<p><strong>Recap: </strong></p>

<p>After several hours of public testimony from NSC official Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and Russia adviser Jennifer Williams, we now know - or have confirmation of the following:</p>

<ul><li>Despite being a Ukraine expert, Vindman says he had no idea that Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma, routed over $3 million to accounts tied to Hunter Biden.</li>
</ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Nunes: Did you know that financial records show a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma, routed more than $ 3 million to American accounts tied to Hunter Biden?<br /><br />
Vindman, whose job is to handle Ukraine policy: "I'm not aware of this fact." <a href="https://t.co/6yFbWkufmH">pic.twitter.com/6yFbWkufmH</a></p>
— Nate Madden (@NateOnTheHill) <a href="https://twitter.com/NateOnTheHill/status/1196818954964086784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><ul><li><strong>Vindman went outside the chain of command</strong> to report his concerns over a July 25 phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky.</li>
</ul><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Here's some real collusion 👇<br /><br />
"I had my meeting w/the attorney, &amp; I did my coordination, &amp; I spoke to the appropriate people in the interagency"<br /><br />
"Appropriate people" being a registered Dem w/known bias against POTUS who works for CIA?<br /><br />
Whoops! We're not allowed to ask that! <a href="https://t.co/LR2YEXRTOt">pic.twitter.com/LR2YEXRTOt</a></p>
— Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LizRNC/status/1196856732389171200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">That hearing with Vindman, who is clearly the intelligence community's Patient Zero in the latest iteration of Democrats' anti-Trump coup theater, could not have gone more poorly for Democrats.<br /><br />
His testimony was a disaster for impeachment efforts.</p>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1196861982307209218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>

<ul><li><strong>It's perfectly normal for a president to ask a foreign leader to open an investigation</strong>.</li>
</ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">DEMOCRAT: "Would it ever be U.S. policy in your experience to ask a foreign leader to open a political investigation?"<br /><br />
VINDMAN: "There are proper procedures in which to do that. Certainly the President is well within his right to do that." <a href="https://t.co/fsn5ioiaZh">pic.twitter.com/fsn5ioiaZh</a></p>
— Trump War Room (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1196847685002809344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Dems have done a great job today accidentally getting LTC Vindman to confirm the President did nothing wrong. Kudos! Can we go pass USMCA now?</p>
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLeeZeldin/status/1196856017994293248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><ul><li><strong>Ukraine asked Vindman to be their Defense Minister</strong> <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/19/vindman-was-asked-three-times-to-be-defense-minister-of-ukraine/"><strong>three times!</strong></a></li>
</ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Why did Ukraine ask Vindman to be their Defense Minister *three times*?</p>
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) <a href="https://twitter.com/politicalelle/status/1196861623027154944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a> </blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">I don't blame Lt. Col. Vindman -- but it's worth asking why Ukraine wd offer this U.S. National Security Council official position as Ukraine's Defense Minister?? Obviously, Vindman has US interests first. Why would Ukraine think he'd want to serve their foreign administration?</p>
— Sharyl Attkisson🕵️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SharylAttkisson/status/1196876497937674240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><ul><li>Rep. Jim Jordan laid out why Americans are exhausted with the "get Trump!" cult:</li>
</ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">If you watch one clip from today’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImpeachmentHearings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ImpeachmentHearings</a> - watch this moment from Jim Jordan.<br /><br />
Jordan properly conveys the exhaustion the American people feel about the frantic “get Trump!” Cult<br /><br />
"It’s a scary thing — the American people see through it all”<a href="https://t.co/VVVNGI6fhK">pic.twitter.com/VVVNGI6fhK</a></p>
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1196861866007392257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>As an aside - Rep. Eric Swalwell was cookin' with gas in this clip which may or may not be fake news:</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">WOW<br /><br />
Eric Swalwell had really powerful testimony please listen: <a href="https://t.co/517uviKVBa">pic.twitter.com/517uviKVBa</a></p>
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1196850346162892806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>

<p>House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) couldn't help but invent more Trump quotes:</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Shifty Schiff is inventing fake quotes from the President again. 🤦 <a href="https://t.co/KMjmTnFkDn">pic.twitter.com/KMjmTnFkDn</a></p>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1196872019352150017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>According to <em>The Federalist</em>'s Sean Davis, Vindman's testimony was "a disaster for impeachment efforts." </p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">That hearing with Vindman, who is clearly the intelligence community's Patient Zero in the latest iteration of Democrats' anti-Trump coup theater, could not have gone more poorly for Democrats.<br /><br />
His testimony was a disaster for impeachment efforts.</p>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1196861982307209218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>***</p>

