Expired. Id like to have that unanimous consent mr. Quigley, youre recognized, mr. Quigley, youre recognized. Thank you. Madam ambassador, its like a hallmark movie. You ended up at georgetown, this is all okay. [ laughter ] it wasnt your preference seven, eight months ago, correct . No, it was not. It wasnt your preference to be the victim of a cemetery campaign, was it . No. It wasnt your preference to be defamed by the president of the United States including today, was it . No. It wasnt your preference to be ousted at seemingly the pinnacle of your career, was it . No. You wanted to finish your extended tour, correct . I did. What did you want to do after that . Did you know . I wasnt sure. Theres nothing wrong with georgetown. Its a fine place, right . Its a wonderful place. But its your own choice at the end of the distinguished career after all that. Its not the end of a hallmark movie. Its the end of a really bad Reality Tv Show brought to you by someone who knows a lot about that. Why did you you previously testified that you sought advice from ambassador sondland at this time about what to do. Is that correct . I did. And why did you reach out to the ambassador . Because this was clearly so political and was not going to be, you know the State Department was not in a position shall we say to manage the
issue. It didnt appear to me. And so i asked ambassador sondland who said that he, you know, he was a political appointee, he said he was close to the president. And so he had just been in ukraine for a ship visit with some of his eu colleagues from brussels. And so i reached out to him for advice. When this was no longer a ukraine kind of an interview with mr. Lutsenko, it became american politicians and pundits, et cetera, were repeating those allegations, i asked him for advice. It meant a lot to you. This is an extraordinary time. The advice meant a lot, and what was what was his advice . He suggested that i needed to go big or go home, and he said
that the best thing to do would be to, you know, send out a tweet, praise the president , that sort of thing. And what was your reaction to that advice . Well, my reaction was that im sure he meant well, but it was not advice that i could really follow. It felt partisan. It felt political. And i that was not something that i thought was in keeping with my role as ambassador and a Foreign Service officer. Did he give you any specific suggestions on what to say about the president of the United States or just Say Something nice about him . Yeah, just to praise him. Thank you. I yield the balance to the chairman. I want to follow up on mr. Quigleys line of questioning and harken back to something you were asked earlierment you were
asked do you think you could have done more to push back against this Smear Campaign . And im not suggesting this is what the counsel was getting at but sometimes victims are asked arent you responsible for your own victimization. What would you say to people who say isnt it kind of your fault, ambassador, that you didnt fight your own smear harder . Well, i think that you know, ive been a Foreign Service officer for a long time. Just like the military, we have our own culture, we have our own kind of Chain Of Command so to speak, and i did everything that i could to to address these issues and ask the State Department to do what i felt was the right thing which was
support me when it was important to do so because it was also about supporting the policy. I i think it was for others to stand up for me. I quite agree. Representative . Thank you. Since the chairman has gavelled out all of my colleagues with their unanimous consent, i am going to read for the record many of the chairmans comments in september of the importance of hearing from the whistleblower. Again, ambassador, thank you for your patience. Thank you for your service. But since we havent been able to conduct ourselves in normal procedures, im just going to use the five minutes for this. September 29th, in the Wall Street Journal, quote, the whistleblower at the center of the Impeachment Investigation of President Trump will testify in the house very soon. There is a quote by the chairman. Usa today, september 29th, talking with abc news this week, schiff, the democrat who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, said the whistleblower would testify very soon, and the only thing standing in the way was getting Security Clearances for the attorneys representing the
whistleblower so they could attend the testimony. From vax, september 29th, rep schiff said sunday the whistleblower at the center of a growing scandal surrounding President Donald Trump will testify before the House Intelligence Committee very soon. On cnn, september 29th, schiff said sunday on abc, as well as nbcs Meet The Press that he expects the whistleblower to testify very soon. The washington post, september 29th, in an appearance on abc news this week, schiff echoed pelosis message. He also said he expected the Intelligence Committee to hear from the whistleblower very soon, pending a Security Clearance from Acting Director of national intelligence, joseph mcgwire. In the huffington post, schiff told abcs this week that he expects the whistleblower to appear before this committee very soon. In the new york post, quote, we get the unfiltered testimony of that whistleblower. In the washington times, quote, that whistleblowerer will be allowed to come in. These are all quotes from chairman adam schiff. In talking points memo, the question was posed actually, this was by george
