OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin sat in on the closed-door hearing where former U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker testified on the July 25 call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
His testimony included comments on the allegation that President Trump threatened to withhold financial aid to Ukraine unless they opened an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
Congressman @leezeldin on today's testimony:
"…blowing massive holes inside of the theory, the narrative, that Chairman Schiff has been providing to the public."
It's all falling apart for Shifty Adam Schiff! pic.twitter.com/q2p2186l5Y
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 3, 2019
Zeldin claimed on Twitter that Volker’s testimony completely clears trump of any and all allegations of wrongdoing — seemingly confirming Trump’s defense that his call was “perfect” and legal.
“House Dems should IMMEDIATELY release Amb Volker’s several hour-long transcribed interview so ALL can read it,” Zeldin said in a tweet just before midnight on Saturday evening. “He candidly & professionally OBLITERATED the bogus charge POTUS made a quid pro quo offer to Zelensky connecting aid to Ukraine with an investigation into Bidens.”
Rep. Lee Zeldin: "It is crystal clear — we knew it before today and we know it with even further confirmation now — that any allegation that President Trump was trying to get President Zelensky to manufacture dirt on the Bidens is just not true." pic.twitter.com/Q2RRJaJHwR
— The Hill (@thehill) October 4, 2019
The tweet came in response to an initial post from CNN’s Chris Cuomo who commented that Trump has been uncharacteristically silent on Volker and his testimony.
“The below is the norm…odd thing though, why is this president so quiet about Volker? Not a sour word and arguably no one has ever been close to as damaging as he,” Cuomo said in the tweet.
House Dems should IMMEDIATELY release Amb Volker’s several hour long transcribed interview so ALL can read it. He candidly & professionally OBLITERATED the bogus charge POTUS made a quid pro quo offer to Zelensky connecting aid to Ukraine with an investigation into Bidens. https://t.co/8zFSIoRHjX
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) October 6, 2019
Raw Story reports Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace—who did not sit in on the hearing—claimed the testimony was damaging to President Trump.
“The breaking news to me, today, is … Fox has gotten ahold of the 11-page statement, opening statement by Kurt Volker yesterday in a closed session. He, of course, was the special envoy from the administration to Ukraine. He was very involved in all of this. This 11-page opening statement is quite devastating to the president and Rudy Giuliani’s case,” Wallace said on Friday.
“It basically says that Volker, who all sides agree was an honest broker in this whole thing, was very disturbed by the information — he thought disinformation — that various Ukrainian officials were sending to Rudy Giuliani, the president’s private lawyer, and that Rudy Giuliani was then spreading that information in Washington,” the Fox News host continued.
He added: “That might be a reason why the president was so reluctant to meet with [Ukrainian president] Zelensky and also to, of course, push Zelensky to investigate in that July 25th phone call both potential involvement in the 2016 election by the Ukrainians and also Joe Biden and his role.”
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