Gordon Sondland Was Texting With Ukrainian Officials on WhatsApp Long Before July 25 Call: WaPo

[UpInArms]

Source: Daily Beast

Gordon Sondland, the U.S. Ambassador to the European Union who had a starring role in President Trump’s anti-Biden crusade in Ukraine, reportedly communicated privately with Ukrainian officials over WhatsApp for months before the now infamous July 25 call between Trump and the Ukrainian president that sparked an impeachment inquiry.

According to sources cited by The Washington Post late Saturday, Sondland was busy texting on WhatsApp with Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during his trip to Kyiv in late July—the same trip where he was overheard offering Trump reassurances that Zelensky would do “the investigation” and, in fact, “anything” Trump asked for just a day after the July 25 call.

Sondland is said to have used the messaging app for discussions with other Ukrainian officials as well, for months both before the July visit and after, according to the Post. It was not immediately clear who else was included on the messages.

Those messages have apparently evaded scrutiny in the impeachment probe, as the State Department has reportedly refused to turn them over despite a subpoena from the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees.

Sondland, who is said to have told another top official he was placed “in charge” of Trump’s dealings in Ukraine despite the country not even being part of the EU, also met one-on-one with Yermak during the same visit, with a State Department aide testifying that he was barred from attending the meeting as a note-taker.

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/gordon-sondland-spent-months-messaging-ukrainian-officials-on-whatsapp-before-july-25-call-wapo?source=articles&via=rss

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These criminals need to be locked up.

[DeminPennswoods]

1. Wednesday should be quite the day

of impeachment inquiry testimony!

[Canoe52]

4. I'm looking forward to his testimony Wednesday,

He’s already indicated he wants to save his own neck so hopefully he’ll tell all then.

[DeminPennswoods]

10. Sondland strikes me as the rich guy

who bought himself what he figured would be a cushy ambassadorship, to make some friends, meet some people who'd be helpful to his business in a few years when he stepped down. He was goofy enough to believe that cuddling up to Trump was a good thing. Now his eyes are wide open and he will be singing like a canary to save himself.

[Canoe52]

11. I agree, he sure grabbed onto the wrong wire this time,

But my god, from hotel owner to ambassador to the EU? How stupid was he to even accept that position?

[DeminPennswoods]

13. It's Europe, they're friendly, the embassy is

nice, probably more social events than actual diplomacy, easy gig. What's not to like?

[Smith Jack]

2. Pompeo MUST release Sonland Communications!

The trump criminal obstruction needs to REALLY be exposed by everyone, and FULLY/VORACIOUSLY subpoenaed!

Also Important to know...

trump NOT only demanded that Zelensky generate a false investigation on the Bidens

but

trump ALSO demanded (Bribed) that Zelensky start an investigation into UKRAINE
to falsely ADMIT that UKRAINE was the country the interfered in the 2016 and NOT Russia!

trump extortion BRIBERY, crimes against our USA and
trump greatly endangering and DESTROYING our US Security!

[riversedge]

5. Most Dems would agree--now the trick is to get Congressional non partriots to agree!

..........Those messages have apparently evaded scrutiny in the impeachment probe, as the State Department has reportedly refused to turn them over despite a subpoena from the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees.

[Takket]

3. But her emails...

[mjvpi]

7. The first question to ask Sondland at the impeachment hearings.

As the EU ambassador, what the fuck were you doing in Ukraine?

[bdamomma]

8. So I take it that he

will testify, if he doesn't he's a fool.

[thinkingagain]

9. I'm not sure but aren't what apps messages

encrypted end to end but also
They “self delete” After reading or something similar.
Essentially the perfect messaging if your trying to hide something.

[Tumbulu]

12. Is WhatsApp considered a secure server?

Or secure in any way?

[apnu]

14. It has consumer encryption, but its difficult to save and archive

WhatsApp is as secure as any online shopping site. Will that be a challenge to nation-state hackers? Who can say.

But WhatsApp is a 3rd party messaging service that is notoriously difficult to archive, which government regulations demand of official channels of communication. Therefore use of WhatsApp in this context is one where the users are specifically going around government regulations and recordings to have a private conversation that no-one can prove what was said. Its shadow government, back-room, back-channel dealings.

At this point we should all be saying "but her emails..." Its the same thing. Trump and his people go out of their ways to have unrecorded conversations while functioning in an official state capacity for the U.S.

[Tumbulu]

15. thanks

typical republican double standard, or worse.