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In this Nov. 21 2019 video, GOP lawmakers John Ratcliffe, Elise Stefanik, Jim Jordan, Chris Stewart, Michael Turner, Steve Castor, Mike Conaway, Brad Wenstrup and Devin Nunes ask David Holmes & Fiona Hill questions in the House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment hearings.

David Holmes, a U.S. State Department official stationed in Ukraine, described how he overheard a phone call this summer with President Trump about wanting Ukraine to conduct political investigations. Holmes provided direct evidence that Trump was inquiring about Ukraine opening investigations.

Rep. John Ratcliffe, (R-Texas), pressed Holmes for details about what Trump said during the call, including how Trump responded when Sondland told him the Ukrainians would go forward with the investigation. He is skeptical abot Holmes’s testimony which was repeatedly cited by the Democrats.

“While Ambassador Sondland’s phone was not on speakerphone, I could hear the president’s voice through the earpiece of the phone,” Holmes said. “The president’s voice was very loud and recognizable, and Ambassador Sondland held the phone away from his ear for a period of time, presumably because of the loud volume.”

RATCLIFFE: “What did President Trump say next?”

HOLMES: “He said ‘good, what about Sweden?’”

RATCLIFFE: “He said what?”

HOLMES: “Sir — I’m sorry, I need to look at back where we are in the middle of the conversation here, where we’re from the testimony. Exactly. Then they turned to the Sweden conversation.”

RATCLIFFE: “Good, what about Sweden. Good, what about Sweden. Why isn’t that in your statement?”

HOLMES: “Sir, it’s not a word for word, every single word in the conversation.”

RATCLIFFE: “But it’s the most important part of the conversation.”

HOLMES: “Well, then they turned to Sweden. They turned to the other topic.”
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Democrats have dismissed the notion that Ukraine played a role in the 2016 race. But Republicans throughout the hearing have repeatedly asked witnesses about a separate Ukraine-related allegation involving Alexandra Chalupa—a former Democratic National Committee consultant who allegedly had meetings during the 2016 campaign with officials at the Ukrainian Embassy in D.C. to discuss incriminating information about Trump campaign figures, as detailed in the Politico story.

Former National Security Council aide Fiona Hill clashed with Republicans during the hearings after accusing some lawmakers of embracing the “fictional narrative” that only Ukraine — and not Russia — interfered in the 2016 elections, igniting a fierce response. Rep. Devin Nunes, pushed back by holding up a copy of the GOP-led Intelligence Committee’s 2018 “Report on Russian Active Measures” finding that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

“What you just said was not true…but you felt the need to put it in your eight-page statement,” Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, told her.
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik said: “Not a single Republican member of this committee has said that Russia did not meddle in the 2016 elections.”
Ohio Rep. Brad Wenstrup told Hill her statement was “false,” saying she was just repeating “Mr. Schiff’s narrative,” referring to the Democratic committee chairman. “That’s where you’ve heard it. We did a whole report on it.”
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GOP lawmakers ask David Holmes & Fiona Hill questions in Trump impeachment hearings https://t.co/4PJeSJS300

— HYGO News (@HygoNews) November 22, 2019