Tipsheet

Jim Jordan Destroys Democrats' 'Star Witness' for Not Having Direct Knowledge of Trump's Phone Call

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) used his time during the first public impeachment inquiry hearing on Wednesday to show how ridiculous it is that Democrats are using Bill Taylor, the U.S. chargé d'affaires for Ukraine, as their "star witness" to the charge that President Trump strong armed Ukraine into doing his bidding. 

Jordan used the addendum that U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland added to his testimony wherein Sondland states that he assumed the military aid to Ukraine was held up because they had not yet declared an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden.

"'Ambassador Taylor recalls that Mr. Morrison told Ambassador Taylor that I told Mr. Morrison that I convey this message to Mr. Yarmack on September 1, 2019 in connection with Vice President Pence’s meeting to Warsaw and a meeting with President Zelensky,' And this is the clarification," Jordan said. "Let me read it again. 'Ambassador Taylor recalls that Mr. Morrison told Ambassador Taylor that I told Mr. Morrison that I convey this message to Mr. Yarmack on September 1, 2019 in connection with Vice President Pence’s meeting to Warsaw and a meeting with President Zelensky.'"

"We got six people having four conversations in one sentence and you just told me this is where you got the clear understanding," Jordan added.

When Jordan asked if Taylor was on the call with President Trump and Zelensky, if he had talked with Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney or met with President Trump, Taylor answered no.

"This is what I can't believe and you're [the Democrats'] star witness. You're their first witness. You're the guy based on this and I mean, I've seen church prayer chains that are easier to understand than this," Jordan said.

Taylor said he does not consider himself to be a "star witness" and he is not testifying "to take one side or another or to advocate any particular outcome."

Earlier in his testimony, Taylor told Daniel Goldman, the lead counsel for House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA), that he can only speak to what other people told him about their concerns of a quid pro quo between Trump and Zelensky.