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.


Monitoring the situation: White House releases photos of Trump, Rubio and team being briefed on Iran operation
The US and Israel attacked Iran: What we know
Trump finds unlikely Democratic allies on decision to strike Iran
Democrats buck party leaders to defend Trump’s ‘decisive action’ on Iran
Nancy Guthrie missing: Forensic scientist encourages new investigative approach since case ‘isn’t cold yet’
FBI raises counterterror teams to high alert amid Iran tensions
Bipartisan revolt targets Trump’s war powers after massive Iran strikes
Iran strikes erase ‘space’ between Trump and Netanyahu, insiders say
Rubio alerted Gang of Eight before Iran attack, in contrast to Venezuela mission
Trump oversees US strikes on Iran from Mar-a-Lago, speaks with Netanyahu: WH
Congressional War Power Act advocates revive calls for vote after Trump’s Iran strikes
Trump Urges Iranian People to Rise Up Against Their Regime Following Strikes: ‘Take Over Your Government’
CNN Staffers ‘Panicked’ and ‘Freaking Out’ Over Trump Ally’s Son Buying Parent Company: He’ll Clean House
Joe Biden: Border Crossings Were Lower, Economy Better When I Was In Office
Iran fires missiles at US bases across Middle East after American strikes on nuclear, IRGC sites


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?


Monitoring the situation: White House releases photos of Trump, Rubio and team being briefed on Iran operation
The US and Israel attacked Iran: What we know
Trump finds unlikely Democratic allies on decision to strike Iran
Democrats buck party leaders to defend Trump’s ‘decisive action’ on Iran
Nancy Guthrie missing: Forensic scientist encourages new investigative approach since case ‘isn’t cold yet’
FBI raises counterterror teams to high alert amid Iran tensions
Bipartisan revolt targets Trump’s war powers after massive Iran strikes
Iran strikes erase ‘space’ between Trump and Netanyahu, insiders say
Rubio alerted Gang of Eight before Iran attack, in contrast to Venezuela mission
Trump oversees US strikes on Iran from Mar-a-Lago, speaks with Netanyahu: WH
Congressional War Power Act advocates revive calls for vote after Trump’s Iran strikes
Trump Urges Iranian People to Rise Up Against Their Regime Following Strikes: ‘Take Over Your Government’
CNN Staffers ‘Panicked’ and ‘Freaking Out’ Over Trump Ally’s Son Buying Parent Company: He’ll Clean House
Joe Biden: Border Crossings Were Lower, Economy Better When I Was In Office
Iran fires missiles at US bases across Middle East after American strikes on nuclear, IRGC sites

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.


Monitoring the situation: White House releases photos of Trump, Rubio and team being briefed on Iran operation
The US and Israel attacked Iran: What we know
Trump finds unlikely Democratic allies on decision to strike Iran
Democrats buck party leaders to defend Trump’s ‘decisive action’ on Iran
Nancy Guthrie missing: Forensic scientist encourages new investigative approach since case ‘isn’t cold yet’
FBI raises counterterror teams to high alert amid Iran tensions
Bipartisan revolt targets Trump’s war powers after massive Iran strikes
Iran strikes erase ‘space’ between Trump and Netanyahu, insiders say
Rubio alerted Gang of Eight before Iran attack, in contrast to Venezuela mission
Trump oversees US strikes on Iran from Mar-a-Lago, speaks with Netanyahu: WH
Congressional War Power Act advocates revive calls for vote after Trump’s Iran strikes
Trump Urges Iranian People to Rise Up Against Their Regime Following Strikes: ‘Take Over Your Government’
CNN Staffers ‘Panicked’ and ‘Freaking Out’ Over Trump Ally’s Son Buying Parent Company: He’ll Clean House
Joe Biden: Border Crossings Were Lower, Economy Better When I Was In Office
Iran fires missiles at US bases across Middle East after American strikes on nuclear, IRGC sites

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  Iowa congressman took cash from Chinese companies buying American farmland