Wednesday marks the the fourth day of public testimony in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.
The three witnesses scheduled to field questions from the House Intelligence Committee are Gordon Sondland, the United States Ambassador to the European Union, Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia and David Hale, the undersecretary of state for political affairs
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Check back to this article for commentary and updates about the hearing from journalists in KCBS Radio's newsroom.
NEW BUSINESS
This is how the Associated Press described their roles in the Trump administration's dealings with Ukraine:
"In earlier closed-door testimony, Cooper said she advised other administration officials that Trump held up the aid through instructions to the White House Budget office and said she raised concerns to other government officials about the legality of holding up the aid to Ukraine," the AP wrote.
"Hale promises to provide details about the ouster of Yovanovitch, who was ousted after a smear campaign by Rudy Guiliani, Trump’s personal lawyer," the AP also said.
THE LIGHTNING ROUND
9:00 a.m.
After hours of Twitter silence during Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony, President Trump addressed reporters on the White Hiouse driveway before departing for Austin, Texas to tour an Apple facility with CEO Tim Cook. Mr. Trump said repeatedly, "I want nothing, I want nothing, I want no quid pro quo," words that could be seen written on a notepad he held in his hand.
—Stan Bunger
THE INTERNET IS BUSY
8:21 a.m.
It's the Republicans' turn as the hearing resumes.
TAKE TEN
8:02 a.m.
Chairman Adam Schiff calls a "five or ten minute" break. When the hearing resumes, Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA) will have the baton.
—Stan Bunger
YEP, HE SAID IT
7:03 a.m.
Before this morning's hearing, President Trump issued a rapid-fire series of five tweets or retweets slamming the impeachment inquiry and Democrats in Congress. Since the release of Ambassador Sondland's statement: crickets.
—Stan Bunger
PENCE'S ROLE
THE BIG DEVELOPMENT
6:09 a.m.
Chairman Adam Schiff opens the hearing.
A BOMBSHELL!
6:05 a.m.
From The Associated Press, reporting on Sondland's prepared remarks: "Ambassador Gordon Sondland says he kept top members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in the loop about President Donald Trump's pressure on Ukraine for investigations. In remarks to a House intelligence panel, Sondland tells lawmakers that it was well-established within the Trump administration that there was a quid pro quo involving Ukraine."
FROM BOUTIQUE HOTELS TO THE POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT
5:55 a.m.
Gordon Sondland's hotel empire started with the Roosevelt Hotel in his hometown of Seattle. Over the last 25 years, his Provenance Hotels chain has expanded to more than a dozen boutique properties from coast to coast; many in the Pacific Nothwest. His $1 million donation to the Trump inauguration committee put him in the political spotlight and preceded his nomination to the post of US Ambaddaor to the European Union.
—Stan Bunger