David Holmes testified to overhearing Trump running the Ukraine shakedown and told investigators that there are three witnesses who can corroborate his testimony.
After the call ended, Mr. Holmes asked it if was true that the president did not care about Ukraine, the people said. The ambassador replied that Mr. Trump cared only about the “big stuff,†like investigations that his personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani was pushing for, because they affected him personally.
…
On Thursday, two people familiar with the matter said that a second embassy official, Suriya Jayanti, also overheard the call and could corroborate Mr. Holmes’s account. It is unclear if investigators will also call her to testify. On Friday, Mr. Holmes indicated there was a third person present who would have overheard it, as well.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
There are three witnesses who can confirm that Trump was directing the Ukraine operation. Republicans have been talking about hearsay, but what Holmes and the other witnesses can testify to is not hearsay. The three witnesses directly heard first hand, Trump on the phone directing his bribery plot against Ukraine.
The other fascinating part of the Holmes testimony is that it confirms that Trump abused his presidential power for personal gain, which is the heart of the impeachment case against Donald Trump.
The impeachment hearings have only been happening for two days, but the evidence is already burying Donald Trump. There are direct witnesses out there, and it is a safe bet that America will hear from them in public before Christmas.
Impeachment keeps getting worse for Trump.
For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.
Follow Jason Easley on Facebook
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
