Page:2019-12-02-report-of-evidence-in-the-democrats-impeachment-inquiry-in-the-house-of-representatives.pdf/40

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Ambassador Bolton to meet with Oleksandr Danylyuk, then-Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, and Andrey Yermak, an adviser to President Zelensky.[1] Dr. Hill and LTC Vindman from the NSC staff attended as well.[2]

Dr. Hill and LTC Vindman alleged that during the meeting, Ambassador Sondland raised potential Ukrainian actions on investigations, leading Ambassador Bolton to abruptly end the meeting.[3]Dr. Hill recounted that Ambassador Bolton told her to brief the NSC Legal Advisor,John Eisenberg, and said he would not be a part of what he termed a "drug deal."[4]

Although Dr. Hill testified that she confronted Ambassador Sondland over his discussion of investigations,[5] Ambassador Sondland testified in his closed-door deposition that "neither Ambassador Bolton, Dr. Hill, or anyone else on the NSC staff ever expressed any concerns to me about our efforts . . . or, most importantly, any concerns that we were acting improperly."[6] Ambassador Sondland testified in his deposition that he recalled no "unpleasant conversation" with Dr. Hill.[7] Likewise, although Ambassador Volker assessed that the meeting was "not good," he said it was because Danylyuk poorly conveyed the appropriate top-level message to Ambassador Bolton during the meeting.[8]

In his public testimony, Ambassador Volker acknowledged that Ambassador Sondland made a "general comment about investigations," but he disputed that the July 10 meeting ended abruptly.[9] He also testified that preconditions were not discussed during the meeting.[10] Although Ambassador Sondland denied in his closed-door depositions that he raised investigations during July 10 meeting,[11] he acknowledged that he did in his public testimony.[12] Even still, Ambassador Sondland denied that the July 10 meeting ended abruptly: "I don't recall any abrupt ending of the meeting or people storming out or anything like that. That would have been very memorable if someone had stormed out of a meeting, based on something I said."[13] He explained that Dr. Hill never raised concerns to him, and that any discussion of investigations did not mention specific investigations.[14] He testified:

Q. And, in fact, after the meeting, you went out and you took a picture, right?

  1. ↑ Sondland deposition, supra note 51, at 27; Volker transcribed interview, supra note 60, at 50-51.
  2. ↑ Hill deposition, supra note 12, at 63; Vindman deposition, supra note 12, at 17-18.
  3. ↑ Hill deposition, supra note 12, at 67; Vindman deposition, supra note 12, at 17.
  4. ↑ Hill deposition, supra note 12, at 70-71.
  5. ↑ Id. at 68-71. Dr. Hill testified that she also had a "blow up" with Ambassador Sondland in June about Ukraine, saying that Ambassador Sondland got "testy." Id. at 113.
  6. ↑ Sondland deposition, supra note 51, at 28.
  7. ↑ Id. at 114.
  8. ↑ Volker transcribed interview, supra note 60, at 66.
  9. ↑ Impeachment Inquiry: Ambassador Kurt Volker and Mr. Timothy Morrison, supra note 8.
  10. ↑ Id.
  11. ↑ Id. at 109-10.
  12. ↑ Impeachment Inquiry: Ambassador Gordon Sondland, supra note 56.
  13. ↑ Id.
  14. ↑ Id.

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