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President trump’s former Russia adviser testified on the subpoena Monday around 10 a.m. as Democrats sought to delve into how the President’s allies tried to circumvent official policy toward Ukraine as part of the impeachment investigation.

Fiona hill, who until the summer served as trump’s chief Russia analyst in the national security Council office, became the third witness to appear in a closed session before three House committees investigating the impeachment, after former Ukraine special envoy Kurt Volcker and former Ambassador to Ukraine Maria Iovanovich.

While lawmakers largely declined to comment on the specifics of hill’s testimony, Democrats argued that hill confirmed what they described as a concerted effort by trump allies who pushed for the Ukrainian government to investigate Biden and Iovanovich from his post in may.

At the center of that effort, they say, was the President’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.  

On September 25, house speaker Nancy Pelosi initiated an investigation into President trump’s impeachment after a whistleblower complaint about his relationship with Ukraine.

Acting white house chief of staff Mick Mulvaney answers questions during a white house briefing on October 17 in Washington, DC. During the briefing, Mulvaney answered a number of questions related to the investigation into the impeachment of us President Donald trump and other issues.

U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland (C) arrives at the U.S. Capitol on October 17 in Washington, DC. Sondland will appear before Congress for a closed discussion of the Ukraine scandal.

Former top adviser to the us President on Russia Fiona hill (C) leaves her post after testifying before The house intelligence Committee on the impeachment case on October 14 in Washington. Hill, who has been subpoenaed by The house intelligence, foreign Affairs and oversight committees behind closed doors, is one of the few current and former members of the trump administration with whom House panels have spoken this week.

Hundreds of activists marched from times square to Union square on October 13 in new York city.

President Donald trump speaks to reporters as he travels to Minnesota from the South lawn of the White house on October 10. The President spoke about the impeachment investigation, the Turkish invasion of Syria, and Giuliani associates arrested today at DULLES airport on charges of violating campaign Finance rules.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Iovanovich (left) arrives on Capitol hill on October 11 in Washington, as she is due to testify before congressional lawmakers on Friday as part of the investigation into President Donald trump’s impeachment.

Anti-trump protesters hold a sign reading “impeachment” as they gather outside a Target center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ahead of President trump’s” Keep America great ” rally, on October 10.

Subpoena from the House Permanent select Committee on intelligence energy Secretary Rick Perry, October 10, photographed in Washington. House Democrats have subpoenaed Perry as part of an impeachment investigation into President trump’s relationship with Ukraine.

Kevin Downing, right, a lawyer representing two Florida businessmen Leo Parnassus and Igor Fruman, leaves the Federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 10. Two Florida businessmen linked to President trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani have been arrested on charges of campaign Finance violations as a result of a $ 325,000 donation to the political action Committee in support of trump’s re-election.

Thomas Zenle, a lawyer representing Lev Parnassus and Igor Fruman, leaves the Federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 10.

President Donald trump answers a journalist’s question at a signing event for two Executive orders aimed at greater government transparency at the White house, October 9 in Washington.

Mike Pence answers questions from the press about the whistleblower and President trump’s phone conversation with the President of Ukraine after his speech on the us-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) at manning farms in Waukee, Iowa, on October 9.

James Evans (right), a supporter of President Donald trump and Brianne Hughes (left), a supporter of democratic U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah, argue during two rival rallies on October 9 in West Jordan, California.

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event on October 9, 2019 in Rochester, new Ha. For the first time, he called for the impeachment of Donald trump, saying, “Donald trump violated the oath of office, betrayed the nation, and committed impeachment.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Chairman of the House intelligence Committee, arrives to give a statement to the media on Capitol hill in Washington, D.C., on October 8. The trump administration has banned Gordon Sondland, the European Union Ambassador, from speaking before the house of representatives investigating the impeachment of President Donald trump.

Us President Donald trump speaks about the impeachment investigation in the US House of representatives during the official signing ceremony of the us-Japan trade agreement at the White house in Washington on October 7.

President DONALD trump talks to reporters on the South lawn of the White house on October 4 in Washington, DC.

Kurt Volcker, the former special envoy for Ukraine, arrives for a closed-door interview with House investigators as House Democrats go through the impeachment investigation of President Donald trump at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on October 3.

President Donald trump speaks to the press on the South lawn of the White house in Washington, D.C., on October 3, before boarding marine One for a trip to Florida. He told reporters: “China should launch an investigation into the Bidens because what happened in China is as bad as what happened to Ukraine.”

The Speaker Of The House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., joined by House intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., at a news conference as house Democrats move forward in the impeachment investigation of President Donald trump, at the Capitol in Washington on October 2.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, left, joined by House intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., right, arrive at a news conference on Capitol hill in Washington on October 2.

House intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., speaks at a news conference on Capitol hill in Washington on October 2.

Us President Donald trump talks to reporters during a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in the oval office of the White house in Washington on October 2.

Tourists view the White house in Washington on October 1 as house Democrats move aggressively in their request to impeach President Donald trump.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky speaks to the media on October 1 in Kiev.

President Donald trump speaks to the media as he leaves the swearing-in ceremony for new labor Secretary Eugene Scalia in the oval office of the White house in Washington on September 30.

Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald trump and Secretary of defense mark Esper attend a military welcome ceremony for the new Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen. Mark Milley, on September 30 at joint base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia.

Rudy Giuliani, President Donald trump’s personal attorney, defended himself on “this week with George Stephanopoulos” against accusations made by a former White house official that he traded unsubstantiated theories about foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election, September 29. 

Senate minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of new York Excels at a copy of a white house-released rough transcript of a phone conversation between President Donald trump and the President of Ukraine as Schumer speaks to the media about the impeachment investigation into President trump, September 25, on Capitol hill.

House intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., questions acting Director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire as he testifies before the House intelligence Committee on Capitol hill in Washington on September 26.

Acting Director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire testifies before the House intelligence Committee on Capitol hill in Washington on September 26.

The ranking member of the Republic Devin Nunes, R-Calif., questions acting Director of national intelligence Joseph Maguire as he testifies before the House intelligence Committee on Capitol hill in Washington on September 26.

House intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) reacts after a meeting with house intelligence Committee member Devin Nunes (R-CA) as Joseph Maguire, acting Director of national intelligence, testifies during the house Permanent Select Committee on intelligence, on Capitol hill in Washington on September 26.

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks at a weekly news conference on Capitol hill on September 26 in Washington. Leader McCarthy discussed the impeachment investigation into President Donald trump.

President trump speaks at a press conference at the InterContinental Barclay New York hotel during the United Nations General Assembly on September 25. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo is seen on the right.

Pages published in the White house rough transcript of a telephone conversation between President Donald trump and the newly elected President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky can be seen on September 25.

House intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., talks to reporters on September 25.

The Speaker Of The House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is surrounded by reporters as she arrives to meet her congregation on September 25.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Chairman of the House judiciary committees, arrives with Rep. bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) at the house Democratic Caucus, on September 25, in Washington.

U.S. house minority leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), and house minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) look on during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, September 25, in Washington.

People stop to look at newspaper front pages, from across the US, on display at the Newseum in Washington, the day after House speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the official impeachment investigation against President trump, on September 25.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House will begin a formal investigation into President trump’s impeachment after a closed – door meeting of the house Democratic party at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on September 24.

Protesters with a “Kremlin attachment” call for the impeachment of President Donald Trump in Lafayette square Park in front of the White house in Washington on September 24.

House speaker Pelosi walks to the podium to speak to the media to announce the formal impeachment on September 24.

House speaker Pelosi leaves a closed-door meeting with a House Democratic group as support grows in its ranks for an impeachment investigation amid reports that President Donald trump is pressuring Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his family, Sept.

House judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) leaves a meeting with House speaker Pelosi and goes to a meeting with The house Democratic Caucus to discuss launching a possible impeachment against President trump, September 24.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden makes a statement on Ukraine during a press conference on September 24 in Wilmington, Delaware.

“Rudy Giuliani has certainly been a leading force for the administration in defining shadow foreign policy in Ukraine. There was an official foreign policy that tried to fight corruption in Ukraine, ” said oversight Committee member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). “So you had two foreign policies that worked completely against each other.”

Hill resigned in July, days before trump’s infamous phone conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, which is at the heart of the Democrats ‘ impeachment investigation. According to a government informant, trump has threatened to withhold nearly $ 400 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine unless Zelensky agrees to investigate corruption allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden and his son hunter.

The timing of hill’s departure suggests that she may have little understanding of whether any quid pro quo was passed on that July 25 phone call. But she worked closely with Iovanovich and had to convey concerns about the abrupt removal of the Ukrainian Ambassador, who, according to Iovanovich himself, was politically motivated.

Emerging from long-drawn sieges, Democrats said hill’s testimony only reinforces claims that trump and those in his immediate orbit pressured foreign officials to smear a domestic political opponent in order to accelerate his re-election chances next year. They also described her as a very reliable public servant – one Republican would be hard to discredit. 

“Her review of the meetings and the content, and who was there, with such specificity, was in a sense extraordinary,” said Harley Ore (D-Calif.), a member of the oversight Committee, said afterwards.

“A true patriot,” he added. “I found it to be very reliable”.

Hill’s testimony came after Iovanovich said last Friday that trump allies had organized a “concert campaign” against her based on “unfounded and false allegations by people with clearly questionable motives.”

Yovanovitch said of house investigators that Deputy Secretary of state John Sullivan told her she “did nothing wrong and that it was not like other situations where he recalled ambassadors for a reason.”

Hill is the first witness in a busy week of closed-door sessions planned by Democrats.

George Kent, the Deputy assistant Secretary of state, is scheduled to do so on Tuesday, though it’s unclear if the administration will try to block his appearance.

Michael McKinley, a former state Department adviser who resigned last week, is scheduled to testify Wednesday.

Gordon Sondland, the Ambassador to the European Union, is due to appear on Thursday after the state Department blocked him from testifying last week. But he has since agreed to appear after House Democrats issued a subpoena for his testimony.

Sondland, in text messages provided by the Volcker committees, denied to another senior diplomat In Ukraine that military aid was being held up as “qui Pro quo.” Over the weekend, the Washington Post first reported that Sondland plans to say his message was based on a phone conversation with trump.

Republicans blasted Democrats for continuing to conduct witness interviews behind closed doors rather than in public while some aspects of each testimony were leaked to the media.

Democrats defended closed-door sessions to prevent witnesses from agreeing on their testimony.

“There’s a reason why investigations and Grand jury proceedings, for example, and I think it’s similar to Grand jury proceedings, it’s done out of public opinion initially,” House intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told CBS ‘”Face the Nation” on Sunday, adding that lawmakers may call some witnesses for public hearings as well.

“But we want to make sure that we are meeting the needs of the investigation and not giving the President or his legal henchmen the opportunity to tailor their testimony, and in some cases fabricate their testimony to suit their interests,” Schiff said.

But Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) argued that selective leaks to the media about witness testimony do not reflect Grand jury proceedings, and echoed other Republicans in calling for the public release of transcripts of each closed-door meeting.

“In a Grand jury trial, you didn’t come out and leak anything that you heard that is favorable to try to have the story swirled as positively as you can,” Zeldin said.

Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.) predicted that the transcripts would be released eventually.

At the same time, Heck said, Trump and his allies were “damn lucky they weren’t public.”

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