Schiff says committees are making ‘rapid progress’ in impeachment probe | TheHill – The Hill

The lawmaker leading the impeachment inquiry into President TrumpDonald John TrumpKey witness in impeachment investigation asks federal judge to rule on testifying Pompeo voices support for work of diplomat criticized by Trump Biden, Sanders defend themselves over questions of age MORE said Saturday that Democrats are “making rapid progress” in their investigation into the president’s dealings with Ukraine.

“We’re trying to work expeditiously, but we’re also trying to be methodical in our work,” Rep. Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffTrump primary challenger Sanford calls president ‘unhinged’ and ‘insecure’ Overnight Defense: Pentagon chief says ‘mechanized’ forces headed to Syria | Troops would protect oil fields | House subpoenas State, OMB officials in impeachment inquiry | Trump keeps up attacks on key diplomat Gingrich calls impeachment process a ‘despicable violation of the American Constitution’ MORE (D-Calif.), chairman of the Intelligence Committee, told reporters in the Capitol. “I think we’re making rapid progress — and that’s our goal.”

Schiff’s comments came after the Intelligence Committee had finished interviewing its latest witness in the quickly evolving impeachment investigation into Trump, which launched just over a month ago.

Philip Reeker, acting assistant secretary of European and Eurasian Affairs, testified behind closed doors for roughly eight hours about what he knew of the administration’s campaign to press Ukrainian leaders to launch anti-corruption investigations into Trump’s political rivals.

Schiff declined to comment on the substance of Reeker’s testimony. But other lawmakers from both parties leaving the deposition seemed to agree that Reeker was a relatively minor player in the controversial Ukrainian episode — one verified details previously presented by other witnesses, without unloading any bombshells.

“An honest assessment … is that there were no ‘A-Ha’ moments for either side,” said Rep. Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsElijah Cummings, native son of Baltimore, gets emotional send-off from Democratic luminaries Overnight Defense: Top general briefs GOP senators on Syria plan | Senators ‘encouraged’ by briefing | Pence huddles with Republican allies on Syria | Trump nominee sidesteps questions on arms treaties Bannon returns from exile to wage impeachment battle for Trump MORE (R-N.C.), the former Freedom Caucus chairman and close Trump ally.

In the eyes of Trump’s GOP allies, that means there was no new evidence of presidential wrongdoing on a level to merit impeachment. Meadows said Reeker essentially echoed testimony from an earlier witness — former U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt VolkerKurt VolkerWhite House official to corroborate diplomat’s version of Ukraine events: report Five takeaways from US envoy’s explosive testimony Democrats say they have game changer on impeachment MORE — whose deposition Republicans have pointed to as an “exoneration” of Trump’s actions in Ukraine.

“In broad terms, I’d say the testimony of Ambassador Volker and his role in the Ukraine was supported by what we heard from Ambassador Reeker today,” Meadows said. “And Ambassador Volker’s testimony, I believe, was very clear in that he didn’t believe that the president of the United States did anything that would amount to an impeachable offense.”

Democrats, however, left the marathon deposition suggesting they’d reached a different conclusion about the direction the accumulating evidence is taking congressional investigators — lawmakers will ultimately have to decide whether to take a long step forward and vote on impeachment articles.

“He is corroborating previous witnesses and their testimony. So it’s helpful in that respect,” Rep. Stephen LynchStephen Francis LynchPompeo voices support for work of diplomat criticized by Trump Overnight Defense: Top general briefs GOP senators on Syria plan | Senators ‘encouraged’ by briefing | Pence huddles with Republican allies on Syria | Trump nominee sidesteps questions on arms treaties Pelosi, Democrats send message on foreign policy with high-profile trip MORE (D-Mass.) said of Reeker. “I think it’s fair to say it’s a much richer reservoir of information than we originally expected.”

“No discrepancies,” said Rep. Tom MalinowskiThomas (Tom) MalinowskiLarge majority says they are following impeachment inquiry closely: poll GOP protest overshadows impeachment hearing Overnight Defense: Trump’s Syria envoy wasn’t consulted on withdrawal | McConnell offers resolution urging Trump to rethink Syria | Diplomat says Ukraine aid was tied to political investigations MORE (D-N.J.).

Democrats have been charging ahead with their impeachment inquiry since Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiPelosi: Court ruling ‘another blow’ to President Trump Elijah Cummings, native son of Baltimore, gets emotional send-off from Democratic luminaries Cummings’ staff honor him in op-ed: He brought ‘moral clarity’ MORE (D-Calif.) launched the probe formally just over a month ago. That escalation came in response to a whistleblower’s allegations that Trump had sought to leverage U.S. aid to press Ukraine’s president for political favors.

In May, amid that pressure campaign, Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoPompeo voices support for work of diplomat criticized by Trump Overnight Defense: Pentagon chief says ‘mechanized’ forces headed to Syria | Troops would protect oil fields | House subpoenas State, OMB officials in impeachment inquiry | Trump keeps up attacks on key diplomat Trump steps up attacks on key diplomat in impeachment inquiry MORE had recalled Marie Yovanovitch, then the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, back to Washington. Yovanovitch has since testified as part of the impeachment probe, alleging that she was removed as political payback because she’d voiced concerns with the effort to enlist foreign leaders for help in domestic elections.  

Reeker, a State Department veteran, reportedly testified Saturday that he’d pressed senior State Department officials to support Yovanovitch publicly, but was rejected by the agency brass.

Pompeo’s approach to the Ukrainian affair has angered many State Department veterans, who believe he’s done too little to protect career diplomats from the political influence of the White House.

Meadows said Saturday that he’s sympathetic to those sentiments. But the president, he added, has the ultimate power to decide which diplomats will serve him abroad.

“Generally speaking, a lot of the State Department employees have a high regard for Ambassador Yovanovitch. … That’s a consistent theme that we’ve heard throughout,” Meadows said. “That being said, all ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president. And that’s just part of what happens when you’re part of a diplomatic corps.

“You certainly serve in a selfless way,” he continued, “but also in one that is subject to coming to a new post any day.”

The rare Saturday gathering took place because Congress had paused its work Thursday and Friday to honor the late Rep. Elijah CummingsElijah Eugene CummingsChairman Cummings’ ‘phenomenal’ team Elijah Cummings, native son of Baltimore, gets emotional send-off from Democratic luminaries Cummings’ staff honor him in op-ed: He brought ‘moral clarity’ MORE (D-Md.), the chairman of the Oversight Committee who passed away on Oct. 17 after a lengthy illness.

Democrats plan to charge ahead with the depositions next week, although several of the witnesses on the calendar have contested the subpoenas, leaving their appearance in question.

Democratic leaders have also promised, at some point, to open up the process and hold public hearings. But the timeline to do so remains unclear.

“It hasn’t been determined,” said Rep. Eliot EngelEliot Lance EngelPelosi, Democrats send message on foreign policy with high-profile trip Cheney says Congress needs to place sanctions on Turkey despite Trump announcement Judge orders State Department to release documents on Trump dealings with Ukraine MORE (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 

Updated 9:01 p.m.