I see the aforementioned Ambassador Sondland is, in apparent violation of Administration directives, planning to answer the subpoena to appear before House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight and Reform committees to give a deposition, after having first declined same. While he cannot deliver documents without State Department permission, he will still testify.
Or so his lawyers say. Their statement is decidedly odd:
“Notwithstanding the State Department’s current direction to not testify, Ambassador Sondland will honor the Committees’ subpoena, and he looks forward to testifying on Thursday,” Sondland’s lawyers said in a statement. “Ambassador Sondland has at all times acted with integrity and in the interests of the United States. He has no agenda apart from answering the Committees’ questions fully and truthfully.” [WaPo]
We have to be assured he has no agenda? On the other hand, Lewandowski’s testimony was full of it, so maybe they have a point.
So what does this change of heart mean?
- He’s there to say “I decline to answer…” a lot. But why? Everyone else is declining to appear, so why have Sondland appear but say nothing?
- To say there was no threat, no quid pro quo, nothing of an impeachable nature in Trump’s actions with regard to Ukraine. Sondland is generally considered to be an ally of President Trump, as he received the Ambassadorship as a prize for making a big donation, which is not an unusual practice in any Administration, so he might make this sort of deposition falsely, out of loyalty. But then he’s running the risk of being caught lying to Congress, which could land him time in prison. Why take the chance?
- That Sondland is considered an ally mostly refers to history; he may have lost his fondness as he became familiar with Trump and his methods. So maybe Sondland plans to spill the beans. Sondland probably doesn’t need the money, so if he’s fired, he won’t care.
My money, which is a very small wager, is on #2. Whether it’s true or not, if he testifies otherwise, he’ll enter the criminal part of the scandal.
And if he requests immunity? My oh my!
