Top Items:

Sondland Kept Pompeo Informed on Ukraine Pressure Campaign — The diplomat at the center of the impeachment inquiry looped in the secretary of state at key moments as American officials pushed for investigations sought by President Trump. — WASHINGTON — Gordon D. Sondland …
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Sondland Will Trash Rudy in Impeachment Hearing — “We weren't happy with the President's directive to talk with Rudy,” he said. “We did not want to involve Mr. Giuliani.” — U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland is set to throw Rudy Giuliani under the bus when he testifies to Congress this morning.
Discussion:
Townhall, The Hill, Raw Story, Contemptor, POLITICUSUSA and Axios

'It doesn't matter': House Republicans embrace ‘quid pro quo’ — After saying they could not accept a quid pro quo, House Republicans say it no longer matters if President Trump tied $400 million in military aid earmarked for Ukraine to Kyiv agreeing to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden.
Discussion:
The American Independent and Raw Story

The Spectacular Failure of the Trump Wranglers — Kurt Volker and many others tried to manage the President. Impeachment is the result. — On Tuesday, nearly seven hours into the marathon third day of public impeachment hearings, Kurt Volker tried to explain to the House Intelligence Committee …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story and Mother Jones

Sondland acknowledges there was a ‘quid pro quo’ involving Ukraine — Ambassador Gordon Sondland testified Wednesday more bluntly than he had before that President Trump and his personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, sought to condition a White House invite for Ukraine's new president to demands …
Discussion:
Breitbart, Metro.co.uk, Mediaite and Law & Crime

Alexander Vindman's Family Under 24-Hour Security Monitoring After Twitter Targeting By Trump — The Army has placed Alexander Vindman, an expert on Ukraine and a central figure in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, and his family under 24-hour security monitoring …
Discussion:
Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, PEN, Raw Story, Redstate, The Week, The Atlantic, Joe.My.God., The Daily Beast and Mediaite

Sondland testimony targets Trump, Pompeo and confirms deal with Ukraine — The ambassador is testifying before the House Intelligence Committee and will be revealing emails and texts to back up his claims. — WASHINGTON — Gordon Sondland, the American ambassador to the E.U. …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Political Wire, Joe.My.God. and MSNBC

A White House Now ‘Cannibalizing Itself’ — “On July 25th, along with several of my colleagues, I listened to a call between President Trump and President Zelensky, the content of which has since been publicly reported. I found the July 25th phone call unusual because in contrast …
Discussion:
Press Watch, CNN and KBJR 6

Trump White House Blasts Out Anti-Vindman Talking Points to Surrogates — It is the latest attack from the president's team on one of his employees. — The Trump White House has taken the extraordinary step of distributing talking points to allies of the president trashing one of its employees.
Discussion:
Politico, Talking Points Memo, PEN, Joe.My.God., Deseret News, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Raw Story and Bloomberg

‘The answer is yes’: Sondland affirms ‘quid pro quo’ in Ukraine dealings — President Donald Trump's handpicked Ukraine adviser Gordon Sondland said Trump conditioned a valuable White House meeting for Ukraine's new president on his willingness to launch investigations into Trump's Democratic adversaries …
Discussion:
Axios, Associated Press, New Republic, Politico, The Dispatch, Outside the Beltway, Washington Post and New York Times

How Republicans' star impeachment witness turned on them — (CNN)Former US Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker was widely seen as Republicans' impeachment ace in the hole. On Tuesday on Capitol Hill, it didn't work out that way. — Volker's opening statement repeatedly acknowledged …
Discussion:
Washington Post and Daily Kos

Impeachment hearings live updates: Trump lashes out as Sondland acknowledges there was a ‘quid pro quo’ — President Trump lashed out anew at the Democrat-lead impeachment inquiry Wednesday as Gordon Sondland, the most significant witnesses to date, acknowledged there was a “quid pro quo” …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo

