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Updated October 24th, 2019 at 22:21 IST

Republicans storm US Capitol, disrupt Trump's impeachment inquiry

Angry at being left out of Trump's impeachment process, US congressional Republicans stormed a closed-door witness deposition and refused to leave for hours

Reported by: Divyam Jain
Republicans
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Angry at being left out of Donald Trump's impeachment process, US congressional Republicans stormed a closed-door witness deposition on Wednesday and refused to leave for several hours, initiating a showdown over the investigation of the president. 

Read: Donald Trump Lifts Sanctions Against Turkey And Orders Ceasefire

'Storming' of Capitol Building

As per reports, more than two dozen senators had stormed into the secured US Capitol meeting room known as SCIF resulting in a delay of the testimony of a Pentagon official who was the latest witness in the Democrats' investigation of abuse of power by Trump. The White House has been confronted with a stream of depositions by current and former administration officials in recent weeks as Democrats lay out the case against the president.

However, nothing seems to be as explosive as the one in which an envoy to Ukraine, Bill Taylor who testified to lawmakers who said that he offered startling details which revealed that there was a quid pro quo for military aid for political assistance was offered.

Earlier this week, Trump had demanded that Republicans get tougher and fight back. Trump also thanked the Republicans in a Tweet.

Read: While Trump Rakes In Cash, Some Senate Republicans Lagging

A withering deposition

Reports suggested that Taylor delivered a withering deposition which some Democrats described as the most clinching evidence of the impeachment process yet. No. 2 Senate Republican John Thune admitted that the detailed account given by Taylor was not a good one. In a 15 page opening remarks to Senators, Taylor provided details of how Trump was withholding US military aid to exert pressure on Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelensky to start an inquiry into political opponent Joe Biden and his son. 

Taylor said in his statement that the US ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, told him that "'everything was dependent on such an announcement, including security assistance." Speaking to reporters, Democratic congressman Ted Lieu tsaid, "Taylor gave a devastating opening statement yesterday, they're freaked out, (and) they're trying to stop this investigation." 

(With inputs from AP)

Read: Donald Trump Launches Attack On Diplomat Bill Taylor After Testimony

Read: Kim Jong-un & Trump Have 'Special Relationship', Says N Korea Official

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Published October 24th, 2019 at 20:50 IST

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