Without corporate donors or advertisers, we rely on donations from readers to fund the nonprofit, progressive journalism you count on. We must reach our Fall Campaign goal to keep reporting the news that the corporate media won’t.

Will you make a donation now—no amount is too large or too small—and help us reach our goal?

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Common Dreams. Journalism funded by people, not corporations.

There has never been—and never will be—an advertisement on our site except for this one: without readers like you supporting our work, we wouldn't exist.

No corporate influence. No pay-wall. Independent news and opinion 365 days a year that is freely available to all and funded by those who support our mission: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.

Our mission is clear. Our model is simple. If you can, please support our Fall Campaign today.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Support Our Work -- No corporate influence. No pay-wall. Independent news funded by those who support our mission: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Please support our Fall Campaign today.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Former Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker departs following a closed-door deposition led by the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill on October 3, 2019 in Washington, D.C. Volker resigned from his position on September 27. (Photo: Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Former US Envoy Kurt Volker Details Attempts to Steer Giuliani and Trump Away From Pressure Campaign Targeting Ukraine

"The most remarkable thing about this Volker testimony is just how much he and seemingly other U.S. officials were working to try and undo whatever Rudy Giuliani was doing."

Julia Conley

The prepared testimony of former U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker, published Friday, provides new details about the involvement of Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's lawyer, in pressuring Ukrainian officials to commit to an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden.

According to Volker's testimony, Giuliani rejected a draft statement put forward by the Ukrainian government saying it would fight corruption in the country generally. President Donald Trump has claimed combating corruption in Ukraine was the focus of his phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, and as Common Dreams reported Friday, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland insisted in a text message provided to House Democrats that Trump was "only trying to evaluate whether Ukraine is truly going to adopt the transparency and reforms" it had promised.

But according to Volker, Giuliani "said that in his view, the statement should include specific reference to 'Burisma' and '2016,'" referring to the Ukrainian gas company where Biden's son Hunter was a board member and the 2016 election.

In his prepared remarks to the House Oversight, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs Committees—which were made behind closed doors Thursday and released Friday—Volker said "Vice President [Biden] was never a topic of discussion" in text messages between State Department officials, in an apparent attempt to distance himself from Trump's efforts to gain information from Ukraine about Burisma and Hunter Biden.

Volker also testified that he attempted to steer Giuliani away from the notion that Biden was influenced by his son's position at Burisma while serving as vice president.

"It is not credible to me that former Vice President Biden would have been influenced in any way by financial or personal motives in carrying out his duties as vice president," Volker said. "The accusation that Vice President Biden acted inappropriately did not seem at all credible to me."

Political observers on social media noted that based on his testimony in the closed-door session with the committees, Volker appeared intent on convincing lawmakers that he had attempted to stop Giuliani and Trump from moving forward with their efforts to pressure Ukrainian officials.

Read Volker's opening testimony below:

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Comments

This is the world we live in. This is the world we cover.

Because of people like you, another world is possible. There are many battles to be won, but we will battle them together—all of us. Common Dreams is not your normal news site. We don't survive on clicks. We don't want advertising dollars. We want the world to be a better place. But we can't do it alone. It doesn't work that way. We need you. If you can help today—because every gift of every size matters—please do. Without Your Support We Simply Don't Exist.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Latest News

See all
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces the reopening of more Texas businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on May 18, 2020. (Photo: Lynda M. Gonzalez-Pool via Getty Images)

Corporate Dems of US Senate Blamed as GOP Texas Governor Approves 'Rigged' Voting Maps

"We must protect our democracy with federal legislation immediately and defeat these cynical politicians at the ballot box."

Jessica Corbett ·

Destruction in Gaza.

'An Act of Cowardice': 21 Israel-Based Groups Condemn Terror Label for Palestine NGOs

The organizations called the designation "a draconian measure that criminalizes critical human rights work."

Brett Wilkins ·

Facebook

The Facebook Papers Spur More Calls to 'Break Them Up!'

Other critics are demanding a "full, independent, outside investigation" of the tech titan as whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies to the U.K. Parliament.

Jessica Corbett ·

Man carries child through flooded waters

'This Is an Emergency': Oxfam Says Rich Nations' $100 Billion Climate Pledge Not Good Enough

"Time is running out for rich nations to build trust and deliver on their unmet target."

Andrea Germanos ·

Progressives Vow to 'Push Very Hard' to Keep Agenda From Being Gutted Beyond Recognition

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said House Democrats "are fighting to tackle the climate crisis, expand Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing, and guarantee family leave in America."

Kenny Stancil ·

Most Popular

 
  1. 'He Isn’t Negotiating, He Is Killing the Bill': Ilhan Omar Slams Joe Manchin
  2. 'Resign or Be Removed': Outrage After Top NY Dem Compares Buffalo's India Walton to David Duke
  3. 'End the Filibuster': GOP Ready to Tank Even Manchin's Compromise Voting Rights Bill
  4. Corporate Cable Outlets Refuse to Report on Financial Conflicts of Manchin and Sinema
  5. 'Like It Never Happened': Federal Judge Tosses Trump Attack on Clean Water Rule
  6. 'It's Not Coming Out': Bernie Sanders Stands Firm on Medicare Expansion
  7. West Virginia Constituents Decry 'Immorality' of Joe Manchin
  8. 'A Toxic Presence in the Party': Ocasio-Cortez Joins Calls for Jay Jacobs to Resign
  9. New Multimedia Report Details Unprecedented 'Permian Climate Bomb' in Texas
  10. AOC Warns That Corporate Lobbyists Would Love People to 'Give Up Before the Deal Is Done'

Support our work.

We are independent, non-profit, advertising-free and 100% reader supported.

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Quality journalism. Progressive values.
Direct to your inbox.

Subscribe to our Newsletter.

Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit | Privacy Policy
Common Dreams Logo

To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.