John Berman discussed today's impeachment hearing with Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), who serves on the intelligence committee.
"What new information do you expect to hear from David Holmes today?" Berman asked.
"Well, we want to understand precisely what he heard. It's wonderful that Ambassador Taylor was able to provide that new information. Obviously, it's a major development," Maloney said.
"It's another indication that the president was laser focused on investigating the Bidens. This was not some general concern for corruption. What he was calling, speaking to Ambassador Sondland about the very day after the famous phone call between the two presidents was an investigation of the Bidens, this foreign service officer could hear it himself. this is not second hand. He heard the president's voice because he was speaking loudly enough on that phone. We understand we're going to ask him that today. And then, of course Ambassador Sondland characterized it. He said according to Mr. Taylor at least that the president cared more about investigating the Bidens than he did about Ukraine. And of course this is one more conversation that Ambassador Sondland has yet to recall under oath. and we'll have an opportunity to ask him about it as well."
"I have to let you go, but on that last point, Sondland will testify next week. Do you trust him?" Berman asked.
"It's not about trust. It's about surrounding him with other witnesses who can force the truth out of him. Not just the penalty of perjury, although that's clearly a pressure he's under. But also we have other witnesses. We have independent corroborating evidence," Maloney said.
"By the way, Mr. Berman, the State Department is sitting inappropriately on a mountain of evidence. All of these witnesses took copious notes. They all have said that. Those are with the State Department right now this morning: emails, text messages, calendar entries, phone records. The State Department is sitting on a mountain of evidence and you better believe if it helped the president, we would have heard about it. They need to produce that. It has been subpoenaed. They've gathered it up. They've taken it from these witnesses.
"I hope the media keeps the pressure on the State Department to get the fact out."
