Sondland to tell Congress that contents of 'no quid pro quo' text came from Trump: report

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by Al-Andalusia

President Trump Donald John TrumpGiuliani says he is unaware of reported federal investigation Louisiana's Democratic governor forced into runoff Lawmakers focus their ire on NBA, not China MORE's ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, plans to tell Congress this week that a text he sent denying a quid pro quo between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July phone call was dictated by Trump himself.

The Washington Post reported Saturday that a source familiar with the ambassador's planned testimony told the newspaper that Sondland plans to testify that Trump told him in a phone conversation to tell the acting ambassador to Ukraine that he didn’t "want a quid pro quo … didn’t want anything from Ukraine" in exchange for military aid.

Regarding whether that is actually true, the person said, Sondland will not take an opinion and instead will tell lawmakers that he worked at the direction of Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani Rudy GiulianiGiuliani says he is unaware of reported federal investigation Trump says Giuliani is still his lawyer Sondland to tell Congress 'no quid pro quo' from Trump: report MORE to secure a statement from Ukraine's government confirming a criminal investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenGiuliani says he is unaware of reported federal investigation Trump says Giuliani is still his lawyer Sondland to tell Congress 'no quid pro quo' from Trump: report MORE.

Trump and his allies have defended their efforts to persuade Ukraine to launch the investigation by insisting that the White House did not order the Pentagon to hold up millions of dollars in military aid to the country on the condition of an investigation being launched.

Democrats have argued that such a quid pro quo did exist and that Trump abused the powers of the presidency by approaching Ukraine's government about launching such an investigation.

Sondland is expected to testify before three House committees on Thursday, defying an order from the State Department not to comply with Democrats' impeachment inquiry.

"Ambassador Sondland believes strongly that he acted at all times in the best interests of the United States, and he stands ready to answer the Committee’s questions fully and truthfully," his attorney said in a statement this week.

This report was updated on Oct. 13 at 6:28 a.m.

WhenLuggageAttacks on October 13rd, 2019 at 13:50 UTC »

Everything coming out this weekend with Sondland, the ISIS prisoners escaping, US troops being fired on by Turkey, etc. and what is the top news story on Fox?

'Protecting the Monster': Actress pulls support for Hillary Clinton, rips her connection to disgraced mogul Weinstein

I shit you not. The top story on Fox is from Rose Mcgowan's tweets, 'pulling support' from someone who hasn't been in any government position for six and a half years.

VGA-Adapter on October 13rd, 2019 at 13:27 UTC »

I can't believe Trump politically survived dictating his doctor's letter even, healthiest president ever. Jesus said to forgive seventy times seven times. I think you're long in the clear already America.

dismayedcitizen on October 13rd, 2019 at 11:22 UTC »

It's very trumpian. He tells someone to say something, then repeats their statement as if it is an independent utterance of fact confirming his position. Kind of like how he says something to fox, fox repeats it, he hears fox repeat it, and then says, 'See? Many people are saying it!' It's the circle of bullshit.