Gordon Sondland

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Suit: Pompeo Vowed to Pay Legal Fees. Then 'Everything Changed'

Trump impeachment witness Gordon Sondland sues ex-secretary of state, US for $1.8M

(Newser) - He was a standout witness in the first Trump impeachment trial. Now, Gordon Sondland is once again making headlines, thanks to a lawsuit he's filed over his testimony in the 2019 proceedings. The former US ambassador to the European Union is suing ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well...

Let's Stop Letting Donors Buy Ambassadorships
It's Time to Fix the Way
We Pick Ambassadors
OPINION
Dec 15, 2020 12:51 PM CST

It's Time to Fix the Way We Pick Ambassadors

The age-old practice of rewarding big donors with posts must end, argues essayist

(Newser) - America has an ambassador problem, complains Mattathias Schwartz in an op-ed at the New York Times . He's referring to the long-standing practice of presidents awarding plum posts to big campaign donors who are utterly unqualified to be diplomats. As an example, Schwartz calls attention to former EU ambassador Gordon...

Trump Fired Sondland Despite Warnings From GOP Senators

Collins and others feared a backlash over ousting impeachment witness

(Newser) - Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the EU, was in talks to head off into the sunset with the impeachment trial over. Leave it at that, several Republican senators urged President Trump: Let him leave quietly to avoid looking like you're purging the administration of House impeachment witnesses. The senators lost...

Second Impeachment Witness Is Ousted

Diplomat Gordon Sondland removed from his post

(Newser) - First, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman of the National Security Council got the boot . And now diplomat Gordon Sondland , ambassador to the European Union, is gone. The White House on Friday removed Sondland from his post, making him the second official who testified in the House impeachment inquiry to lose his...

3 Women Accuse Sondland of Sexual Misconduct

Impeachment witness claims report is politically motivated

(Newser) - US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, a key witness in the impeachment hearings, has been accused of sexual misconduct by three women. In a Portland Monthly and ProPublica report released a week after Sondland testified before the House Intelligence Committee , the women say the Oregon businessman made unwanted...

Trump Blasts 'Human Scum' as Hearings Resume
'This Is All Going
to Blow Up'
the rundown
Nov 21, 2019 3:46 PM CST

'This Is All Going to Blow Up'

Impeachment witness Fiona Hill recalls her warning to Gordon Sondland

(Newser) - As the impeachment hearings got back underway on Capitol Hill Thursday, President Trump called Democrats participating in the proceedings "human scum." In a morning tweet, Trump wrote that "corrupt politician Adam Schiff’s lies are growing by the day," and he urged Republicans to stay united...

Rapper Plays Key Role in Sondland's Testimony

Mention of ASAP Rocky jogs the ambassador's memory

(Newser) - Gordon Sondland has retrieved lost memories yet again—this time thanks to a rapper whose work includes songs like "Wassup" and "Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2," Slate reports. Testifying Wednesday on Capitol Hill, the US ambassador to the European Union mentioned a July 26 phone call he...

Sondland's Prepared Remarks: 'There Was a Quid Pro Quo'
White House Responds
to Sondland's Testimony
the rundown
Nov 20, 2019 3:41 PM CST

White House Responds to Sondland's Testimony

US ambassador to the EU testifies

(Newser) - Ken Starr called Wednesday "one of those bombshell days" after hearing US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland's testimony as part of the House impeachment inquiry. President Trump had a different take: "It's all over." Politico reports that in comments to reporters, Trump had this...

'Most Feared Witness' Testifies Today
Impeachment Hearing
'Comes Down to One Guy'
THE RUNDOWN
Nov 20, 2019 6:51 AM CST

Impeachment Hearing 'Comes Down to One Guy'

Gordon Sondland testifies Wednesday

(Newser) - With US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland set to testify, Democrats are hoping Wednesday's impeachment hearing will deliver more bombshells than a B-52. Insiders say Sondland's testimony is that which the White House fears most, raising concerns that he might choose to plead the Fifth Amendment...

Trump: I'll Consider Testifying
Trump Responds to Pelosi's
Invitation to Testify
the rundown
Nov 18, 2019 9:04 AM CST

Trump Responds to Pelosi's Invitation to Testify

President says he will 'strongly consider' it

(Newser) - On Sunday, Nancy Pelosi said President Trump was welcome to personally testify in the House impeachment inquiry. On Monday, Trump said he just might do that. "Even though I did nothing wrong, and don’t like giving credibility to this No Due Process Hoax, I like the idea &...