POLITICO Playbook: Impeachment's trench warfare
Discussion:
Joe.My.God., Mediaite and The Daily Beast
Jonathan Allen / NBC News:
A very bad impeachment hearings day for Donald Trump
A very bad impeachment hearings day for Donald Trump
Discussion:
The Atlantic and Breitbart
Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Ken Starr: GOP Senators Might Consider Having to ‘Make a Trip’ to the White House After Sondland's Testimony
Ken Starr: GOP Senators Might Consider Having to ‘Make a Trip’ to the White House After Sondland's Testimony
Josh Hammer / New York Post:
Alexander Vindman condemned himself in his impeachment testimony
Alexander Vindman condemned himself in his impeachment testimony
Discussion:
Fox News
CBS News:
Sondland says Pompeo knew of “quid pro quo” scheme for Ukraine investigations
Sondland says Pompeo knew of “quid pro quo” scheme for Ukraine investigations
Discussion:
Political Wire, ABC News and Breitbart
Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Lou Dobbs Guest Mocks Vindman: He's a ‘Deep State Crybaby’
Lou Dobbs Guest Mocks Vindman: He's a ‘Deep State Crybaby’
Discussion:
Washington Post and Contemptor
Associated Press:
Unpredictable Sondland faces questions about Trump, Ukraine
Unpredictable Sondland faces questions about Trump, Ukraine
Discussion:
HuffPost, Joe.My.God., Florida Politics, www.wnyc.org, KSLNewsRadio, Associated Press and Fortune
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Republicans should have thought twice before calling Volker and Morrison
Republicans should have thought twice before calling Volker and Morrison
Discussion:
Vox, Taylor Marsh and CNN
Dareh Gregorian / NBC News:
Who is Gordon Sondland? How is he involved in the impeachment inquiry?
Who is Gordon Sondland? How is he involved in the impeachment inquiry?
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Fox News
Washington Post:
Even Republicans' preferred witnesses are implicating Trump
Even Republicans' preferred witnesses are implicating Trump
Discussion:
New York Times
Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Sondland testimony could be pivotal point of impeachment showdown
Sondland testimony could be pivotal point of impeachment showdown
Discussion:
Vox, FOX31 Denver and FOX2now.com
Associated Press:
Ukrainian gas executive cooperating in US probe of Giuliani
Ukrainian gas executive cooperating in US probe of Giuliani
Discussion:
Axios, CNN, The Hill, Washington Post, Raw Story, Politico, POLITICUSUSA and The American Independent
Los Angeles Times:
$35 million in Pentagon aid hasn't reached Ukraine, despite White House assurances
$35 million in Pentagon aid hasn't reached Ukraine, despite White House assurances
Discussion:
IJR, The Week, Politico, Talking Points Memo and Axios
Andrew Clevenger / Roll Call:
What to wear? Republicans flag Vindman's sartorial choice
What to wear? Republicans flag Vindman's sartorial choice
Discussion:
Althouse

FBI seeks interview with CIA whistleblower — WASHINGTON — The FBI recently sought to question the CIA whistleblower who filed a complaint over President Trump's July 25 Ukraine call — a move that came after a vigorous internal debate within the bureau over how to respond to some of the issues raised …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Raw Story and Daily Kos

Nikki Haley Used System for Unclassified Material to Send ‘Confidential’ Information — Newly released emails suggest that in 2017 the then-ambassador lost her password for classified communication and so used a different system. — North Korea had just tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable …
Discussion:
One America News Network and Raw Story

‘Bro-like’: Schiff aide was White House friend of alleged whistleblower Eric Ciaramella — Alleged Ukraine whistleblower Eric Ciaramella was close friends at the White House with an official who is now a key aide to Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee chairman leading the Democratic push to impeach President Trump.
Discussion:
Redstate
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Salvador Rizzo / Washington Post:
Schiff's claim that the whistleblower has a ‘statutory right’ to anonymity
Schiff's claim that the whistleblower has a ‘statutory right’ to anonymity
Discussion:
Just Security, The Hill and Redstate

Why I'm Endorsing Elizabeth Warren — Elizabeth or Bernie? It's a difficult and wonderful choice to have. — I have spent my entire career at the messy and vital intersection of movement-building, electoral politics, and governance. And for the past three years, I've done that work under …
Discussion:
CNN

As President, Pete Buttigieg Wants to Give 25 Percent of Federal Contracts to Minorities. As Mayor, He Gave 3 Percent. — One of the main tenets of Pete Buttigieg's plan to address racial inequality if he becomes president is a proposal to increase the number of federal contracting dollars …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico, The Week and The Daily Beast
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Amanda Terkel / HuffPost:
There Are Two Rhodes Scholars Running For President. Only One Gets Mentioned.
There Are Two Rhodes Scholars Running For President. Only One Gets Mentioned.
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight and Slate

An Interview With the Woman Who Strongly Needed Her Coffee During a Live Impeachment Hearing — Tuesday's award for the most amusing diversion from the minutia of the impeachment hearings goes to McClatchy congressional reporter Emma Dumain, who went minorly viral for chugging coffee …
Discussion:
New York Post, Washington Post and CNN

ANALYSIS: What if Trump was right about Ukraine? — One of the most important issues in President Trump's impeachment defense is also one of the least explored: To what degree were Trump's concerns about Ukraine valid? It's well documented that the president fixated on Ukrainian activity …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
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Sergii Leshchenko / KyivPost:
Republicans keep lying about me at impeachment hearings
Republicans keep lying about me at impeachment hearings
Discussion:
The Intercept, more at Mediagazer »

Navy Wants to Eject From SEALs a Sailor Cleared by Trump, Officials Say — Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher is expected to be formally notified of the action on Wednesday. — The Navy SEAL at the center of a high-profile war crimes case has been ordered to appear before Navy leaders Wednesday morning …
Discussion:
Navy Times, Defense One, BizPac Review, Slate, Washington Times, Task & Purpose, Hullabaloo, New York Post, American Thinker, Raw Story and Washington Post