Ambassador says Trump directed diplomats to work with Giuliani on Ukraine

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN

(CNN) US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was directed by President Donald Trump to work with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine, he plans to tell Congress Thursday, and was left with a choice: Abandon efforts to bolster a key strategic alliance or work to satisfy the demands of the President's personal lawyer.

Sondland plans to say he wasn't aware until "much later" that Giuliani's agenda might have included an effort to "prompt the Ukrainians" to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter and to involve the Ukrainians in the President's campaign, according to his opening statement, which was obtained by CNN.

The revealing testimony of the President's top diplomat showcases how Trump put on hold an effort to strengthen relations with the country until top US officials were in contact with Giuliani, who was pursuing an investigation into the Bidens, a potential political rival in Trump's reelection campaign. And Sondland said he was "disappointed" that Trump wouldn't commit to a meeting sought by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky until they spoke with Giuliani.

"Based on the President's direction, we were faced with a choice: We could abandon the goal of a White House meeting for President Zelensky, which we all believed was crucial to strengthening U.S.-Ukrainian ties and furthering long-held U.S. foreign policy goals in the region; or we could do as President Trump directed and talk to Mr. Giuliani to address the President's concerns," Sondland will testify.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/politics/sondland-deposition-impeachment-inquiry/index.html

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Wasn't enough for the Ghoul to be thrown under the bus the first time so now the bus just went into reverse and he got run over again.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Giuliani was acting as a ghost employee

All his communications should be seized.

[yellowcanine]

2. Sondland must have a good lawyer trying to keep him out of prison.

But he is going to have to deliver the "deliverables" to Congress and to prosecutors.

[keithbvadu2]

3. So Rudy told the truth that he was working for our gov't.

So Rudy told the truth that he was working for our gov't.

[SergeStorms]

4. Although he had....

absolutely no business working on U.S. foreign policy. He's the Orange Asshole's personal attorney, hot a government employee. He's put himself in a very precarious position, and I hope he gets the book thrown at him because of it.

[MartyTheGreek]

5. Then Mr. Sondland what do you know about the firings... (add more of today's questions...)

and replacements under your watch?

What did you say when you discovered that senior State Department staff became concerned about Trumps illegal plan of holding back our allies aid?

Why were you assigned to this post and who assigned you, serving as our EU ambassador of Europe and what were you doing as coordinator of this specific matter? Does Ukraine want to join the EU? Would you support that?

What were you instructed you to do?

Exactly when did you decide to come clean and why now?

What were your plans for the EU anyway?

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Rat grabs a lifebelt, runs for the side of the ship, shouting "the big boy made me do it"

over his shoulder. "I wish I'd never been a major donor to his campaign now!"

[gab13by13]

7. Exactly, you nailed it.

Giuliani is going under the bus, he needs to get a lawyer. Trump will begin saying Rudy who, barely knew him.

Sondland is dirty too.

[NonPC]

8. This Guy is Dirty -- But Knew Not to Document It

Yeah, let's see all his text messages. That might show what he knew, but probably not.

And he wasn't aware "until much later" of Rudy's intentions. Right.

Need another whistleblower, or Republican idiot like Rick Perry, to trap Gordon in his lies. Don't think he's going to get off this easily.

Also, nice that he is spending over $1M on updating his EU Ambassador residence in Brussels. $400K for the kitchen alone. Nice!