The presidents ‘ comments came after his Republican allies stepped up their attacks on impeachment proceedings, accusing Democrats of Soviet-style tactics as another witness testified behind closed doors on Capitol hill.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), meanwhile, told Republican senators that the Senate would likely meet six days a week during the impeachment process, which he expects to begin around thanksgiving.

House investigators are hearing from Michael McKinley, a former senior adviser to Secretary of state Mike Pompeo, behind closed doors. McKinley resigned last week amid deteriorating morale at the state Department and widespread concern that Pompeo had done little to protect diplomats who were trapped in trump’s attempts to force Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son hunter.

The white house has instructed three Amigos to manage policy in Ukraine, a senior state Department official told House investigators.

Acting White house chief of staff Mick Mulvaney is acting as a key facilitator of the campaign to pressure Ukraine.

The testimony exposes Pompeo’s deepening discontent at the state Department.

Whistleblower claim-Black transcript of trump’s call with Zelensky Letter from White house adviser to House leaders

20: 15: trump tweeted derisive remarks about Pelosi, called her a very sick person

Hours after their controversial meeting at the White house, trump suggested Pelosi was mentally ill and told people to pray for her.

Nancy Pelosi needs help fast! There is either something wrong with her at the top, or she just doesn’t like our great country. She had a complete crisis in the White House today. It was very sad to watch. Pray for her, she is a very sick person! Trump wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, he tweeted a photo of the meeting, where Pelosi stands during the conversation and everyone else sits. The white house said it was indicative of her collapse, but Pelosi’s supporters said it showed she stood up to the President, literally. Pelosi took the photo mainly for her Twitter account.

Trump’s attack on The house speaker contrasts with many good things she has been talked about in the past. He seemed to stick up for her when she vied for votes to become speaker earlier this year, and after she secured the gavel he said she deserved a lot of credit for what Shes done and what shes achieved.

6:45 PM: Schiff sends members of the house updated information on the impeachment, said that he intends to make the transcripts public

Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff, who is overseeing the impeachment investigation, said in a letter sent to house colleagues that he intended to release transcripts of the interview, but was vague about when.

As the investigation continues, and at a time that it will not jeopardize investigative actions, we will make the transcripts of the interviews public, subject to any necessary changes for classified or confidential information, Schiff wrote. We also expect that at the appropriate time of the investigation, we will take testimony publicly so That the entire Congress and the American people can hear their testimony firsthand.

Schiff also pushed back on claims by Republicans and the White house that Democrats blocked GOP members from participating in interviews with key witnesses, saying both majority and minority were given equal representation of staff and time to question witnesses.

He also said that decisions by the trump administration and officials, including Vice President Pence, to ignore congressional subpoenas will be seen as evidence of presidents ‘efforts to obstruct the impeachment investigation, and we can also use this obstruction as further evidence of presidents’ wrongdoing underlying the conduct.

5: 15 p.m.: McCarthy says Pelos all focus should be on impeachment, even if it didn’t come in session

After leaving the White house, house minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) took aim at Pelosi, calling her behavior inappropriate and accusing her of storming into what later turned out to be a very productive meeting.

Unfortunately, the speaker is trying to make everything political, McCarthy said, adding: her Entire focus should be on impeachment.

Asked whether an impeachment investigation was launched during the meeting, McCarthy said it was not.

17:00: Democrats came out of Syria to meet with trump, saying he was insulting and went on a nasty diatribe

In their first meeting since the impeachment investigation began, trump disparaged Pelosi, prompting the speaker, Senate majority leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House majority leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) to make a sharp exit.

He couldn’t handle it, Pelosi told reporters at the Capitol, referring to a house vote earlier Wednesday condemning trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northeast Syria. He just couldn’t handle it. … So he was just getting into a crisis.

Pelosi added that she prays for trump’s health. Pressed for more, she replied: Im not talking about mentally. Im talking about handling the truth.

