On the docket for Friday morning’s impeachment hearings was the testimony of Marie Yavonovitch, former ambassador to Ukraine.
In the midst of her testimony, President Trump launched an attack against her on Twitter.
The tweet is being called a new “Article of Impeachment in real time” by a Fox News Host.
Adam Schiff took a moment to address the tweet during Yovanovitch’s testimony. In order to give her a “chance to respond”, Schiff read aloud the President’s words.
….They call it “serving at the pleasure of the President.” The U.S. now has a very strong and powerful foreign policy, much different than proceeding administrations. It is called, quite simply, America First! With all of that, however, I have done FAR more for Ukraine than O.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2019
The former ambassador responded, “I don’t think I have such powers, not in Mogadishu, Somalia, not in other places. I actually think that where I’ve served over the years, I and others have demonstrably made things better, for the U.S. as well as the countries that I’ve served in.”
Schiff went on to ask how she thought other witnesses might feel after reading Trump’s words. She responded “Well, it’s very intimidating… I mean I can’t speak to what the president is trying to do but I think the effect is to be intimidating.”
After witnessing the exchange, even Fox News had to point out the damaging effects of Trump’s Twitter antics. Fox News anchor Bret Baier pointed out how it could hurt the President:
“That enabled Schiff to then characterize that tweet as intimidating the witness, or tampering with the witness, which is a crime, adding essentially an article of impeachment in real-time as this hearing is going on.”
Ken Starr, former U.S. solicitor general, also pointed out that it was “quite injurious”:
Ken Starr on Fox News: “The president was not advised by counsel in deciding to do this tweet. Extraordinarily poor judgment… Obviously this was quite injurious.”
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) November 15, 2019