HERE'S THE DEAL
IMPEACHMENT EDITION

The past few days have been busy. If we had a five-point news-storm intensity scale, it would be a Category 4.  What happened? Here are NewsHour’s short video summaries for Wednesday and Thursday. Or keep reading.

• The Washington Post reported Thursday that the U.S. trade representative pulled back on a move to give Ukraine a significant trade benefit after he was told President Trump would frown on anything positive for Ukraine.

• If true, this would expand the universe of officials and government programs affected by the president’s negotiations with Ukraine.

• That said, the story does not connect the president directly with Ukraine’s trade status. It alleges that other officials recommended the change to the U.S. trade representative.
   

Report: Ukrainians knew aid money was frozen in August, it wasn’t red tape

• The New York Times reported Wednesday that Ukrainian leaders knew in early August that nearly $400 million of aid money suddenly had been frozen by the Trump administration. That is earlier than previously known.

• The Times reported that Ukrainian leaders were told the issue was not red tape, and they needed to talk with White House Chief of Staff Mulvaney to resolve it.

President Trump, Republicans juggle impeachment messages and Taylor testimony

• At a White House lunch Thursday, President Trump urged a group of Senate Republicans to push back at Democrats and particularly assail what he sees as an unfair impeachment process.

• The number two Senate Republican, John Thune of South Dakota, told reporters Wednesday that he initially understood the testimony of Bill Taylor, the chief U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, was “not a good one.” Taylor testified that a top Trump official clearly stated that Ukraine needed to launch specific investigations in order to gain a White House meeting and possibly millions in funding. But Thursday, Thune seemed to walk back his comments and stress that Americans are only seeing “one side of the story.”

House Republicans march into closed-door hearing

• Two dozen House Republicans launched an unprecedented protest Wednesday, marching in and delaying a closed-door impeachment hearing for hours, demanding open, public hearings.

• Contrary to the rules, the lawmakers carried cell phones into the secure area.

• Some of the protesting Republicans do not sit on any committees involved and were breaking secure-area rules when they entered. Others who staged the sit-in are members of those committees and could have attended the hearing regardless.

• Democrats insist public hearings will be next and pointed out that in the past Republicans have similarly limited closed-door, initial testimony.

Giuliani associates connected to Ukraine plead not guilty

• Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges of trying to buy political influence for foreign donors  from Russia and Ukraine. 

• An attorney would had represented them has said their activities were part of Rudy Guiliani’s work for President Trump.

• Parnas’ lawyer argued that his client is protected by attorney-client privilege with Giuliani and could be protected by executive privilege because of the connection to Trump. 

McConnell denies Trump claim

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., denied a claim by President Trump that McConnell told him the Trump-Zelensky call was innocent.

• Asked about this by reporters Wednesday, McConnell said he and Mr. Trump “have never had any conversations on that subject”.