Former Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch on Friday could not provide any information that President Trump committed a crime when pressed by Republican Rep. Chris Stewart during the impeachment hearing.
“Do you have any information regarding the president of the United States accepting any bribes?” he asked.
“No,” Ms. Yovanovitch responded.
“Do you have any information regarding any criminal activity that he has been involved with at all?” the Utah Republican continued.
“No,” she said.
Republicans not on the committee have been circulating that clip on social media, touting it as a slam dunk for their case.
The Democrats second day impeachment witness, Ambassador Yovanovitch, has no information on any of the relevant questions.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 15, 2019
They have no case. This is not serious. pic.twitter.com/dHTtLAnoI5
Republicans celebrated a similar moment on Wednesday when both witnesses were silent after they were asked to point out an impeachable offense the president committed.
“I am not here to do anything having to do to decide about impeachment. that is your job,” William Taylor, the top ambassador in Ukraine, said.
The crux of the impeachment inquiry centers on allegations that Mr. Trump pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky via a quid pro quo to open investigations into alleged 2016 election interference and Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s connection to Burisma corruption.
Ms. Yovanovitch, who left Ukraine in May before the president’s July phone call with Mr. Zelensky, noted that she won’t be able to attest to “a number of events” in the inquiry.
Democrats, however, say her ouster is the first chapter that cleared the way for alleged quid pro quo.
A foreign career official for 33 years, Ms. Yovanovitch was appointed by President Barack Obama and kept on by Mr. Trump until her recall earlier this year.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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