The Trump administration, via the State Department, has temporarily blocked the US ambassador to the EU from testifying about the Ukrainian phone call to House Democrats today:
FOX NEWS – The Trump administration has ordered the U.S. ambassador to the European Union not to appear at a scheduled Tuesday deposition on the Ukraine controversy, according to his lawyer — a move likely to significantly escalate tensions between House Democrats and the White House.
The move to block Gordon Sondland, first reported by The New York Times, is likely to infuriate Democrats who have indicated they will see any such move as an obstruction of its investigation into the controversy surrounding Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
An attorney for Sondland said the order not to appear came from the State Department. Attorney Robert Luskin said Sondland, who had previously agreed to appear voluntarily for a closed session, is required to follow the department’s direction. No reason for the direction was cited, he said.
Sonland was reportedly looking forward to testifying. He’s the official who said “call me” in the text message exchange with Bill Taylor in early September:
Ambassador Taylor, Sept 1: “Are we now saying that security assistance and WH meeting are conditioned on investigations?” pic.twitter.com/S6cwwwfBLi
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) October 4, 2019
According to Catherine Herridge, the reasoning behind this temporary blocking of Sonland’s testimony is because House Democrats aren’t playing by the rules and established procedures. If Democrats correct this, the administration will be more willing to cooperate.
UPDATE: Trump just addressed this in a couple of tweets…
I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republican’s rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019
….to see. Importantly, Ambassador Sondland’s tweet, which few report, stated, “I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear: no quid pro quo’s of any kind.” That says it ALL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019
He is correct about that tweet. It wasn’t included in the initial tweets released by Schiff, but it later came out that Sonland made clear to Bill Taylor that Trump didn’t want any quid pro quo:
This was one of Gordon Sondland's texts where he says there was no quid pro quo involving aid to Ukraine. But evidently he won't be telling that story to Congress today. pic.twitter.com/RzcXFxcQNS
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) October 8, 2019