HERE'S THE DEAL
IMPEACHMENT EDITION

Reading glasses, on. 

The House of Representatives is on recess and mostly outside of Washington, but lawmakers here are still making impeachment headlines by releasing hundreds of pages of closed-door witness testimony. 

What does it say? See our video summary from last night, or keep reading. 

Sondland quid pro quo

• Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the European Union, revised his previous testimony Monday.

• Sondland now says he recalls relaying a kind of quid-pro-quo message to Ukraine, immediately following a meeting between Ukrainian President Zelensky and Vice President Mike Pence.

• He told a top Ukrainian aide that “resumption of U.S aid (money) would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti-corruption statement that we had been discussing for many weeks.” The Trump administration had asked for a statement that Ukraine was investigating an energy company connected to the Bidens and the 2016 U.S. election. 

• Sondland defended President Trump, saying he had “assumed” the aid and investigations were connected and that President Trump repeated to him that he did not want a “quid pro quo.” 

Other transcripts show shadow diplomacy, Giuliani influence

• Former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovich testified that Ukrainians warned her that the president’s attorney, Rudy Giuliani, was trying to have her removed. 

• Yovanovitch believed Giuliani and his associates were motivated by business and political deals they, or their clients, hoped to make.

• Transcripts show multiple witnesses described extensive influence by Giuliani on the president and Ukraine policy.

• Both Sondland and former Ukraine envoy Kurt Volker testified that even though they officially led Ukraine policy, they initially struggled to determine why the United States had frozen $390 million in aid money.

• Six officials from the Trump administration declined to testify before House lawmakers this week so far. They were: officials with the National Security Council, Office of Management and Budget and a top staffer for acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.
• So far, House Democrats are not pursuing enforcement action against these witnesses. They continue to say refusals are evidence of obstruction by the White House.

Bolton deposition

• House investigators have called former National Security Advisor John Bolton to testify Thursday.
• His attorney has said Bolton will not appear voluntarily. It is not clear if he will appear if a subpoena is issued.

McConnell: Senate would not convict Trump

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Tuesday that he’s “pretty sure” how a Senate impeachment trial would end. “If it were today I don’t think there’s a question - it would not lead to a removal,” he said.
• McConnell has not determined the format for any trial yet, nor how long it would last.

Appeals court orders that Trump tax returns go to prosecutors

• A panel of appeals court judges ruled Monday that an accounting firm must turn over eight years of the president’s tax returns to prosecutors in New York state.
• President Trump’s attorney said he will appeal that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, setting up a constitutional battle over what immunity - if any - presidents have while in office.