Speaking to the White house, Schumer told reporters that trump called Pelosi a third-tier politician. Pelosi later clarified at the Capitol that trump called her a third-class politician.

Schumer said that during the meeting, trump was abusive, especially according to the speaker.

She kept it cool completely. But he called her a third-tier politician. … It was a kind of diatribe, a nasty diatribe not focused on the facts, Schumer told reporters after the meeting, which focused on Syria and during which impeachment was not discussed.

After the meeting, Hoyer said trump made disparaging remarks to a number of Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.

It was a humiliating meeting on the part of the presidents and very quickly went downhill, he said.

Read more here.

Son Min Kim and Mike Debonis

4: 05 p.m.: Conservative group airs TV ad against Romney

Club for growth, a free-market advocacy group historically focused on fiscal conservatism, has a new television ad coming after Sen. MITT Romney (R-Utah).

The ad calls Romney a slick, sneaky, secretive and Democrat secret asset who is plotting to take down President trump with impeachment.

Romney was more critical of the President on the Ukraine issue than any other Republican in Congress, and trump responded angrily.

Notably, the group targeted trump with attacks in 2015, warning conservatives that he was really playing us for chumps.

3: 30 p.m.: McConnell says he expects the Senate to meet six days a week during the impeachment process, starting around thanksgiving

McConnell told Senate Republicans that he expected the House to vote to impeach trump and that the Senate trial would likely begin on thanksgiving, according to a Senator who attended.

At the Senate’s weekly GOP lunch, McConnell also directed questions about the details of the process and told lawmakers that the Senate would likely meet six days a week during the trial, Sen. Kevin Kramer (R-N. D.), said.

There’s kind of a planned expectation that it will be sometime around Thanksgiving, so you’re basically thanksgiving for Christmas, which would be great because There’s no deadline in the world like the next recess to motivate senators, Kramer said.

He added that McConnell, his staff and Senate judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey O. Graham (R-S. C.) sent out every question you could imagine during the lunch.

I have to admit, I was grateful for the civics lesson because its not something we deal with very often, thank God, he said.

One issue that came up, Kramer noted, was the fine line Republican senators walk between criticizing the House-led impeachment investigation and maintaining neutrality before a likely Senate trial.

The question is, how do we, as a conference, remain resolutely United and open, should it stand trial while, at the same time, defending the obvious injustices so far? Kramer said.

Erica Werner

At a joint news conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday, an Italian reporter asked trump about attorney General William’s meetings. Barrs with Italian officials.

No evidence to support trump’s claim.

There was a lot of corruption; maybe it goes all the way to President Obama, trump said. I think that this is so.

1: 50pm: One Giuliani associate released on bail

One of two associates of trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani arrested at DULLES international airport last week has been released on bail, a day before they both appear in Federal court in new York on campaign Finance charges

.

Igor Fruman left the Alexandria Federal courthouse with his lawyer shortly before 14: 00 Wednesday and refused to answer questions about his case.

Fruman set up property in Florida worth $ 1 million to secure his release, according to court documents. Lev Parnassus, his business partner, remains behind bars. A Federal judge in Alexandria has agreed to release Parnassus if he can offer $ 1 million in business bail. He hasn’t done it yet.

Where Parnassus and Fruman got the money they are accused of illegally pouring into American politics remains a mystery. Parnassus paid Giuliani $500,000 as a consultant, helping him secure support for the investigation into hunter Biden in Ukraine. But it also owes more than a civil lawsuit involving a failed film project.

Rachel Weiner

1 33: 00: Mr. President, release your tax returns, or shut up, Biden says

In an interview with reporters in Ohio, Biden repeatedly asked questions about his son’s actions in Ukraine.

He said his sons comments speak for themselves, and then turned the question back to Trump: Mr. President, release your tax returns, or shut up.

