Trump official Alexander Vindman testifies in impeachment inquiry

National Security Council Ukraine expert Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman on October 29 presented his testimony in the White House inquiry where he mentioned that he has twice reported concerns about improper White House efforts to get Kiev to open investigations designed to help Trump politically. Vindman said he personally heard Trump pressurizing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call which ultimately led to the call for impeachment.  His testimony has so far been the strongest evidence for the accusations against Trump which indicates that he abused his presidential powers and broke election laws to gain Kiev's support for his re-election effort next year. Alexander appeared at the inquiry in full military dress uniform as he is a decorated Iraq war veteran. 

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Vindman alleged Gordon Sondland & Trump of pressurizing Ukraine

Vindman is the first witness to have personally listened in on the July 25 phone call at the core of the impeachment inquiry. The nine other witnesses were simply aware of the contents and none of them heard it. Vindman alleged that ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, was the first person he witnessed pressing Ukraine for the investigations. The war veteran had the same remarks for Trump-Zelensky's call as he said that it was not proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a US citizen. He added in his official statement that if Ukraine pursued an investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it would likely be interpreted as a partisan play. Vindman made his statement to the chief attorney of the NSC. Following this, democrats have stepped up to take the inquiry forward and come to a conclusion. Nancy Pelosi tweeted stating the same.

Read: Rep. Andy Biggs On Vote To Open Trump's Formal Impeachment Inquisition

Trump and Republicans defend allegations

Trump, on the other hand, called him a 'Never Trumper' in his tweet on Tuesday. He went on to call the impeachment inquiry a hoax yet again saying that the democrats are trying to make the public forget his good work. Trump also called Adam Schiff as Shifty Schiff and asked the whereabouts of the original whistleblower. He said in another media statement that he doesn't believe that Vindman was on the same call that he was. Republican lawmaker Matt Gaetz, one of Trump's staunch defenders questioned Vindman's credibility. The Republicans said that Vindman immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union at the age of three. They also suggested that he is part of an effort by the US national security bureaucracy to undermine Trump.

Read: Democrats To Vote On Oct 31 To Make Trump's Impeachment Probe Public

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