stephanopoulos, have you reached an agreement yet with the whistleblower and his or her attorneys about coming before the committee and providing the information firsthand . Quote, yes, we have, schiff responded. And as d i mcgwire promised during the hearing, that whistleblower will be allowed to come in and come in without a minder from the Justice Department or the white house to tell the whistleblower what they can and cannot say. Well get the unfiltered testimony of that whistleblower. In daily coast, were ready to hear from the whistleblower as soon as that is done. And well keep obviously Riding Shotgun to make sure that the Acting Director doesnt delay in that clearance process. In cbc, well get the unfiltered testimony of the whistleblower. In marketwatch, House Intelligence Committee chairman adam schiff said sunday that an agreement has been reached under which the whistleblower will testify before the committee very soon. I can keep going, but again, the chairman refused to allow us to put these into the record with unanimous consent. So ive read those out. As we know, it is important to protect whistleblowers from
retaliation and from firing. And we want to make sure whistleblowers are able to come forward. But in this case, the fact that we are getting criticized by chairman adam schiff for statements that he himself made early on in this process shows the duplicity and just the abuse of power that we are continuing to see. With a minute 54 seconds left, ill yield to mr. Jordan. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I would add that the chairman has promised well get to see the transcripts. But theres still four people we dee posed that we havent had the transcripts released. Therefore, the testimony they provided are not used in the open hearings. If its an open hearing, off the testimony from the deposition taken by committee should be available to be discussed for the American People to see. No, no, no, mr. Morris and mr. Hale, two other miss williams, two others and another one have not yet been released. So i hope the chairman releases that. One other point i would make in the last minute of the time, the democrats asserted that this whole thing with ambassador yovanovitch was part of some sinister scheme by the white house to get mr. Zelensky to do an to do an investigation. If were calling ambassador yovanovitch was part of some scheme by trump and pompeo and giuliani to get president zelensky to do an investigation, why would they replace her with the democrats first witness . Their star witness, bill taylor. I mean, that if thats not the plan, not the best plan ive ever seen put together. Their star witness, their first witness, mr. Taylor, was here wednesday. Thats what they were up to . I think id just it demonstrates that is not what went on here. Mr. Zelensky never undertook any
investigations. The reason the aid was leased as we discuss released as we discussed was because Vice President mike pence, ambassador bolton, senators talked with president zelensky, and they were convinced he was the real deal as the ambassador alluded to in her testimony. Thats why the money was released. With that, i yield back. Mr. Swalwell . Mr. Chairman, a lot has changed since the whistleblower came forward. Two things in particular first, most of what the whistleblower has alleged has been corroborated by the witnesses that we have heard from. Second, the president , who my colleagues so shamelessly continue to defend, continued to pressure, threaten, and intimidate the whistleblower. So id like unanimous consent to put into the record a september 26th, 2019, article from business insider. Trump suggested the whistleblower who file td a complaint against him is
publishable of trees afternoon. Vanity fair, trumpings is the sources like, quote, in the good old days. Without objection. Third, september 29th. Whistleblowers lawyer raises fear for client safety. Without objection from axios. Mr. Chairman, the whistleblower has an absolute right to anonymity. The whistleblowers lawyer has said that he fears for his personal safety and will only answer questions now in writing. I wish my colleagues would join me in protecting the whistleblowers right to anonymity. Here, ms. Yovanovitch, we are here to talk about you and what you witnessed. You saw a lot as it related to mr. Giuliani. I want to read a quote to you from mr. Giuliani. But first ask you when you were in ukraine, you understood that Rudolph Giuliani was Donald Trumps personal lawyer. Is that right . Yes, thats right. Are you familiar with Rudy Giulianis quote in the New York Times describing himself as the lawyer saying, quote, he basically knows what im doing
comma, sure, as his lawyer. Were you familiar with that quote . It sounds familiar. And you have a lawyer with you today, ms. Yovanovitch. And you understand that lawyers act on their clients behalf, is that right . Yes. That it would be improper for a lawyer to go outside any directive that a client gives s. That right . Thats my understanding. Are you familiar with a New York Times story on may 9, 2019, where Rudolph Giuliani says that he intends to visit ukraine and says, were not meddling in an election, were meddling in an investigation. Are you familiar with that quote . Yes. Thats 11 days before you were removed as ambassador, is that right . Yes. He is talking publicly about designs on coming to ukraine. But what i think is interesting is that mr. Giuliani says were, as in we are. He doesnt say i am not meddling in an election, he doesnt say i am not meddling in an investigation, he says we, hes speaking for himself and his client. And