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New Insights Continue In Trump Impeachment Inquiry
Democrats hold off on vote, Mulvaney confirms quid pro quo, Perry resigns

Credit: @SpeakerPelosi (Twitter), @realDonaldTrump (Twitter) & White House Photographer
As more witnesses are deposed and new information is revealed regarding Donald Trump and dealings with Ukraine, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders will hold off on a full House vote authorizing an impeachment inquiry. The decision could however be "reassessed at some point,” Democratic leadership sources warn.
Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said that the Trump administration indeed pressured Ukraine to investigate political rivals, withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine. This is key to the Democrats argument for impeachment, while Republicans have long denied it. Mulvaney later claimed he’d not admitted the quid pro quo maneuver.
Meanwhile U.S. ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland testified before House investigators Thursday. During his nearly nine-hour testimony, Sondland said Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani was pushing Ukraine to probe political rivals. “Mr. Giuliani emphasized that the president wanted a public statement from President Zelensky committing Ukraine to look into anti-corruption issues,” Sondland said.
Before being fired last month by Donald Trump, then-National Security Adviser John Bolton expressed concern over Giuliani, calling him a "hand grenade" on Ukraine. Giuliani and Vice President Mike Pence have said they will not cooperate with the House of Representatives impeachment inquiry.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who had recently been ordered to produce any documents pertaining to Ukraine and the impeachment inquiry, will be leaving his position at the end of the year. The news came Thursday night following Trump’s announcement at a campaign rally. Perry “couldn’t have done a better job,” Trump said at the Texas rally, “and he’s going to be leaving at the end of the year, and probably coming back here.”