12:45: Schumer said that Senate Republicans should refrain from action on Trump

Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer urged house Republicans to refrain from ruling on Trump, given that the Senate could be called to serve as jurors in a potential impeachment trial.

We are just steps away from a potential trial in the Senate, said Schumer. The chamber continues to do its work diligently, impartially, keeping only the facts in mind. So it’s Important to remind my fellow Republicans in this room that the obligation, today, to vote innocent contradicts their vow to do impartial justice. It’s their oath.

He took particular aim at McConnell and Graham, arguing that they seem determined to turn this serious investigation into another partisan exercise.

12:40: Democrats plan to disrupt the resolution calling for the condemnation of Schiff

Democrats are expected to vote Thursday to derail a Republican-sponsored resolution to censure Schiff for his handling of the impeachment investigation, according to A house Democratic aide.

The Republic Of Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) is the lead sponsor of the resolution.

Republicans took issue with several aspects of Schiffs handling of the investigation, including a statement in a recent hearing in which Schiff included a decorated version of Trump’s July phone conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

Schiff later said his remarks were intended as a parody, and that should have been obvious to trump and other critics.

Pelosi backed Schiff, and Democrats are expected to have the votes to pass a resolution that would prevent a vote on the measure itself.

12: 15pm: Perry refuses to say whether he will comply with the subpoena

In an appearance on Fox Business Network on Wednesday, energy Secretary Rick Perry refused to commit to complying with The congressional subpoena.

Hey, listen, ” Perry said. The house sent a subpoena for the records we have. And our chief counsel and white house counsel are going through this process right now. And Im going to follow the example of my advice on this issue.

Friday is the deadline for documents to be released from the White house and Perry. Trump said Perry asked him to make the July call to Zelensky, but Perry told reporters last week that he did it so they could talk about energy issues.

11: 45 a.m.: trump says Pelosi has done this country a huge disservice

Hours before they met face-to-face for the first time since the impeachment investigation began, trump told reporters that Pelosi had done this country a huge disservice.

Shes created a fake witch hunt, another, trump said impeachment investigation focused on his pressure on Ukraine to investigate Biden. It’s just absolutely crazy. … This is an open and closed simple case.

Trump’s comments came during a meeting in the oval office with the Mattarello. Later on Wednesday, trump is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders, particularly Pelosi, about the Turkish invasion of Syria.

Speaking to reporters at the White house, trump said Democrats are desperate because they know they will lose the election.

They play games, he said. They think they can’t win the election, so maybe we can find some ground that trump has never met, and maybe they’ll say something bad about trump, and if they do, very bad, maybe it can stick a little bit. I don’t think its going to work.

11: 30am: I don’t know he got along with Rudy Giuliani, trump talks about Bolton

Speaking to reporters in the oval office after meeting Mattarella, trump said he personally got along well with his former national security adviser, John Bolton, but suggested there was friction between Bolton and Giuliani.

Look, John Bolton, I get along well with him, ” trump said, when asked if he was concerned that Democrats might call Bolton to testify in the impeachment investigation. I actually got on very well with him. It just didn’t work. … I don’t know that he got along with Rudy Giuliani.

Trump has defended Giuliani by claiming he’s looking for corruption, and I think there’s nothing wrong with looking for corruption.

According to two people familiar with the matter, Fiona hill, a former top national security Council adviser on Russia and Europe, said an anamnesis earlier this week that Bolton was furious at a shadowy operation conducted by Giuliani to pressure Ukraine into digging up dirt on a political rival’s presidents.

Bolton compared Giuliani to a hand grenade and instructed hill to raise the issue with White house lawyers, the people said.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that Giuliani had called on trump to extradite a Turkish cleric living in exile in the U.S. the President rejected the fact that Giuliani had not registered as a foreign lobbyist.

You have to ask Rudy these questions, trump said. Don’t ask me.

