Donald Trump envoy set to testify hasn’t always been Trump backer

An envoy wrapped up in a congressional impeachment inquiry was a late convert to President Donald Trump, initially supporting ar candidate in Republican primary and once refusing to participate in a fundraiser on his behalf. But Gordon Sondland neless donated $1 million to Trump’s election effort and ultimately scored a plum post as U.S. ambassor to European Union. w, a whistleblower’s complaint and text messs released by ar envoy portray Sondland as a potentially important witness to allegations that president sought to dig up dirt on a rival in name of foreign policy.

Sondland hes to Capitol Hill

On October 8, Sondland hes to Capitol Hill to face questions about episode, second time in as many weeks that congressional lawmakers have privately interviewed an ambassor about president’s push to get Ukraine to investigate Democrat Joe Biden ahe of 2020 presidential election. Until last week, Sondland was far better kwn in his home state of Washington than in nation’s capital, where he finds himself embroiled in an impeachment inquiry centered on a July 25 call between Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart. But even if t accustomed to global spotlight, wealthy hotelier, philanthropist and generous benefactor of political campaigns have long been comfortable around well-connected on both sides of political aisle.

“He very much enjoyed having personal relationships with those in power,” said David Nierenberg, a Washington state investment viser who has kwn Sondland for years. “Some people collect books. Some people collect cars. He collected those relationships.”

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Text messs released

Text messs released by House Democrats show Sondland, U.S. ambassor to European Union, working with ar of Trump’s envoys to get Ukraine to agree to investigate any potential interference in 2016 U.S. election and of energy company that appointed Biden’s son Hunter to its board. In exchange, American officials dangled offer of a Washington meeting with Trump for Ukraine’s new president. re has been evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son.
messs also show Sondland trying to reassure a third diplomat that ir actions were appropriate, but that y should take precautions by limiting ir text messs.

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“ President has been crystal clear quid pro quo’s of any kind. President is trying to evaluate wher Ukraine is truly going to opt transparency and reforms that President Zelensky promise during his campaign,” he wrote, ding, “I suggest we stop back and forth by text.”

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Washington power broker

Like president who picked him, Sondland cut an unconventional path to becoming a Washington power broker. son of German immigrants who fled Nazis in 1930s and later founded ir own dry cleaning business in Seattle, Sondland is best kwn in Pacific rthwest as founder of Provenance Hotels chain. He and his wife also established a foundation that’s bestowed millions of dollars on health care and regional arts and culture programs. While Sondland emerges in texts as in sync with president’s wishes, he hasn’t always been supportive of Trump himself. He took a meandering path to supporting president, contributing over years to eventual Trump versaries like Mitt Romney and John McCain. In 2015, he donated thousands of dollars to a super PAC associated with Jeb Bush, Trump’s Republican primary opponent.

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