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Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 09:51 PM Nov 2019

Gordon Sondland Stepped In 'and Things Went Really Off the Rails'

https://www.thedailybeast.com/impeachment-hearings-when-gordon-sondland-stepped-in-things-went-really-off-the-rails

“Erratic,” “very emotional,” and “lots of yelling.” Those are some of the words used to describe Sondland’s performance in a White House meeting with top Ukrainian officials.

Erin Banco National Security Reporter
Lachlan Markay Reporter

Updated Nov. 17, 2019 8:14PM ET / Published Nov. 17, 2019 8:01PM ET

Ukrainian officials arrived at the White House on July 10 expecting something approaching normal. They were in Washington for a scheduled meeting with then-National Security Adviser John Bolton with a plan to propose a new path for U.S.-Ukrainian relations under the umbrella of energy and security cooperation. All seemed to go well—until U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland stepped in. “That’s when things really went off the rails,” one person in the room said.

It’s been widely noted in testimonies by multiple House impeachment witnesses that Sondland interrupted the conversation between Bolton and the Ukrainians when he suggested that the Kyiv officials open investigations into Hunter Biden and the gas company he worked for if they wanted President Volodymyr Zelensky to land a White House meeting with Donald Trump.

<snip>

Bolton immediately cut the get-together short, witnesses said, in an attempt to save what had until then been a normal meeting. But what’s been less clear—until now—is what happened moments later, when Sondland guided the Ukrainians into the White House’s Ward Room. Three individuals familiar with the conversation described what happened next.

Sondland continued to not just relay, but demanded ferociously, that the Ukrainians open the Biden investigations, saying it was the only chance for Washington and Kyiv to develop any further meaningful relationship, two individuals with knowledge of Sondland’s overtures said.

Sondland raised his voice several times in his attempt to persuade the Ukrainian officials sitting across from him, including Andriy Yermak, a close aide to Zelensky, and Zelensky’s then-national security adviser Oleksandr Danylyuk. One individual told The Daily Beast that Sondland “got very emotional,” adding that “there was lots of yelling.” Another individual called the meeting “erratic” and said the Ukrainians began to ignore Sondland and instead turned to Fiona Hill, who ran the National Security Council’s Russia desk at the time, for clarification on Washington’s messaging.

</snip>
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Gordon Sondland Stepped In 'and Things Went Really Off the Rails' (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Nov 2019 OP
Somebody is in waaaaay over their head. Boxerfan Nov 2019 #1
This is really getting ridiculous captain queeg Nov 2019 #2
these are people who had meltdowns over Hillary's emails Skittles Nov 2019 #3
So does any of this amount to espionage? 2naSalit Nov 2019 #4
Certainly not Sondland canetoad Nov 2019 #7
I was thinking more about 2naSalit Nov 2019 #13
Sounds like Sondland wanted rusty fender Nov 2019 #5
Paywall? intrepidity Nov 2019 #6
There's no paywall for this article at the Daily Beast. crickets Nov 2019 #8
Thanks. I couldn't get that popup to close intrepidity Nov 2019 #9
My sympathies. NYT drives me up a wall, so I get it. crickets Nov 2019 #10
I finally capitulated and got WaPo sub. intrepidity Nov 2019 #11
Me too. I've had subscriptions but I cancel them because they are almost more of a pain in the ass Maraya1969 Nov 2019 #12
I'm glad I'm not alone intrepidity Nov 2019 #14
You are right. If you start paying one you end up paying all of them and it gets to be a big Maraya1969 Nov 2019 #15
A trick that works for NYT and WaPo on a PC Imperialism Inc. Nov 2019 #16
Great tip, will remember it for when I have a PC again intrepidity Nov 2019 #17

Boxerfan

(2,533 posts)
1. Somebody is in waaaaay over their head.
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 10:14 PM
Nov 2019

Poor little rich kid wanted to play super secret agent for his boss. Now he has a choice-maybe 3.

1-Hold the line & go under the bus for Trump.

2- Tell everything he can to save his ass-that means dropping full on Trump.

3- Soviet Buh Bye bullet to the head. Self inflicted of course and he did it twice to be sure.

Those are his choices-none of them are what he bargained for-small violin concert for ya.

captain queeg

(10,188 posts)
2. This is really getting ridiculous
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 10:14 PM
Nov 2019

Can you imagine if even the smallest aspect of this happened during Obama’s tenure?

Skittles

(153,160 posts)
3. these are people who had meltdowns over Hillary's emails
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 10:17 PM
Nov 2019

these treasonous assholes need to be OUSTED

canetoad

(17,154 posts)
7. Certainly not Sondland
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:11 PM
Nov 2019

He wasn't spying or using spies; just being a try-hard boot licker who wanted everyone to see him as important.

intrepidity

(7,294 posts)
6. Paywall?
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:08 PM
Nov 2019

From now on that will be my standard reply for when I click on a link but cannot read the article.

I am sick of finding 90% links are wasted click s. Show me ads, fine, like you tube does. But the number of paywalls is getting absurd. I'm not playing that game.

Just cancelled my WaPo subscription today so wont post links there, unless I note that it is pay walled.

I remember when the internet worked.

crickets

(25,969 posts)
8. There's no paywall for this article at the Daily Beast.
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:22 PM
Nov 2019

A subscription ad popped up, I clicked the x in the corner to close it, and kept reading to the end.

intrepidity

(7,294 posts)
9. Thanks. I couldn't get that popup to close
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:28 PM
Nov 2019

My patience is just currently depleted, esp. w paywalls everywhere

intrepidity

(7,294 posts)
11. I finally capitulated and got WaPo sub.
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:39 PM
Nov 2019

Then yesterday, it randomly wanted me to sign in again and that was all it took for me to cancel today. Zero patience for this bullshit

intrepidity

(7,294 posts)
14. I'm glad I'm not alone
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:47 PM
Nov 2019

They really should heed the YouTube model. Show me ads, but let me read the content. I cannot afford to nickle n dime myself to death.

Maraya1969

(22,479 posts)
15. You are right. If you start paying one you end up paying all of them and it gets to be a big
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:54 PM
Nov 2019

expense. Plus they want you to log in and that pisses me off.

Imperialism Inc.

(2,495 posts)
16. A trick that works for NYT and WaPo on a PC
Sun Nov 17, 2019, 11:54 PM
Nov 2019

is to quickly use the keyboard to CTRL+A and then CTRL+C to select all and copy the text before the paywall comes up. Then you can paste the text in a Notepad type text program.

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