Former US diplomat horrified by Sondland’s testimony during impeachment hearing: ‘Far deeper and broader than Watergate ever was’

Former US diplomat horrified by Sondland’s testimony during impeachment hearing: ‘Far deeper and broader than Watergate ever was’
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Alex Henderson
November 20, 2019

More riveting public testimony in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump came on Wednesday morning, when Ambassador Gordon Sondland was questioned by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and Democratic attorney Daniel Goldman — and R. Nicholas Burns, who served as undersecretary of state for political affairs under President George W. Bush, found Sondland’s testimony to be incredibly damning.

Burns tweeted, “Ambassador Sondland’s testimony a bombshell. This scandal is far deeper and broader than Watergate ever was. An abuse of Presidential power and a damning indictment of the President and his associates.”

During their questioning, Schiff and Goldman set out to demonstrate that an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden and the gas company Burisma was a condition of military aid to Ukraine. Sondland testified that “everyone was in the loop,” and by “everyone,” he was referring to Trump as well as his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Sondland also testified that over the summer, he was concerned because aid to Ukraine was being delayed. The ambassador testified, “This security aid was critical to Ukraine’s defense and should not have been delayed.”

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