Republicans, Democrats stiffen stance after televised impeachment hearing

The impeachment hearings of acting ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor Jr. and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, George Kent were the first ones to be televised on November 13 which unveiled new facts on the proceedings of Trump administration. The official impeachment inquiry against United States President Donald Trump unearthed new evidence which according to the Democrats implicate there was a scheme to center the American policy towards the Ukrainian government on political investigations. However, Donald Trump repeatedly denies the claims of any 'wrongdoing' even hours before the public impeachment probe, and Republicans believe that the hearing did not prove anything. 

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Previously undisclosed phone call

Taylor disclosed about July 26 phone call between Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union and the US leader. A day after the controversial phone call between the US President and Ukranian President Vlodymyur Zelensky on July 25, there was a discussion of 'the investigations' Donald Trump sought into former Vice President, Joe Biden's son. Taylor testified in the court that a member from his staff could hear President Trump on the phone Sondland about 'the investigations'. According to Taylor, he understood that they were following up on the matter a day after President Trump spoke to the Ukranian leader. However, Taylor did not listen to the call himself. 

After the call ended, Taylor's aide had asked Sondland about what the US leader thinks about Ukraine to which Sondland replied by saying Donald Trump 'cares more about the investigations of Biden'. However, the attorney of the US ambassador to the EU said that his client will only register the issue next week when he is scheduled to appear before the House Intelligence Committee. The call mentioned by Taylor on Wednesday was also denied by President Trump while in a joint conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hours before the impeachment inquiry was televised.

Adam Schiff, the Democratic Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who is also leading the probe said, “The president sought to advance his political and personal interests at the expense of U.S. national security”.  

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'Star witnesses'

While Democrats stiffen their stance about President Trump's 'betrayal to the constitution', Republicans believe that the entire impeachment probe is based on 'second-hand witnesses' as their 'star witnesses'. Both Taylor and Kent delivered a confusing account of proceedings in the White House which lasted for five hours. The testimonies revolved around an ambassador who was removed from the office, the confused new Ukraine government and the discovering of 'irregular channel'.

President Trump went on yet another aggressive Twitter spree where he retweeted the impeachment proceedings which favoured the Republican side of the inquiry in which Rep. Michael Conaway said, in the beginning, to move that 'we subpoena the whistleblower'. Donald Trump has also repeatedly asked about the identity of the whistleblower which according to the White House is 'unfair' that only Schiff knows. Therefore, Democrats declare another hearing as a 'failure'.

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