News Opinons Politics

Dem Rep. Quigley: Hearsay “Can Be Much Better” Evidence Than Direct Evidence

PBS: Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) questioned George Kent, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, and Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, in the first public hearing in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Quigley pushed back against Republican assertions that the Trump administration’s handling of Ukraine was appropriate and that “hearsay” should not be allowed in the testimony.


Knife-wielding man races at officer in packed seaside park before one deadly shot rings out: video
Uninvited woman enters Kamala Harris’ Malibu property prompting sheriff response: reports
Son of notorious Somali dictator reportedly living in Ohio decades after brutal regime’s collapse
The Fentanyl Crisis May Be Coming to an End But Kratom Is Ready to Take It’s Place
Video Puts US Military Power on Full Display, Shows Total Missile-Strike Destruction of Iran Tankers
Sick: At 9:11 PM on 25th Anniversary of 9/11, Man Runs on Field at Yankee Stadium With Palestinian Flag
Nuns Fight Back Against Law Forcing Them to Help Patients Kill Themselves
Outrageous Taxation Has Destroyed American Lives Going Back Decades
Canada Hits Back at Trump with Tariffs Affecting Key Midterm Battlegrounds
Four Wisconsin cops injured after suspected drunk driver barrels toward crowd, sparks police chase
Ohio man convicted after trying to shoot ex-wife at point-blank range inside restaurant in chilling video
Cruz faces rowdy crowd at College GameDay while promoting the Protect College Sports Act
‘Just Because They Hated Guns’: Trump Pardons Sailor Biden’s ATF Put Away for 20 Years Over a Toy Gun
Dem handlers lash out when Ramaswamy staffer confronts their boss about debate: ‘No pictures’
Blue state governor’s pardon of convicted felon torpedos a major Supreme Court immigration fight


REP. MIKE QUIGLEY (D-IL): Mr. Kent, as the day-to-day State Department point person in Washington on Ukraine policy, were you aware of this effort to persuade President Zelensky to issue a statement in order to get a White House meeting while they were happening?

 

KENT: When this exchange happened on August 10, I was not.

QUIGLEY: When did you learn about them?

KENT: As Ambassador Taylor referenced earlier in his testimony in oral answering, he heard on August 16. He then called me, and we had a conversation, and at that point I memorialized my concerns in a note to the file.

QUIGLEY: Ambassador Taylor, as the point person on the ground in Ukraine, were you aware of this effort to get Ukraine to issue this written statement in early August?


Knife-wielding man races at officer in packed seaside park before one deadly shot rings out: video
Uninvited woman enters Kamala Harris’ Malibu property prompting sheriff response: reports
Son of notorious Somali dictator reportedly living in Ohio decades after brutal regime’s collapse
The Fentanyl Crisis May Be Coming to an End But Kratom Is Ready to Take It’s Place
Video Puts US Military Power on Full Display, Shows Total Missile-Strike Destruction of Iran Tankers
Sick: At 9:11 PM on 25th Anniversary of 9/11, Man Runs on Field at Yankee Stadium With Palestinian Flag
Nuns Fight Back Against Law Forcing Them to Help Patients Kill Themselves
Outrageous Taxation Has Destroyed American Lives Going Back Decades
Canada Hits Back at Trump with Tariffs Affecting Key Midterm Battlegrounds
Four Wisconsin cops injured after suspected drunk driver barrels toward crowd, sparks police chase
Ohio man convicted after trying to shoot ex-wife at point-blank range inside restaurant in chilling video
Cruz faces rowdy crowd at College GameDay while promoting the Protect College Sports Act
‘Just Because They Hated Guns’: Trump Pardons Sailor Biden’s ATF Put Away for 20 Years Over a Toy Gun
Dem handlers lash out when Ramaswamy staffer confronts their boss about debate: ‘No pictures’
Blue state governor’s pardon of convicted felon torpedos a major Supreme Court immigration fight

TAYLOR: Not the written statement, no, sir.

QUIGLEY: So the entire discussion about a public statement about the two investigations President Trump wanted was done in what you have described as an irregular channel, involving Ambassador Sondland and Volker and the task to take on Ukraine policy by the president. Isn’t that correct, Mr. Kent?

KENT: That would be my understanding.

QUIGLEY: Ambassador?

TAYLOR: The same.

QUIGLEY: And I guess to close primer on hearsay, I think the American public needs to be reminded that countless people have been convicted on hearsay because the courts have routinely allowed and created needed exceptions to hearsay. Hearsay can be much better evidence than direct, as we have learned in painful instances and it’s certainly valid in this instance.

UNKNOWN: Would the gentleman yield? Because none of those exceptions would apply to this testimony.

SCHIFF: This is not the time for colloquy. Mr.–sorry, Representative Stefanik, you are recognized.


Knife-wielding man races at officer in packed seaside park before one deadly shot rings out: video
Uninvited woman enters Kamala Harris’ Malibu property prompting sheriff response: reports
Son of notorious Somali dictator reportedly living in Ohio decades after brutal regime’s collapse
The Fentanyl Crisis May Be Coming to an End But Kratom Is Ready to Take It’s Place
Video Puts US Military Power on Full Display, Shows Total Missile-Strike Destruction of Iran Tankers
Sick: At 9:11 PM on 25th Anniversary of 9/11, Man Runs on Field at Yankee Stadium With Palestinian Flag
Nuns Fight Back Against Law Forcing Them to Help Patients Kill Themselves
Outrageous Taxation Has Destroyed American Lives Going Back Decades
Canada Hits Back at Trump with Tariffs Affecting Key Midterm Battlegrounds
Four Wisconsin cops injured after suspected drunk driver barrels toward crowd, sparks police chase
Ohio man convicted after trying to shoot ex-wife at point-blank range inside restaurant in chilling video
Cruz faces rowdy crowd at College GameDay while promoting the Protect College Sports Act
‘Just Because They Hated Guns’: Trump Pardons Sailor Biden’s ATF Put Away for 20 Years Over a Toy Gun
Dem handlers lash out when Ramaswamy staffer confronts their boss about debate: ‘No pictures’
Blue state governor’s pardon of convicted felon torpedos a major Supreme Court immigration fight

STEFANIK: Thank you. For the millions of Americans viewing today, the two most important facts are the following. Number one, Ukraine received the aid. Number two, there was in fact no investigation into Biden. Mr. Kent and Ambassador Taylor, you both spoke eloquently and passionately about the need to support Ukraine to counter Russian aggression, particularly during this very critical time. I agree with you in that assessment. And isn’t it the case that the Trump administration has indeed provided substantially aid to the Ukraine in the form of defense of legal aid, correct?

TAYLOR: That is correct.

Story cited here.

Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter

See also  Kansas Republicans buck Trump over threat to blacklist Canadian jets