WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and the House impeachment inquiry (all times local):
5:25 p.m.
The White House is blasting a House resolution to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
Press secretary Stephanie Grisham says in a sternly worded statement that the measure confirms that the impeachment probe “has been an illegitimate sham from the start.” The resolution is scheduled to be voted on Thursday.
The White House has been pushing for a vote and public hearings. It says the House process denies the administration due process. She writes that the White House’s rights “remain undefined, unclear and uncertain.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the vote is being taken “to eliminate any doubt” about the process as the administration tries to block witnesses and withhold documents.
3:25 p.m.
Democrats have released text of a resolution that authorizes the next phase of the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
The eight-page resolution released Tuesday calls for open hearings and requires the House Intelligence Committee to submit a report outlining its findings and recommendations.
House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern of Massachusetts says the resolution will “provide a clear path forward” as the House begins a public phase of the impeachment inquiry.
The House is expected to vote on the resolution on Thursday as Democrats aim to nullify complaints from Trump and his Republicans allies that the impeachment process is illegitimate and unfair.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he and other GOP lawmakers will review the House language to see if it passes a “smell test” of fairness to Trump.
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12:35 p.m.
An Army officer at the National Security Council who twice raised concerns over the Trump administration’s push to have Ukraine investigate Democrats is testifying behind closed doors in the impeachment inquiry.
An advance copy of Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s Tuesday testimony shows he planned to tell House investigators he listened to President Donald Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine’s new leader and reported his concerns to the NSC’s lead counsel.
Vindman’s arrival in military blue, with medals, created a striking image as he entered the Capitol and made his way to the secure briefing room.
Trump questions why people he’s “never even heard of” are testifying in the House Democrats’ impeachment probe. Trump has denied doing anything wrong and has said the call with Ukraine’s leader was “perfect.”
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9:35 a.m.
A White House national security official who is prepared to testify that he was concerned about a call between President Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president has arrived for a closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill.
Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman arrived in full military uniform on Tuesday for his interview with House impeachment investigators.
According to prepared testimony obtained by The Associated Press, Vindman raised concerns over the Trump administration’s push to have Ukraine investigate Democrats and Joe Biden.
Trump questions why people he’s “never even heard of” are testifying in the House Democrats’ impeachment probe. Trump has denied doing anything wrong.
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7:50 a.m.
President Donald Trump is wondering why people he’s “never even heard of” are testifying in the House Democrats’ impeachment probe.
Trump tweeted Tuesday as Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is set to testify on Capitol Hill. Vindman will be the first current White House official and the first person to listen to Trump’s July 25 call with the president of Ukraine to come before Congress.
Vindman in prepared testimony says he twice raised concerns over the Trump administration’s push to have Ukraine investigate Democrats and Joe Biden.
Trump is claiming that the impeachment probe is a “sham” and says if people read the record of the call his White House released the investigation would be “OVER!” He tweeted: Why are people that I never even heard of testifying about the call. Just READ THE CALL TRANSCRIPT AND THE IMPEACHMENT HOAX IS OVER!”
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12:35 a.m.
An Army officer at the National Security Council says he raised concerns twice over the Trump administration’s effort to have Ukraine investigate Democrats.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is set to appear Tuesday before House investigators in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump’s actions.
In prepared testimony, Vindman says he first reported his concerns after a July 10 meeting in which a U.S. ambassador, Gordon Sondland, stressed the importance of having Ukraine investigate the 2016 election as well as a company linked to the family of 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Vindman says he and others listened in the Situation Room as Trump spoke with Ukraine’s president on July 25 and pushed for investigations. In his prepared testimony, Vindman says he reported his concerns to the NSC’s lead counsel.