Second American Overheard Trump Call in Kyiv Restaurant

Conversation was about Ukraine starting investigations, witness says

(Newser) - A second US Embassy staffer in Kyiv overheard a cellphone call between President Trump and his ambassador to the European Union in which they discussed a need for Ukrainian officials to pursue “investigations,” the AP has learned. The July 26 call between Trump and Gordon Sondland was first...

Diplomat Revises His Impeachment Testimony

Gordon Sondland now acknowledges threat to hold up aid unless Ukraine did investigation

(Newser) - The House panels conducting the impeachment inquiry released the testimony of two key players on Tuesday and sent word they want to hear from White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. Axios sees a notable development in the transcript for Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the European Union. Sondland testified...

White House Security Official to Deliver Damaging Testimony

Military officer says he reported concerns about Trump's Ukraine phone call

(Newser) - The White House's top Ukraine expert is due to testify before impeachment investigators Tuesday—and his testimony is expected to be some of the most damaging for President Trump so far. According to prepared testimony seen by Politico , Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the first current White House official...

Trump, McConnell at Odds on This Point
Is This the
'Sea Change' on
Impeachment?
THE RUNDOWN
Oct 23, 2019 6:33 AM CDT

Is This the 'Sea Change' on Impeachment?

Trump, McConnell at odds on one point as testimony continues

(Newser) - The deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia will testify in the House impeachment inquiry Wednesday about the withholding of military aid from Ukraine, following up the stunning testimony of the top US diplomat in Ukraine. This as President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appear...

'Sighs and Gasps' as William Taylor Testifies
'Sighs and Gasps' as
Ukraine Envoy Testifies
the rundown
Oct 22, 2019 7:03 PM CDT

'Sighs and Gasps' as Ukraine Envoy Testifies

William Taylor testifies 'everything' was dependent on Ukraine launching probes

(Newser) - There were "sighs and gasps" on Capitol Hill Tuesday as William Taylor testified before the House Intelligence, Oversight, and Foreign Affairs Committees as part of the Trump impeachment hearings, Politico reports. Taylor, the top US diplomat in Ukraine, first gave what CNN describes as a "lengthy and detailed...

Trump May Not Like What Key Ambassador Has to Say
Key Figure's Ukraine Testimony
Won't Please Trump
the rundown
Oct 17, 2019 10:30 AM CDT

Key Figure's Ukraine Testimony Won't Please Trump

Gordon Sondland says president ordered him to work with Giuliani on Ukraine

(Newser) - A key figure in President Trump's impeachment controversy is testifying Thursday on Capitol Hill, but Trump probably won't like what Gordon Sondland has to say. Sondland is the American ambassador to the EU, but he was among the handful of diplomats involved in the White House's outreach...

White House Adviser Thought US Envoy Was Clueless—and a Risk

Fiona Hill testified that she warned about Gordon Sondland

(Newser) - Fiona Hill, a former high-ranking White House foreign affairs adviser, told House impeachment investigators that the US ambassador to the EU was so unprepared and inexperienced that she thought he was a security risk. Gordon Sondland told foreign officials they could drop by the White House any time, she said,...

Report: Bolton Called Giuliani a 'Hand Grenade'

Aide Fiona Hill testifies on Ukraine frictions

(Newser) - President Trump's former top Russian adviser testified before House impeachment investigators Monday—and sources tell the New York Times that she had a lot to say about Rudy Giuliani, Ukraine, and John Bolton. The insiders say former National Security Council adviser Fiona Hill told lawmakers that in July, Bolton,...

Trump Defends Snubbing of 'Kangaroo Court'
Schiff Issues a Warning
After Witness No-Show
the rundown
Oct 8, 2019 11:05 AM CDT

Schiff Issues a Warning After Witness No-Show

He sees obstruction of justice while Trump slams 'kangaroo court'

(Newser) - The White House took the controversial step Tuesday of ordering a key witness in the Ukraine controversy not to testify before Congress, and President Trump quickly defended the move on Twitter. "I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately...

Key Witness in Ukraine Controversy Will Not Testify

State Department orders ambassador Gordon Sondland not to speak to House panels

(Newser) - The White House is blocking the testimony of a key witness in the Ukraine controversy, reports Politico . The State Department has ordered Gordon Sondland, the American ambassador to the EU, not to show up for a Tuesday deposition with House investigators. “Ambassador Sondland is profoundly disappointed that he will...

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