11: 15: the Fourth defendant in the case of accomplices Giuliani arrested at the airport.-

David Correia, the fourth defendant in a campaign Finance case involving Giuliani’s business associates, was arrested Wednesday morning at a new York airport, official sources said.

Correia was charged with participating in a scheme to use other people’s money to build political support for a young recreational marijuana business in Nevada and other States, according to an unsealed indictment last week. The indictment also charged Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman with conspiracy and making false statements to the electoral regulator.

The other three defendants were quickly arrested by the FBI, including Andrei Kukushkin, who is also accused of the alleged scheme. But Correias ‘ whereabouts were unclear until Wednesday morning. All four defendants are scheduled to appear in Federal court Thursday morning.

The accused was taken into FBI custody at JFK this morning, said Nicholas Biase, a spokesman for the office of American lawyers in Manhattan.

Read more here.

Devlin Barrett

10:45: the Republicans in the House of representatives accusing Democrats in the tactics of the Soviet style

At their weekly news conference, house Republican leaders ramped up their rhetoric against Democrats, accusing them of Soviet tactics in holding closed-door meetings despite Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in the testimony.

What is Chairman Schiff trying to hide from the American people? House minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said, referring to the Chairman of The house intelligence Committee.

Biggs struck a similar note when talking about Schiff: Hess took it in a Soviet-style investigation.

McCarthy argued that Democrats handling the impeachment investigation suggests that they believe you are guilty until you prove your innocence.

But McCarthy also denied that trump had asked foreign countries to investigate Biden, despite the President doing so publicly while speaking to reporters on the South lawn of the White house.

Every day in America, we work with other countries to solve open cases, McCarthy said, adding that the President has done nothing wrong.

10:40 am, Jeffries says the Republicans are not able to defend unjustified

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), a Pelosi ally in the House leadership, on Wednesday defended storming resistance to Republican demands for a full house vote authorizing an impeachment investigation.

Speaking at a news conference, Jefferies said it was a textbook abuse of power for trump to force Ukraine to investigate Bidens at a time when nearly $ 400 million in U.S. military aid was withheld.

Jefferies said there is nothing in the Constitution, Supreme court precedent or house rules that require a vote to begin an impeachment investigation.

They fail to defend the indefensible, so Republicans are arguing over cosmetic procedural issues, he said, describing trump’s actions as abhorrent behavior.

10:00: Pompeo Adviser to condemn state Department politicization in impeachment probe testimony

McKinley, a former senior adviser to Pompeo before his sudden resignation last week, will tell House impeachment investigators Wednesday that diplomats ‘ careers were mistreated during his tenure and that some of their careers derailed for political reasons, according to a person familiar with his testimony.

McKinley will talk about how his concerns led to the recall of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Mari Evanovich, a punitive action that he and many other rank-and-file diplomats found completely unjustified.

The reluctance of the state Department leadership to defend Iovanovich or interfere in clearly partisan attempts to interfere in our relationship with Ukraine in the President’s political interests was too much for him, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to be candid.

Read more here.

Carol Morello and John Hudson

9:50: McKinley arrived in the Capitol

McKinley, a former senior adviser to Pompeo, arrived at the Capitol ahead of the planned deposition with House investigators.

9:40: Volker arrived in the Capitol to see the transcripts of testimony

The former special representative of the us President for Ukraine Kurt Volker arrived at the Capitol. He is reviewing transcripts of his October 3 testimony, according to a Committee aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details that are not public.

8: 30: trump and Pelosi for the first time since the investigation began

Trump and Pelosi are to meet face-to-face for the first time since the impeachment investigation began during a white house meeting scheduled for 15:00 Wednesday on Turkish military aggression in Syria. Trump invited congressional leaders from both parties.

Trump may get questions early in the day about the impeachment investigation. He is scheduled to hold a joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at noon.

7: 45am: trump offers hes before possible impeachment because democratic presidential field is weak

In morning tweets, trump delivered remarks by Democratic presidential candidates at Tuesday night’s debate and suggested he faces an impeachment investigation because the field is weak.

