Krishnamoorthi asks Sondland to clarify a point about Trump's 'I want nothing' comment
Democratic U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Mike Quigley asked about the “Gordon problem” and the whistleblower search, respectively, in their collective 10 minutes questioning U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland at Wednesday's Intelligence Committee hearing.
Sondland broke new ground in the House impeachment inquiry as a witness with firsthand knowledge of whether President Donald Trump froze financial aid to Ukraine for political gain.
The president has denied any quid pro quo and said Sondland exonerated him Wednesday by recounting a Sept. 9 conversation where Trump said “I want nothing” from Ukraine.
Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, asked, “I presume ... the president did not mention that that was the same day (Sept. 9) that we launched a congressional investigation into whether there was a quid pro quo?”
“We didn't have time to talk about things like that,” Sondland replied during the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence session. Krishnamoorthi and Quigley are the sole Illinoisans on the committee.
Krishnamoorthi said he was “concerned” Trump allies were throwing Sondland “under the bus” by insinuating he was coordinating the push to coerce Ukraine to announce an investigation in exchange for a meeting with Trump.
“If I had been in charge, I would have asked President Trump to have the meeting without preconditions and the meeting would have occurred a long time ago,” Sondland answered.
Some levity occurred when Krishnamoorthi quoted a former National Security Council official's reference to “the Gordon problem” Tuesday.
“That's what my wife calls me,” Sondland said to chuckles. “Maybe they're talking. Should I be worried?”
Krishnamoorthi also asked about contradictory comments from Trump, who in October called Sondland “a great American,” then later said, “I hardly know the gentleman.”
“Easy come, easy go,” Sondland quipped.
Quigley, of Chicago, criticized Republican efforts to identify the government whistleblower whose complaint led to the scandal.
“In the final analysis, if we were investigating an arson, you all would indict the person who pulled the fire alarm,” Quigley said.
“Whatever the whistleblower did, it did not change the president's actions. All it does is put this person at risk,” he said.