SCHIFF: “Pence was neither surprised nor dismayed at the description of this quid pro quo.”
Here are the facts:
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Pence planned to attend Zelensky’s inauguration, but Trump instructed him not to and sent the “three amigos” instead.
Jennifer Williams testified that Trump asked Pence not to attend the inauguration with no reason given.
David Holmes testified that Pence pulled out of attending the inauguration after Giuliani announced and cancelled a Ukraine trip: “We were told that Vice President Pence was likely to be that senior member, it was not yet fully agreed to. And so we were anticipating that to be the case. And then the Giuliani event happened, and then we heard that he was not going to play that role.”
Rick Perry led the delegation to Zelensky’s inauguration instead of Pence. The delegation included Gordon Sondland and Kurt Volker — the “three amigos.”
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Multiple Pence advisers listened in on Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine’s president, during which Trump instructed Zelensky to work with Giuliani on investigations, and notes were taken for Pence.
Pence’s national security adviser, Keith Keellogg, listened in on Trump’s call with Zelensky.
Pence’s special adviser on Europe and Russia, Jennifer Williams, also listened in on Trump’s call with Zelensky. She took notes to inform Pence about the call and called Trump’s actions highly “unusual and inappropriate,” as well as politically motivated.
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Slightly more than a month later, Trump sent Pence to meet with Zelensky in Poland in his place. Zelensky immediately asked Pence about the withheld aid, and Pence replied in a way interpreted to be about Trump’s investigations.
Trump sent Pence to meet Zelensky with a message that the U.S. would not release military aid until they had assurances Zelensky was committed to fighting corruption.
Gordon Sondland testified that in a briefing before the meeting, he brought up concerns to Pence that the delay in aid was tied to investigations — and Pence had no reaction.
The first question Zelensky asked Pence was about the withheld military aid, and Pence replied that he wanted to hear about the progress of reforms, which Zelensky would have interpreted as code for the investigations Trump wanted.
Pence told reporters after the meeting that he and Zelensky discussed corruption and that Trump had him make clear they had “great concerns” about corruption.
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Trump met with Pence immediately before releasing the military aid to Ukraine, and days later, Pence praised Zelensky for tackling “corruption.”
Impeachment Inquiry Report: “On the evening of September 11, prior to lifting the hold, President Trump met with Vice President Mike Pence, Mr. Mulvaney, and Senator Portman to discuss the hold. Around 8:00 p.m. on September 11, the Chief of Staff’s office informed Dr. Kupperman that the hold had been lifted.”
Pence praised the Zelensky “administration for its bold action to tackle corruption through legislative reforms, and offered full U.S. support for those efforts” during a mid-September call.