One would think that there is no WAY that any of the democratic candidates that we saw last night could become President of the United States, trump wrote. Now you see why they have no choice but to click completely illegal

Later, he predicted dire consequences if someone from the Democrats will win.

Our record-breaking economy, as it was in 1929, if one of these clowns became President! he wrote.

In another tweet, trump quoted conservative TV host Graham Ledger as calling the impeachment investigation a constitutional travesty, and said he’s not the politician he’s targeting.

It’s Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi who should be impeached for fraud! Trump tweeted, referring to the Chairman of The house intelligence Committee and the speaker of the House as California Democrats. Members of Congress cannot be impeached.

Trump also repeated the arguments of his Republican allies, who have spent more time attacking the impeachment process than defending trump’s actions.

Republicans are completely disenfranchised in this witch hunt, trump said on Twitter.

7:30 am: McCarthy is stepping up attacks on Pelosi over the process

McCarthy stepped up his attacks Wednesday on Pelosi, arguing that Democrats treated Trump unfairly during the impeachment investigation.

You got a better chance of having a fair court system in China than in speaker Pelos of the House, McCarthy said during an appearance on Fox Newss Fox

McCarthy complained that House investigators are taking testimony behind closed doors, that only Democrats can call witnesses and that trump does not have a lawyer present to cross-examine witnesses.

During testimony, Republican lawmakers and staffers are allowed to question witnesses. Democrats have said they are conducting testimony behind closed doors so that witnesses cannot adapt their testimony to previous testimony.

Earlier this week, Schiff said he expected some witnesses to testify again in public meetings, and said transcripts would be released later.

This process conforms to the rules of the house of representatives, but in some ways different from the previous queries of impeachment.

You know, in America you’re innocent until proven guilty, until you let the Democrats get in charge, McCarthy said during his Fox News interview.

7: 00: former Pompeo adviser to testify about state Department

McKinley is expected to testify before House investigators leading the impeachment investigation on Wednesday morning.

He will come to the hill with a deep understanding of how Pompeo wielded power in the highest echelons of the state Department, given his proximity to the top diplomat during his many trips abroad.

The format for testifying is a transcribed interview, said a congressional aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters that have not yet been made public, putting fewer restrictions on the interview process than in the official deposition.

Hudson, John

6: 40am: trump Campaign calls investigation bogus due to lack of official vote

The trump campaign seized Wednesday morning on a statement by Democratic party leaders that they still do not have plans for a full house vote to authorize an impeachment investigation.

In morning tweets, campaign spokesman Tim Murtagh said Democrats were flouting all privileges and called the ongoing investigation an illegitimate, unprecedented deception and an illegal plot to overthrow a properly elected President.

At a news conference Tuesday, Pelosi noted that there is no constitutional requirement for a full house vote to open an impeachment investigation.

Schiff told reporters that Republicans are calling for a vote because they don’t want to discuss the behavior of presidents; they would prefer to discuss the process.

6am: the Impeachment of the first topic in the Democratic presidential debates

The impeachment investigation was the first topic to close during Tuesday’s debate in Westerville, Ohio.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) directed the first question, as to why she believes Congress should conduct impeachment proceedings rather than leave the question of Trump’s fitness for office up to voters to decide next November.

Warren’s answer: Because sometimes there are issues that are bigger than politics, and I think in the case of this impeachment investigation.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt. he also defended his call for trump’s impeachment, adding that McConnell should do the right thing and allow a free and fair trial in the Senate.

Biden, who most recently advocated impeachment, called trump the most corrupt U.S. President in history. He stressed that the White house is trying to throw stones at the impeachment investigation. They have no choice but to move, he said of house Democrats.

I don’t think this impeachment process will take very long, because as a former Prosecutor, I know the confession when I see it. And he did it in plain sight. He gave us evidence. And he tried to hide it by putting it on a special server.