Ex-National Security Council official testifying to Congress

Fiona Hill, a former top National Security Council expert on Russia, was testifying to Congress behind closed doors, the latest former Trump administration official to be subpoenaed as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

News 12 Staff

Oct 14, 2019, 3:42 PM

Updated 1,659 days ago

Share:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Fiona Hill, a former top National Security Council expert on Russia, was testifying to Congress behind closed doors Monday, the latest former Trump administration official to be subpoenaed as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

Hill wouldn't comment as she arrived on Capitol Hill, but her attorney said she had received a congressional subpoena and would "comply and answer questions" from lawmakers. She resigned from the White House National Security Council over the summer.

She is the first White House official to appear as part of the House impeachment inquiry . Her appearance comes despite a White House vow to halt any and all cooperation with what it termed the "illegitimate" impeachment probe. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether they had sought to limit Hill's testimony.

Republicans called on Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, to release transcripts of the depositions to the public. The California Democrat said Sunday that having witnesses appear behind closed doors would prevent them from knowing what other witnesses said.

"We want to make sure that we meet the needs of the investigation and not give the president or his legal minions the opportunity to tailor their testimony and in some cases fabricate testimony to suit their interests," Schiff said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

Rep. Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House oversight committee, said he learned Monday morning that Schiff had subpoenaed Hill.

"She was going to come, she'd agreed to come, she was going to come voluntarily but he's going to subpoena her, I believe, so he could ask certain questions and again keep those secret except for the certain things he wants to leak," Jordan said. "The tragedy here and the crime here is that the American people don't get to see what's going on in these sessions."

Later this week, U.S. ambassador Gordon Sondland, Trump's hand-picked ambassador to the European Union, is expected to appear for a deposition against the wishes of the White House, after being subpoenaed. He's expected to tell Congress that his text message reassuring another envoy that there was no quid pro quo in their interactions with Ukraine was based solely on what Trump told him, according to a person familiar with his coming testimony in the impeachment probe

Sondland's appearance, set for Thursday, comes after a cache of text messages from top envoys provided a vivid account of their work acting as intermediaries around the time Trump urged Ukraine's new president, Volodymr Zelenskiy, to start investigations into a company linked to the family of Democratic rival Joe Biden.

One witness who may not be called before Congress is the still-anonymous government whistleblower who touched off the impeachment inquiry.

Top Democrats say testimony and evidence coming in from other witnesses, and even the president himself, are backing up the whistleblower's account of what transpired during Trump's July 25 phone call with Zelenskiy. Lawmakers have grown deeply concerned about protecting the person from Trump's threats and may not wish to risk exposing the whistleblower's identity.

Schiff said on Sunday that Democrats "don't need the whistleblower, who wasn't on the call, to tell us what took place on the call."

Schiff said it "may not be necessary" to reveal the whistleblower's identity as the House gathers evidence. "Our primary interest right now is making sure that that person is protected," he said.

But Trump strongly objected.

"Adam Schiff now doesn't seem to want the Whistleblower to testify. NO!" the Republican president tweeted early Monday. "We must determine the Whistleblower's identity to determine WHY this was done to the USA."

The impeachment inquiry is testing the Constitution's system of checks and balances as the House presses forward with the probe and the White House dismisses it as "illegitimate" because there has been no formal vote of the House to open impeachment proceedings.

In calling for a vote, the White House is trying to press House Democrats who may be politically reluctant to put their names formally behind impeachment.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has resisted those efforts and is unlikely to budge as Congress returns this week. Democrats say Congress is well within its power as the legislative branch to conduct oversight of the president and it is Republicans, having grown weary of Trump's actions, who may be in the greater political bind over a vote.

Sondland's appearance comes after text messages from top ambassadors described their interactions leading up to Trump's call and the aftermath. He is set to tell lawmakers that he did understand the administration was offering Zelenskiy a White House visit in exchange for a public statement committing to investigations that Trump wanted, according to the person, who demanded anonymity to discuss remarks not yet given.

But Sondland will say he did not know the company being talked about for an investigation, Burisma, was tied to Biden's son, Hunter Biden, the person said.
 
 


More from News 12
0:47
2 Ulster County brothers convicted of murdering father of 2

2 Ulster County brothers convicted of murdering father of 2

2:11
Storm Watch: Showers and thunderstorms to impact evening commute, sunny and warmer to start May

Storm Watch: Showers and thunderstorms to impact evening commute, sunny and warmer to start May

1:53
Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

Shop Mother’s Day Gifts – Exclusive Offers Up to 75% OFF!

0:45
Dobbs Ferry condemns racist incidents; urges public vigilance

Dobbs Ferry condemns racist incidents; urges public vigilance

1:57
Thiells voters to decide on new fire station

Thiells voters to decide on new fire station

0:29
Lawmakers demand transparency on Carmel lithium-ion battery storage facility

Lawmakers demand transparency on Carmel lithium-ion battery storage facility

0:22
Westchester County launches initiative to support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities

Westchester County launches initiative to support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities

1:05
Headlines: Gun found at LGA, WWII-era mortar uncovered, Amazon gas leak

Headlines: Gun found at LGA, WWII-era mortar uncovered, Amazon gas leak

0:22
E-ZPass warns of text message scam targeting customers

E-ZPass warns of text message scam targeting customers

0:44
Mount St. Mary College donates properties to Habitat for Humanity

Mount St. Mary College donates properties to Habitat for Humanity

0:22
9th annual North Rockland Sports and Law Enforcement Day raises over $80,000 for charity

9th annual North Rockland Sports and Law Enforcement Day raises over $80,000 for charity

0:28
Back-to-back: Byram Hills HS senior claims victory in speech championship for 2nd year

Back-to-back: Byram Hills HS senior claims victory in speech championship for 2nd year

0:34
Westchester County unveils plans for revitalizing and safeguarding the historic Merestead property

Westchester County unveils plans for revitalizing and safeguarding the historic Merestead property

8:55
Guide: Ways to set your child up for financial success

Guide: Ways to set your child up for financial success

0:41
 Congers celebrates 2-year-old with terminal brain cancer halfway to Halloween

Congers celebrates 2-year-old with terminal brain cancer halfway to Halloween

2:59
2 defendants in body parts case plead not guilty to second-degree murder charges

2 defendants in body parts case plead not guilty to second-degree murder charges

1:56
Former Somers HS coach throws 1st pitch at opening game following virus that nearly killed him

Former Somers HS coach throws 1st pitch at opening game following virus that nearly killed him

1:23
Tractor-trailer was left teetering after crash on Bear Mountain Bridge Road

Tractor-trailer was left teetering after crash on Bear Mountain Bridge Road

2:00
Staff delicately salvage 200-year-old relics following ceiling collapse at Boscobel House

Staff delicately salvage 200-year-old relics following ceiling collapse at Boscobel House

2:05
Make-A-Wish grants 12-year-old from Peekskill dream of becoming a chef

Make-A-Wish grants 12-year-old from Peekskill dream of becoming a chef