Republican Peach Mint Defense Highlights: Mon Jan 27 2020: page 3 Sekulow, Purpura
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Pages 1 & 2: >>7931252, >>7931259 Peach Mint Summary first hour & 15 minutes of Repub Peach Mint page 1 Sekulow, page 2 Starr
Jay Sekulow 11:12 PST
reminds Senators of Pelosi pen distribution: "a celebratory moment"
Sat recap. SIX POINTS [correction]
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Phone call: no link between security assistance and investigation
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No Quid Pro Quo, no pressure
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Zelensky did not know security assistance was paused until a month after the call
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No Dem witness said there was a link
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Ukraine still received security assistance wo committing to investigation
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Trump STRENGTHENED Ukrainian assistance
Michael Purpura
[he gives more details/examples of Sekulow's points]
[Focus on the phone call; P shows examples of testimony by House witnesses]
Why assistance was paused: due to concerns about corruption
House mgrs: said this concern with corruption was 'laughable'
Said POTUS 'didn't care about corruption'
But [even] Yovanovich said otherwise. 11:21 PST [shows other examples here and below as well]
POTUS to Ron Johnson: expressed concern about corruption and that other countries didn't pay their fair share
Dems didn't tell you about that; why not? 11:24 PST
Morrison testimony showing POTUS concern re corruption 11:27 PST
9-1-19: Pence met with Zelensky (POTUS stayed in US bc of Hurricane Dorian)
Z asked about status of security assistance; Pence asked about 2 things: burden sharing and corruption
(Jennifer Williams testimony, Ambassador Taylor)
Sept 11: based on info given to POTUS, he lifted the pause on security assistance
House mgrs claimed otherwise but their own record "tells a different story."
"They didn't tell you about this….why not?"
[reviews POTUS' invitations to Z to meet = 3 invitations wo/preconditions] 11:34 PST
First opportunity for a mtg: Warsaw Sept 1 [didn't happen due to hurricane, see above]
House mgrs claimed that the mtg couldn't be any place – it had to be in the WH
But Fiona Hill in testimony said otherwise; could take place anywhere.
House mgrs didn't tell you about Hill's testimony; why not?
Z said the same as Hill. 11:39 PST
House mgrs wanted to focus on Sondland, but didn't explain S was only guessing. 11:40 PST
Re Giuliani's inquiries. Sondland talks about what he heard about Giuliani from Volker.
But V "thought no such thing" [that there were investigation prerequisites for a mtg w/POTUS]
But House mgrs did not present this info.
Next House mgr claim: that POTUS ordered Pence not to attend Z's inauguration in order to signal "a downgrading of the relationships between the US and Ukraine".
"That's not true." It was bc of logistical conflicts (VP and P don't leave country at the same time for a few hours).
Pence had another trip on May 30 to promote USMCA, a top admin priority.
Also, Uk inauguration date changed–May 16 May 20 ("very short notice"; v hard to prepare for VP visit)
There was still a large US delegation there.
So if the evidence doesn't show Quid Pro Quo, what does it show?
Support for Ukraine, not the opposite (as evidenced by POTUS' policy of providing lethal aid to them).
All 3 ambassadors affirm, including Yovanovich. 11:50 PST
This is why the House mgrs first article of impeachment must fail–for "six reasons set forth on Sat"''– see Sekulow list above
Burden of proof, which is heavy, rests on the House mgrs.
[They have not made their case.]
BREAK