Trump impeachment hearings: a significant moment

Good morning.

The seemingly unending stream of scandal and controversy emanating from Washington in the Age of Trump is sometimes exhausting, and it can be hard to distinguish the truly scandalous from the merely quotidian corruptions.

But this is a president facing impeachment, fighting for his life. And yesterday was a significant moment in that process. It's our lead story today, and in newspapers all over the world.

Since the whistleblower allegations that have led to the impeachment process first came to light, the question has been: was there a quid pro quo? Did Trump withhold aid from the Ukraine to pressure Kiev into opening an investigation into dealings in the country by the son of 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden? Was aid offered with the understanding that it depended on an investigation? Was Donald Trump using US foreign policy to attain political electoral advantage?

Trump directed campaign on Ukraine, ambassador tells inquiry

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Trump says he will ‘strongly consider’ testifying in impeachment inquiry

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Impeachment hearings: Official who listened in to Ukraine phone call to testify

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Trump adviser Roger Stone guilty of lying to Congress, witness tampering

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Yesterday, Gordon Sondland, a wealthy Trump supporter and Republican donor who was made ambassador to the EU and served as point man for the White House relations with Ukraine, arrived on Capitol Hill to deliver his testimony.

Let him speak for himself: “I know that members of this committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: Was there a quid pro quo?

“As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.

“Everyone was in the loop,” he said. “It was no secret.”

This is bad, bad, bad for the Donald. Before Sondland’s evidence Trump described him as “A great American.” Yesterday he said: “This is not a man I know well.”

Will it swing votes against him if and when the articles of impeachment come before the Senate? Not enough of them. But the important audience is swing voters in next year’s presidential election. They’re the real jury. And the case against Trump got a lot stronger yesterday.

White House reaction is here, and the New York Times report is here, with the

Wall Street Journal report here.

Denis Staunton’s UK election diary

The UK goes to the polls on December 12th in one of the most highly anticipated elections there in recent times. The outcome will have a far-reaching impact not only on the UK itself, but also on Ireland, as the next British government deals with the Brexit impasse. The Irish Times's London Editor, Denis Staunton, will write his UK election diary every weekday of the campaign. Today, he previews Jeremy Corbyn's unveiling of Labour's manifesto in Birmingham and says this may be the party leader's last chance to change the course of the campaign and prevent Boris Johnson from winning a majority. Read more here.

Leinster House: It’s quiet. Too quiet

It’s quiet these days around Leinster House, but byelection candidates have leaped enthusiastically into the gap to fill the news agenda.

Last week it was Fianna Fáil’s Lorraine Clifford-Lee who was in a somewhat unwelcome spotlight; this week, the limelight has been wrested from her by Verona Murphy, the Fine Gael candidate in Wexford whose views on immigrants, drink-driving, homelessness and Eoghan Murphy were more than a match for Clifford-Lee’s observations on Travellers, Kim Kardashian’s backside and red-haired black Brazilian dwarves.

To say Fine Gael TDs are unamused doesn't quite cover it. And at last night's parliamentary party meeting Fergus O'Dowd said he would refuse to share the room with anyone with intolerant views about immigrants.

In Zagreb, where is attending the EPP annual conference, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar found himself answering questions about Murphy and Maria Bailey, lately defenestrated from the party ticket in Dún Laoghaire. Mr Varadkar did not look any happier to be answering questions about domestic scandals while bestriding the world stage than any of his predecessors. Journalists find this endlessly entertaining, incidentally.

Best reads

Remember the shocking case of the pregnant woman kept alive over concerns for her unborn baby? The HSE yesterday apologised to her family.

It seems the residents of Oughterard and Ballinamore and Achill aren't the only ones who take exception to not being consulted about new neighbours.

Micheál Martin returned to one of his favourite themes - the Government's facility for spin at the taxpayers' expense. This may be true, but the scones were delicious.

Miriam's take is here.

On our op-ed pages, Trevor White responds to the rush towards Irish unity. We need to take our time, he says.

All the British papers (except the FT) are in a flap about Prince Andrew getting the order of the boot. "The banned old Duke of York" quips Metro. The Daily Mail goes to town, too. Reports here, if that's your kind of thing.

Ahead of next week's byelection, Barry Roche has a constituency profile of Cork North Central.

Playbook

The Taoiseach is still swanking around Zagreb.

Shane Ross, meanwhile, is swanking around Leinster House and takes oral questions at 10.30am.

Leaders’ Questions, weekly votes, statements on child homelessness to follow.

Pick of the committee schedule is the Employment Affairs and Social Protection committee, which meets Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty to discuss the Public Services Card at 9.30am.

Full schedule for everything at Leinster House here.

The Trump impeachment hearings continue in the United States, and in the UK, another furious day of campaigning in the British general election.

Byelection campaigns continue here, in which anyone might say anything. If they do, we’ll bring it to you. Meanwhile, have a truly fruity day.