Giuliani ran a shadow foreign policy to personally benefit Trump, ex-adviser testifies
In a closed-door session that lasted roughly 10 hours, Hill told lawmakers that she confronted Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, about Giuliani’s activities which, she testified, were not coordinated with the officials responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy, these people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to disclose details of her deposition.
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Sondland is set to appear before lawmakers later this week.
Sondland was also confronted by the top diplomat at the US embassy in Ukraine, Bill Taylor, as this text exchange reveals:
Taylor: I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.
Sondland: I suggest we stop the back and forth by text.
BOOM. Sondland didn't want there to be a record of this conversation. He gets Taylor to continue the conversation over the phone so there will be no record.
But Taylor isn't stupid.
After a phone conversation with Sondland, Taylor texts: “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.”
Four and a half hours later, Sondlond responds, “Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions,” Sondland writes. “The President has been crystal clear: no quid pro quo’s of any kind."
Here's where it gets sick.
Trump has claimed his innocence is proven by Sondland saying there was no quid pro quo in those texts. He has used that as his defense.
But Sondland is going to testify that Trump told him to say that in the text.
Taylor tells Sondland it is wrong to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign. Sondland then takes this message to Trump and Trump tells Sondland to say there was no quid pro quo. Sondland then relays that message. Trump then claims that Sondland's parroting of his own words is proof there was no quid pro quo!
We have gone full Orwell, folks.