Fiona Hill, the former top Russia expert on the National Security Council, and David Holmes, an aide in the United States Embassy in Kyiv, testified Thursday before the House Intelligence Committee.
Fiona Hill, the former top Russia expert on the National Security Council, and David Holmes, an aide in the United States Embassy in Kyiv, testified Thursday before the House Intelligence Committee.
Full Analysis of Trump Impeachment Hearings, Day 5
Dec 9, 2019
Full Analysis of Trump Impeachment Hearings, Day 5
Fiona Hill, the former top Russia expert on the National Security Council, and David Holmes, an aide in the United States Embassy in Kyiv, testified Thursday before the House Intelligence Committee.
Peter Baker
White House Correspondent
Nixon reference: “This is the ‘I’m not a crook’ defense.”
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
Schiff drawing that distinction with Trump’s defense of “No quid pro quo.”
Catie Edmondson
Reporter
This is a pretty interesting letter from Graham considering he has been insisting for weeks now (to the ire of conservatives) that he would not investigate the Bidens because he didn’t have the purview as the chairman of Judiciary. He argued the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should take it up.
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
That’s right, Catie. And here he is.
Charlie Savage
Washington Correspondent
Schiff attacks Republicans, saying they are different than the 1974 generation that would not defend Nixon at the end. Trump’s conduct was worse than Watergate, he said, because withholding aid to an ally at war is worse than a third-rate burglary of the Democratic headquarters. The difference between then and now, he said, is not that Nixon was worse, but that the Congress has changed.
Peter Baker
White House Correspondent
And the media, political worlds have changed.
Katie Rogers
White House Correspondent
Here is an explainer on what Schiff is talking about — that the framers were worried about foreign interference in U.S. elections.‘Get Over It’? Why Political Influence in Foreign Policy MattersOct. 21, 2019
‘Get Over It’? Why Political Influence in Foreign Policy Matters
Charlie Savage
Washington Correspondent
That was a point John Dean made almost two years ago, long before the Ukraine affair, Peter. That Nixon might have survived Watergate if he had had a Fox News to keep Republicans in line.www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/02/john-dean-nixon-might-…
Catie Edmondson
Reporter
I have to say, even after hours of this, the audience (or what remains of it) is pretty rapt right now, listening to Schiff.
Catie Edmondson
Reporter
His closing gets a round of applause from the audience.
Katie Rogers
White House Correspondent
“In my view there is nothing more dangerous than an unethical president  who believes he is above the law.” Schiff appears to be emotional when closing out with the words of Elijah Cummings of Maryland, who passed away last month. “We are better than that.”
Katie Rogers
White House Correspondent
That was quite a gaveling.
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
And with that we are adjourned. Two weeks of impeachment hearings in the books. As I said earlier, what comes next is not yet fully clear, but the House appears certainly to be moving toward impeaching the president.
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
Whether that happens next month, or in January, or later, we will see. As of now, I do not expect many Republicans to come on board.
Katie Rogers
White House Correspondent
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
Thanks to my colleagues for chatting along as well!
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
You can read our account of today’s testimony here:Fiona Hill Testifies ‘Fictions’ on Ukraine Pushed by Trump Help Russia3:34 PM
Fiona Hill Testifies ‘Fictions’ on Ukraine Pushed by Trump Help Russia
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
And our colleague, Eileen Sullivan, has distilled what we learned from Hill and Holmes today.
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
What We’ve Learned From Hill and Holmes’s Impeachment Testimony
Nicholas Fandos
Congressional Correspondent
Have a good afternoon.