratulatory phone call the 2nd was via letter on May 29th this letter followed Oval Office meeting on May 23rd with the u.s. Delegation to the inauguration during this meeting President Trump again express his skepticism about Ukraine ambassador Volker recalled the president saying these are terrible people and a corrupt country and Bassett or someone similar testified that Ukraine in the president's view tried to take them down in the 2016 election Senator Ron Johnson confirmed this testimony in his submission to the impeachment inquiry only the 3rd time the President Trump invited Selenski to meet again without any preconditions was during the July 25th phone call. Although some time passed between May 21000 when the president formally invited Selenski to meet and September 25th when the president's met the evidence does not show that the Ukrainian government felt this pressure due to this delay to the contrary ambassador Volcker testified that the Ukrainian regime felt pretty good about its relationship with the Trump administration in this period during those 4 months in your Ukrainian government officials had at least 9 meetings or phone calls with President Trump vice president pants secretary Pompei o national security advisor Bolton and u.s. Ambassadors the evidence does not support a conclusion that President Trump condition to meeting with President Selenski on investigating former Vice President Biden Mr your mac president unless he's close advisor said that explicitly in an August 21000 New York Times story which was published before the beginning of the impeachment inquiry in this article your mike said that he and Mayor Giuliani did not discuss a link between a presidential meeting and investigations witness testimony confirms your max statement Ambassador Volcker testified there was no linkage between a potential meeting and investigations although ambassador someone testified that he believed there was a quid pro quo his testimony is not as clear as it has been portrayed in his deposition ambassador Simon testified that he believed the meeting was conditioned on a public anti-corruption statement not on investigations themselves a distinction that during his deposition he was keen to know Ambassador silence and then nothing about the request raised any red flags in his public testimony ambassador sawmilling clarified. That he had no firsthand knowledge of any linkage coming from the president and never discussed any preconditions with the president he merely presume and there were a precondition I'd also like to address the July 10th meeting in Ambassador Bolton as office with 2 senior Ukrainian officials allow me to submit that here too there is conflicting evidence about the facts both Dr Hill and lieutenant colonel of them and testified that Ambassador saw and raised investigations during this meeting causing Ambassador Bolton to broccoli and the meeting Dr Hill testified she confronted him bastard. Over his discussion about investigations of acid or silence testimony about this meeting however is scattered in his closed door deposition he testified that no national security staff member ever once expressed concerns to him that he was acting improperly and he denied that he raised investigations during this meeting. When he came here to testify in public he had knowledge for the 1st time that he raised investigations but he denied that the meeting ended abruptly he maintained that Dr Hill never raised concerns to him and that any discussion of investigations did not mention anything specific such as Biden or 2016 let me lastly address the allegation that President Trump directed vice president pence not to attend President Selenski inauguration as another way of pressuring Ukraine to investigate ormer Vice President Biden Jennifer Williams a senior advisor in the office of the vice president testified that a colleague she said it was the chief of staff assistant hold her the chief of staff assistant. A President Trump a directed vice president Penn's not to attend the inauguration However Williams had no firsthand knowledge of any such direction or the reasons given for any such direction if indeed such a direction was given it's not clear from the evidence why it was done because the vice president's office was juggling other potential trips during that time and the Ukrainian parliament scheduled scheduled election on an extremely short timeframe it was just 4 days notice Williams explained that there was a window it was a window of dates May 30th through June 1st during which the vice president could attend the inauguration and that was communicated and that if it wasn't one of those days it would be difficult or impossible to attend the inauguration separately the office of the vice president was also planning an unrelated trip to Canada to promote the u.s. During the same window the u.s. M.c.a. Was and still is a significant priority for the administration has President pence as done a number of public events in support of President Trump was also planning foreign travel during this time period and as Dr Hill testified both President Trump and vice president hence cannot both be out of the country at the same time Williams explained that these factors created a narrow window for the vice president's participation in the inauguration Dr Hill testified that she had no knowledge that the vice president was directed not to attend on May 16th the outgoing Ukrainian parliament scheduled the inauguration for May 20th only 4 days later May 20th was not one of the 3 dates that Vice President Pence's office had provided for his availability. Williams testified that this early date surprised the vice president's office because we weren't expecting the Ukrainians to look at that time from George Tenet the State Department said that this short notice from the Ukrainians forced the State Department to scramble to find a u.s. Official to lead the delegation finally settling on Secretary of Energy Rick Perry on May 20th the date of President's Lindsey's inauguration vice president Pence was in Jacksonville Florida for an event promoting u.s. M.c.a. Really on September 25th President Trump and President Selenski met during the United Nations General Assembly the 2 met without Ukraine ever taking action on investigation and according to Ambassador Taylor there was no discussion of investigations during this meeting I will now turn to the 2nd assertion that president withheld taxpayer funded security assistance to Ukraine as a way of pressuring Selenski to conduct these investigations here to context this critically important President Trump has been skeptical of foreign assistance in general and believes quite strongly that our European allies should share more of the burden for regional defense that's an assertion he made on the campaign trail something he's raised consistently since it's also important to note the u.s. Security assistance is conditioned to countries around the world and that u.s. Aid including aid to Ukraine has been temporarily paused in the past for various reasons and even for no reason at all about it or Volcker testified the 55 day pause on security assistance did not strike him as uncommon and that the pause was not significant Dr Hill and State Department official Catherine Croft both testified that security assistance to Ukraine specifically had been temporarily paused in the past. Massacre David Hale the Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs the 3rd. Most senior person at the State Department testified that the National Security Council launched a review of u.s. Foreign assistance across the world to make sure acts paradox were spent in the national interest and to advance the principle of burden sharing by our allies Dr Hill testified that as she was leaving