The second week of public hearings in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump began on Tuesday with two officials who directly listened in on his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, and Jennifer Williams, special advisor for Europe and Russia for Vice President Mike Pence, were first to answer questions in front of the House Intelligence Committee. Both reiterated the concern with the call they had expressed in their written testimony. Williams, who said she had listened to a dozen calls with foreign leaders, described the conversation as “troubling” while Vindman said he thought the conversation was so improper — and so unaligned with U.S. national security interests — that he alerted his superior, National Security Counsel Lawyer John Eisenberg.
“I never thought I would be sitting here testifying in front of this committee and the American public, about my actions,” he said in his opening statement. “When I reported my concerns, my only thought was to act properly and to carry out duty.”
Witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindeman, National Security Council staffer, enters the House Intelligence Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 19, 2019. Gabriella Demczuk / TIME Gabriella Demczuk for TIME
An immigrant who was born in Ukraine when it was still part of the former Soviet Union, Vindman earned a purple heart after he was wounded in Iraq. He emphasized that his desire to serve the country stemmed from an appreciation for Democracy. However, he also spent a portion of his hearing warding off concerns voiced by the GOP’s lead counsel that he had loyalties outside of the United States. In response to questions about Ukraine asking Vindman if he’d serve as the nation’s defense minister, Vindman said: “I’m an American,” Vindman said. “And I immediately dismissed these offers.”
Global News 
Leave a comment