i want to talk about that quote were not meddling in an election, were meddling in an investigation. Is it proper for you or anyone who acts on behalf of the United States government to meddle in an investigation . No, i dont believe so. Why not . Well, there are Law Enforcement channels, and things need to be handled properly and without any kind of political bias. Now, this anticorruption crusader, President Trump, who my colleagues have touted out as having such a great interest in anticorruption, in both the calls that have been refersed today, the august 21 call and the july 25 call, isnt it true that President Trump never mentions the word corruption . Yes, thats true. And as far as the foreign aid that my colleagues keep saying, well, he cant be guilty, he didnt complete the cheat, the aid went to the ukrainians, isnt it true that the only reasoned aid or the only time the aid went to the ukrainians was after the whistleblower complaint became public . Yes, it was after the whistleblower complaint became public. So you dont really get points when you get your hand caught in the cookie jar and someone says, hey, hes got his hand in the cookie jar, and then you take your hand out. Which is essentially what my republican colleagues and the president are trying to take credit for. Finally, i want to put up the disgusting tweet from the president today where he attacks your character. But i think i know who you are, ambassador. I think the country knows who you are. He smeared you when you were in ukraine. He smeared you on that phone call with president zelensky on july 25. He is smearing you right now as you are testifying. Ambassador yovanovitch, are the president s smears going to stop you from Fighting Corruption . Well, i will continue with my work. If your country asks you again to fight corruption, will you still do that despite the smears . Yes. Thank you. I yield back. Mr. Hurd . Your excellency, 33 years move over here. 33 years, six senior Foreign Service performance awards, five state Department Superior Honor awards, the president ial distinguished service award, and the secretarys diplomacy in human rights award. Youre tough as nails, and youre smart as hell. Youre a great example of what
our ambassadors should be like. Youre an honor to your family. You are an honor to the Foreign Service. Are you an honor to this country, and i thank you for all that you have done and will continue to do on behalf of your country. Thank you. Im nervous about what im getting ready to do. I want to do a fiveyear history of ukraine in about 45 seconds. And now im not sure, but professor, you can grade my paper, okay. Valentines day, 2014, the ukrainian people get fed up with the ukrainian president. Basically overthrow him. He goes on the run. This was the revolution of dignity. Who was the acting president during that time when yanukovych went out . I think it was churchnov churchinov. Excellent. In march of 2014, that is when we saw Little Green Men coming
into ukraine and ultimately the russians invade the ukraine, and not only annex, try to annex crimea, but also try to they invade the entire country in the eastern dombas, as well. Yes. Then there was an election and the ukrainian president was poroshenko. That was in june of 2014. Then you came to post in 2016 of august, is that correct . Two years later. January, 2017, trump was elected. And in December Of 2017 is when the javelins were approved, right. And we saw those javelins delivered in April Of 2018 to be put to first use. Then we had zelensky elected in 2019, april, correct. Uhhuh. Now the zelensky defeated the previous president , poroshenko. Yes. Theres no love lost between those two dudes, is there . I dont think so. Okay. Then in may of 2019, zelensky is
sworn in. Yes. So my questions we talk a lot about Rudy Giuliani. Do we know what officials within the Zelensky Regime he actually met with . I know two a gentleman named yermak, one of zelenskys senior advisers. And then we also know of the former Attorney General that weve already established here was corrupt, luschenko. And he served under zelensky up until april excuse me, august, is that correct . Thats right. And their parliament basically voted him out. Is that correct . Yes, thats right. So if Rudy Giuliani is trying to influence the Zelensky Regime, would a guy that worked under the previous regime, under poroshenko, be the right guy to
do it . So are you saying mr. Lusclenko did he have credibility within the current regime . I dont think so. He didnt. Do you know of any other ukrainians that mr. Giuliani was meeting with that was part of the Zelensky Regime . Just to remind, i would have already have left ukraine by that point, no, im not aware even with the administration to come, right. Zelensky won the election, there was a twomonth period of preparing to be installed as president. Even during that time, were you aware of any contact so there is one of The Oligarchs as weve heard about, one of The Oligarchs is named mr. Komumsky who pet with mr. Fruman and parnas to get a meeting with mr. Giuliani. Those were not people actually in government or became in the Zelensky Regime, is that correct . No. Okay. Mr. Chairman, i yield back. Thank you. Mr. Castro. Thank you, chairman, and thank you, ambassador, for your 33 years of service to our nation. A big question here today is why you were pushed aside as ambassador. For example, americans know that an employer has a right to fire an employee, but they shouldnt do it for certain reasons. You shouldnt be fired because youre disabled, because youre a woman, because y