Former Ukraine envoy Kurt Volker testified to the impeachment investigation that Trump was at the center and directing the Ukraine plot.
Transcript of Volker’s testimony:
Q: In fact, in your conversation with the President in May, the stated reasons why he had a deeply rooted distrust or dislike of the Ukrainians was because of what he perceived to be their role in the 2016 election and/or the Paul Manaforte [sic] case. Is that right?
A: That was mentioned, but it was a long—longer statement that “they are all corrupt, they are all terrible people,” and, you know, “I don’t want to spend any time with that.” That was—it was a broader statement. And he also said, “and they tried to take me down.” …
A: So, you know, we strongly encouraged him to engage with this new President because he’s committed to fighting all of those things that President Trump was complaining about.
Q: And how did the President react?
A: He just didn’t believe it. He was skeptical. And he also said, that’s not what I hear. I hear, you know, he’s got some terrible people around him. And he referenced that he hears from Mr. Giuliani as part of that.
Q: Can you explain a little bit more about what the President said about Rudy Giuliani in that meeting?
A: He said that’s not what I hear. I hear a whole bunch of other things. And I don’t know how he phrased it with Rudy, but it was—I think he said, not as an instruction but just as a comment, talk to Rudy, you know. He knows all of these things, and they’ve got some bad people around him.
Trump believes the right-wing conspiracy theory that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election and tried to defeat him. Trump is also directing people in the United States government to talk to Rudy Giuliani. The president’s comment is significant because Rudy Giuliani has publicly stated that he was working for Trump and that the president was directing the operation.
Volker’s testimony shows that Trump has no plausible deniability. He was in the middle of the Ukraine shakedown.
Trump is dead in the water and destined to be impeached.
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Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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