Key takeaways from yesterday's testimony
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What we learned
On Day Two of the public hearings in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, Marie Yovanovitch, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, testified before the House Intelligence Committee. As the Center for American Progress' Sam Berger noted, her testimony succeeded in "laying bare Trump's culture of corruption. Those who are honest or call out corruption are cast aside. Those who participate in corruption or look the other way are promoted." In events that Ambassador Yovanovitch said left her "shocked and devastated," President Trump called her reputation into question on a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, used threatening language against her, and finally recalled her from Ukraine without explanation.

This alone is a terrible breach of trust with the nation's foreign service members, whose work on behalf of U.S. national security is often, as Ambassador Yovanovitch reminded the committee in her opening statement, a matter of life and death. But even further, getting rid of her—a dedicated public servant who was trying to fight corruption in Ukraine—was part of the groundwork that enabled President Trump to engage in his own corruption, withholding military support and meetings in order to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on the Bidens. (Read all about that in CAP's previous coverage of Wednesday's hearings.)

Read CAP's full coverage of the November 15 hearing »

What we're reading
Vox
Trump attacked Marie Yovanovitch on Twitter during her testimony. She responded in real time.

The Wall Street Journal
Federal Prosecutors Probe Giuliani's Links to Ukrainian Energy Projects

The Moscow Project
The Stone Indictment Shows the Trump Campaign Directed Collusion

Next up...
Tuesday, November 19
Morning testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
Jennifer Williams, aide to Vice President Mike Pence
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, director for European Affairs for the U.S. National Security Council
Afternoon testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence:
Kurt Volker, former U.S. special representative for Ukraine
Tim Morrison, former Russia and Europe official on the U.S. National Security Council

Wednesday, November 20
Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union
Laura Cooper, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian Affairs
David Hale, under secretary of state for political affairs

Thursday, November 21
Fiona Hill, former senior director for European and Russian affairs for the U.S. National Security Council

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