Absent witnesses close to Trump hover over impeachment

y are ghosts of House impeachment hearings.

Vice President Mike Pence. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Rudy Giuliani. And perhaps most tantalizingly, mustachioed John Bolton, President Donald Trump’s former national security viser.

se principals closest to Trump have hovered over House’s impeachment hearings, only fourth such presidential inquiry in U.S. history. Often mentioned through five days and a dozen witnesses but absent from room, y sit at center of a remarkably consistent story told by ors of Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine to investigate Bidens. All while, military aid to U.S. ally was withheld as Trump trafficked in a debunked conspiracy ory that Ukraine, and t Russia, meddled in 2016 election.

British-born Fiona Hill, nsense-free Russia scholar who served on National Security Council, on Thursday lectured president’s allies for contributing to what she called that “fictional narrative.” And she h some pointed vice for absentees, who refused to cooperate under orders from White House.

“I believe that those who have information that Congress deems relevant have a legal and a moral obligation to provide it,” Hill told House Intelligence Committee in capstone hearing to a week of testimony.

It wasn’t clear which of missing witnesses Hill was referencing or wher Chairman am Schiff intended to seek more testimony as Democrats drive to vote on impeachment by year’s end. But in her crisp accent and straightforward style, Hill has me clear that Bolton, her former boss, is one such person with relevant information to investigation — and re are likely many ors.

“Everyone was in loop,” European Union Ambassor Gordon Sondland testified Wednesday.

Bolton, though, was vexed by Trump’s Ukraine plans.

Hill said that when she complained to Bolton that n-Ambassor Marie Yovavitch was being “smeared,” Bolton “looked pained, basically indicated with body langu that re was thing which we could do about it,” Hill said Thursday. n, Bolton “said that Rudy Giuliani was a hand grene that was going to blow everyone up.”

At ar point over summer, Hill testified, a meeting at White House with Ukrainian officials was cut short when Sondland said he h an agreement with acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney that Ukraine’s president would get a meeting with Trump if Ukraine agreed to launch investigations.

According to Hill, Bolton “stiffened” and ended meeting, later telling Hill to report it to National Security Council lawyers.

“I am t part of whatever drug deal Sondland and Mulvaney are cooking up on this,” Hill said Bolton told her.

Bolton’s name was mentioned more than 50 times during Thursday’s hearing alone, according to transcript.

As for Mulvaney, a former House member whose name came up a dozen times Thursday: Hill said Sondland reported that Mulvaney h agreed to a White House meeting with Ukrainians in exchange for an investigation of Burisma. Former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, sat on company’s board.

Pompeo, too, is a former House member. He’s also served as Trump’s CIA director and is considering running for a Senate seat representing Kansas. Sondland said secretary of state, whose name came up seven times, was among senior officials well aware of Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine.

On Thursday, Hill said she confronted Sondland about pursuing Trump’s nda and t coordinating with career officials who were trying to support U.S. ally on border of Russia. Sondland’s response, according to Hill: “But I’m briefing president. I’m briefing Chief of Staff Mulvaney. I’m briefing Secretary Pompeo. And I’ve talked to Ambassor Bolton. Who else do I have to deal with?”

Dubbed one of “three amigos” pursuing Ukraine policy, Sondland disputed that y were running some sort of “rogue” operation outside official U.S. policy. He produced emails and texts showing he, former special envoy Kurt Volker and Perry kept Pompeo and ors apprised of ir activity. One mess from Volker said, “Spoke w Rudy per guidance from S.” He said, “S means secretary of state.”

Sondland also said he raised his concerns about a quid pro quo for military aid with Pence — a conversation Pence has said he didn’t recall.

On Thursday, as Schiff recessed hearing for final House votes before Thanksgiving, odds of a late appearance by Bolton or ors seemed distant. Bolton has t been subpoenaed by impeachment investigators and his attorney, Charles Cooper, has said he will t come without one. A ruling by a federal judge enforcing a congressional subpoena could give House lawmakers reason to subpoena him, or or figures like Perry or Pompeo.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she especially wants to kw more about Pence’s role in Ukraine policy.

“At this point it’s t, has Trump has committed a crime, it’s who else has committed a crime,” she said. “If Mike Pence knew or participated in extortion with any government it needs to be looked into.”

But many Democrats say have all testimony need. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, Michigan Democrat who was one of freshmen with national security backgrounds who pushed Pelosi toward impeachment proceedings, said what matters is keeping inquiry short and straightforward.

“I’m happy that things are moving at a very fast clip and I think that we shouldn’t let perfect be enemy of good,” she said. “We should be voting on this sooner rar than later.”