Thread by @MiriamElder, Here is the link to Sondland’s full testimony: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG00/CPRT-116-IG00-D006.pdf Sondland says he [...]

Here is the link to Sondland’s full testimony: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG00/CPRT-116-IG00-D006.pdf

Sondland says he saw Trump before his testimony and that the president told him to “go tell the truth”

White House counsel asked him to come in for an interview ahead of his testimony and he declined. Also says he spoke to Rick Perry ahead of his testimony to “refresh his memory”

Sondland was concerned about Fiona Hill’s testimony re: the meeting with Ukrainians in the WH basement. And then, there were jokes.

Sondland says he “doesn’t remember” telling Yovanovitch to tweet praise of the president

Sondland says the sum of Trump’s guidance was “talk to Rudy, talk to Rudy” and “Ukraine is a problem”

Sondland is a mess. Trying to downplay his role in Ukraine, until Congressional investigators… cite his own opening statement back to him.

Lol Sondland makes a point of noting that he does not follow Giuliani on Twitter

Sondland pleading ignorance on the connection between Burisma and the Bidens is a real high point in this testimony.

The image of Trump saying “they tried to take me down” over and over, re: Ukraine

Sondland says Trump, via Giuliani, fed the 2016 and Burisma investigations language that they were looking for in a public statement from Zelensky.

Sondland, come on. He says he didn’t see the NYT story on Giuliani and Ukraine, but DID see the Solomon/Hill story and DIDN’T see Giuliani on Fox ever because “I watch HBO.”

I too watch HBO (bring back Succession!!!!!)

Sondland gives context to Trump’s infamous “no quid pro quo” line, says Trump brought up the concept on his own and then… basically hung up on him.

Nunes starts his questioning by saying (????) that the Steele dossier originated in Ukraine (Schiff pushes back)

Jay Leno alert

This is just one of (many examples) of Sondland highlighting Rick Perry’s involvement in this whole thing

Here’s a (rather unsatisfying) “three amigos” origin story

Sondland’s line, repeated here, is that he believed Trump didn’t care about Ukraine and that’s why he pawned it off on Giuliani

Sondland’s fave line is “I don’t recall.” Here he is not recalling if he spoke to Mulvaney (“he rarely responded to emails and almost never returned phone calls.”)

This is getting embarrassing… they’re referencing other witness testimony and Sondland’s own texts to highlight the inconsistencies in his testimony

Sondland says Giuliani personally amended the press statement they were writing for Zelensky, promising investigations into 2016/Burisma in exchange for a White House visit

Another option they considered, instead of a statement, was having Zelenskiy go on TV to make the promise

Omg they wanted Zelenskiy to go on Tucker Carlson!?

This is followed in the transcriot by McDermott saying, “Let the record reflect there’s lots of laughing in the room.” NOTED.

Sondland says he didn't make the connection between withheld aid/held-up WH visit and the 2016/Burisma investigations until he got Bill Taylor's text

Sondland sticking to his story that he didn’t realize the connection between Burisma and the Bidens, says “I never heard [Giuliani] mention Biden."

Sondland says “this has been a very bad experience for me.”

And then reveals he’s totally ghosted on Ukrainian officials since this all broke out!

Sondland willfully (and repeatedly) puts up walls that don’t really exist, saying Giuliani talked about Burisma (not Biden) and that he was pushing for a statement promising an investigation rather than the investigation itself. Meaningless distinctions.

And here it is, Sondland, Trump donor-turned-diplomat, explains after pages of equivocating on key details, why he can’t seem to remember so much of what was going on: “None of it seemed remarkable to me.”

Mark Meadows comparing the EU wanting better work on corruption to Trump wanting an investigation into Burisma/2016 is…something. Also a My Cousin Vinny reference why not.

Someone please title their book on impeachment “This Is Like My Cousin Vinny."

Sondland says he has never heard the expression “play ball” from anyone and that about sums up the quality of his testimony

Even I, a notorious sport hater, have heard this term.

Wow, Sondland says Fiona Hill was “shaking” days before leaving government, angry about her role in the administration and about Trump

Sondland explaining why they wanted Zelensky to send them his draft statement so they could run it by Rudy Giuliani is next level

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