Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch testifies before the House Intelligence Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on November 15, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
'Witness Intimidation in Real-Time': Trump Tweets Attack on Yovanovitch During Public Impeachment Testimony
"It's very intimidating," former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch said of the president's tweets.
This is a developing news story... Check back for possible updates...
"The President tweeting insults about a witness, a respected longtime foreign service officer, as she testifies before Congress is beyond inappropriate." --Noah Bookbinder, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff on Friday accused President Donald Trump of engaging in "witness intimidation in real-time" after the president live-tweeted attacks on former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch during her public impeachment testimony.
"It's very intimidating," Yovanovitch said of Trump's tweets.
"Some of us here take witness intimidation very seriously," replied Schiff.
Watch:
After Yovanovitch delivered her opening remarks, Trump fired off a series of tweets bashing her record performance as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
"Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad," Trump tweeted. "She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. president's absolute right to appoint ambassadors."
"They call it 'serving at the pleasure of the president,'" Trump added. "The U.S. now has a very strong and powerful foreign policy, much different than proceeding administrations. It is called, quite simply, America First!"
During a break in the hearing, Schiff told reporters that what the American people just saw on live television "was witness intimidation in real-time by the president of the United States."
Schiff said the overt act by Trump was an effort "not just to chill [Yovanovitch] but to chill others who may come forward" in the future. He concluded by saying House lawmakers take what the president just did "very seriously."
In response, Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), said: "The President tweeting insults about a witness, a respected longtime foreign service officer, as she testifies before Congress is beyond inappropriate."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
This is a developing news story... Check back for possible updates...
"The President tweeting insults about a witness, a respected longtime foreign service officer, as she testifies before Congress is beyond inappropriate." --Noah Bookbinder, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff on Friday accused President Donald Trump of engaging in "witness intimidation in real-time" after the president live-tweeted attacks on former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch during her public impeachment testimony.
"It's very intimidating," Yovanovitch said of Trump's tweets.
"Some of us here take witness intimidation very seriously," replied Schiff.
Watch:
After Yovanovitch delivered her opening remarks, Trump fired off a series of tweets bashing her record performance as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
"Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad," Trump tweeted. "She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. president's absolute right to appoint ambassadors."
"They call it 'serving at the pleasure of the president,'" Trump added. "The U.S. now has a very strong and powerful foreign policy, much different than proceeding administrations. It is called, quite simply, America First!"
During a break in the hearing, Schiff told reporters that what the American people just saw on live television "was witness intimidation in real-time by the president of the United States."
Schiff said the overt act by Trump was an effort "not just to chill [Yovanovitch] but to chill others who may come forward" in the future. He concluded by saying House lawmakers take what the president just did "very seriously."
In response, Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), said: "The President tweeting insults about a witness, a respected longtime foreign service officer, as she testifies before Congress is beyond inappropriate."
This is a developing news story... Check back for possible updates...
"The President tweeting insults about a witness, a respected longtime foreign service officer, as she testifies before Congress is beyond inappropriate." --Noah Bookbinder, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff on Friday accused President Donald Trump of engaging in "witness intimidation in real-time" after the president live-tweeted attacks on former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch during her public impeachment testimony.
"It's very intimidating," Yovanovitch said of Trump's tweets.
"Some of us here take witness intimidation very seriously," replied Schiff.
Watch:
After Yovanovitch delivered her opening remarks, Trump fired off a series of tweets bashing her record performance as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
"Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad," Trump tweeted. "She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. president's absolute right to appoint ambassadors."
"They call it 'serving at the pleasure of the president,'" Trump added. "The U.S. now has a very strong and powerful foreign policy, much different than proceeding administrations. It is called, quite simply, America First!"
During a break in the hearing, Schiff told reporters that what the American people just saw on live television "was witness intimidation in real-time by the president of the United States."
Schiff said the overt act by Trump was an effort "not just to chill [Yovanovitch] but to chill others who may come forward" in the future. He concluded by saying House lawmakers take what the president just did "very seriously."
In response, Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), said: "The President tweeting insults about a witness, a respected longtime foreign service officer, as she testifies before Congress is beyond inappropriate."