<p><strong>Update 4:</strong> As the questioning continues, Vindman has once again been forced to admit that when he initially reported his misgivings about President Trump's behavior in the July 25 call, he didn't adhere to the 'chain of command' when he reported the call to counsel instead of directly to his superiors.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">WENSTRUP: You said you respect the chain of command. Did you go to your direct boss, Tim Morrison?<br /><br />
VINDMAN: No, I didn't.</p>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1196839610049028096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">WENSTRUP: Did you ask that the word "demand" be included in the July 25 call transcript?<br /><br />
VINDMAN: No.<br /><br />
WENSTRUP: And yet you claimed in your opening statement here today that there was a "demand" from Trump in that call.</p>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1196840788124164099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>Meanwhile lawmakers have bashed Vindman for insisting that a Republican lawmaker refer to him by his full rank 'Lt. Col. Vindman' despite the fact that the Congressman isn't in the military.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Rep. Devin Nunes: "Mr. Vindman, you testified in your deposition that you did not know the whistleblower."<br /><br />
"Ranking Member, it's Lt. Col. Vindman, please."<a href="https://t.co/pMufzBuuMS">https://t.co/pMufzBuuMS</a> <a href="https://t.co/DXsJFtiFPc">pic.twitter.com/DXsJFtiFPc</a></p>
— The New York Times (@nytimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1196833670683906048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>* * *</p>

<p><strong>Update 3:</strong> Adam Schiff is now doing his best to use the constitutional protections of the whistleblower to stop Vindman from an embarrassingly public unmasking.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Nunes: Did you discuss the July 25 call or July 26 call with anyone outside the White House?<br /><br />
Vindman: Yes. George Kent, and someone I'm not going to name who works in the intelligence community.<br /><br />
Schiff just told Vindman not to answer the question.<br /><br />
Vindman is the leaker.</p>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1196816451723841536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>* * *</p>

<p><strong>Update 2: </strong>More lunacy...and we're not even close to being finished with the first round of Tuesday testimony.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Vindman just testified that as of this very moment, he has no idea that Burisma paid Hunter Biden millions of dollars over 5 years to sit on the gas company's board.<br /><br />
He claims to be an expert on Ukraine policy.</p>
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1196814870970322950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>* * *</p>

<p><strong>Update:</strong> It's on, with Vindman and Williams delivering their testimony Tuesday morning. One useful nugget has already emerged from the questioning of Vindman, who acknowledged that he hasn't heard any Ukrainians complaining about allegedly being bullied by the US.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Vindman says he does not recall Ukrainians feeling pressured to do investigations. <a href="https://t.co/Z0Qg2fiGEr">pic.twitter.com/Z0Qg2fiGEr</a></p>
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1196813086117765122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>* * *</p>

<p>The impeachment circus is back on Tuesday as the public phase of the Dems' investigation enters its second week with the public testimony of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top Ukraine specialist on the National Security Council who has objected to President Trump's alleged decision to press Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Bidens.</p>

<p>Vindman isn't the only one who will testify Tuesday: Kurt Volker, a former special envoy to Kyiv who reportedly told lawmakers in private that the White House decision to withhold military aid was "not significant" and Ukraine's leaders "never communicated a belief that there was a quid pro quo", will also appear before the Intelligence Committee.</p>

<p>Two other senior officials, Jennifer Williams, a national security veteran detailed to Vice President Mike Pence, and outgoing NSC staffer Tim Morrison, will also testify.</p>

<p><strong>Dems have been working to impeach President Trump since a "whistleblower" believed to be a CIA analyst complained that Trump had risked undermining US foreign policy to pursue personal political ends.</strong> Keep in mind: A rough transcript of a call between Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart that took place on July 25 was released weeks ago, allowing members of the public to make their own decisions about what they think they heard.</p>

<p><em><strong>Watch the hearing live below: </strong></em></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IWZyBDVRxNI" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>All four of these witnesses have already testified before lawmakers in private sessions. <strong> Vindman, who has suspiciously advised the government of Ukraine in addition to working full time for the US, was on the July 25 call at the center of the impeachment probe. </strong>Volker wasn't on the call, but he was a part of the shadow campaign led by Rudy Giuliani and the President to press the Ukrainians to investigate Hunter Biden over his links to a gas company suspected of paying bribes and other corrupt activities.</p>

<p>Morrison, meanwhile, has testified that EU ambassador Gordon Sondland in September told a top Ukrainian official that<strong> the release of US military aid to the war-torn country would hinge on whether Kyiv opened an investigation into the Bidens. </strong></p>

<p>The witnesses will testify 2 at a time during Tuesday's most packed hearing to date. Vindman and Williams will kick things off at 9 am, followed by Volker and Morrison around mid-afternoon.</p>


"It’s a scary thing — the American people see through it all."
