Ukraine Diplomat Testifies Trump Linked Aid To Investigations: Lawmaker

Bill Taylor Deposition

William B. Taylor Jr., the top diplomat to Ukraine, told House investigators that President Donald Trump withheld military aid and a planned visit with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in exchange for a promise that the country would investigate alleged corruption by Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. 

While the testimony was behind closed doors, Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz described his testimony to reporters.

"[Taylor] drew a very direct line in the series of events he described between President Trump's decision to withhold funds and refuse a meeting with Zelensky unless there was a public pronouncement by him of investigations of Burisma and the so-called 2016 election conspiracy theories," she said.

Republican lawmakers did not address the specifics of Taylor's testimony but claimed that the Democrats were exaggerating the significance of what Taylor said.

"I don't know that any of us if we are being intellectually honest, are hearing revelations that we were not aware of," said Republican congressman Mark Meadows. "The bottom line is no one has yet to make the case for why the aid was withheld or even if the Ukrainians knew about it." 

The House of Representatives launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump after a whistleblower filed a complaint that Trump was abusing his power by asking a foreign country dig up dirt on a political rival. Trump has dismissed claims that he did anything improper and has continued to attack the investigation.

Photo: Getty Images


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