The latest on the Trump impeachment inquiry

By Veronica Rocha, Meg Wagner and Sheena McKenzie, CNN

Updated 6:11 AM ET, Wed October 9, 2019

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10:23 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

Blocking Sondland testimony is "additional strong evidence of obstruction," Schiff says

House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff speaks at a press conference at the US Capitol on Tuesday, October 8 in Washington. Win McNamee/Getty Images

House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff said both Congress and the American people are "being deprived" of US Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony today.

Earlier today, Sondland's lawyer said the Trump administration's State Department ordered him not to appear before Congress.

Schiff said Sondland has "text messages or emails on a personal device" the committee would like to see.

"Although we have requested those from the ambassador, and the State Department is withholding those messages as well," Schiff said. “Those messages are also deeply relevant to this investigation and the impeachment inquiry.”

Schiff continued:

"The failure to produce this witness, the failure to produce these documents we consider yet additional strong evidence of obstruction of the constitutional functions of Congress.

9:35 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

Trump tweets that he would "love" for Sondland to testify, but doesn't trust "kangaroo court"

President Trump tweeted that if he allowed EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland to testify today, it would be in front of a "a totally compromised kangaroo court."

This comes after reports that the White House is blocking Sondland from testifying today in the impeachment inquiry.

What's this all about: A source familiar with discussions inside President Trump’s impeachment team says Ambassador Sondland not appearing is “part of an overall strategy connected to what is viewed as irregularities in the House impeachment inquiry.”

9:49 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

58% of Americans support Trump impeachment inquiry, new poll says

President Donald Trump talks to journalists on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, October 4. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A majority of Americans support the impeachment inquiry, according to a new Washington Post-Schar school poll.

The Post reported that 58% of those surveyed said they support the House inquiry, while 38% oppose it.

Meanwhile, 49% said they support the inquiry and removing Trump from office. Another 6% said they support the inquiry but oppose removing Trump.

Here's more context from the Washington Post:

"The findings indicate that public opinion has shifted quickly against the president and in favor of impeachment proceedings in recent weeks as information has been released about Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukrainian government officials to undertake an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden, a potential 2020 campaign rival, and Biden’s son Hunter.Those numbers back up other recent polls conducted about impeachment."

9:09 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

Sondland not testifying is part of Trump’s impeachment team’s strategy, source says

From CNN's Jim Acosta

A source familiar with discussions inside President Trump’s impeachment team says Ambassador Gordon Sondland not appearing is “part of an overall strategy connected to what is viewed as irregularities in the House impeachment inquiry.”

“The days of playing nice are done,” the source said.

Some context: The contrast with how the White House dealt with Special Counsel Robert Mueller is notable. John Dowd, Trump's former lawyer, once noted Mueller was part of the executive — but Congress is outside and the White House and Trump do not feel an obligation to be as cooperative.

A letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressing White House concerns is expected this afternoon. The letter is “still being massaged,” the source said, but it is expected to indicate the White House strategy moving forward.

9:01 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

White House officials were in late-night discussions about blocking Sondland's deposition

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

Administration officials were in discussions late last night about blocking Ambassador Gordon Sondland from sitting down for his scheduled deposition today, per an official familiar.

The talks centered around how much the White House should be cooperating with requests from House Democrats without a formal impeachment inquiry vote, which the White House has asserted they need for this to be a legitimate probe, though Democrats have said otherwise.

8:38 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

SOON: Adam Schiff speaks to reporters

House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff will speak to reporters at 9:30 a.m. ET about the now-canceled testimony of Ambassador Gordon Sondland and the impeachment inquiry.

Moments ago, Sondland's lawyer said the State Department ordered the ambassador not to testify today.

8:35 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

Sondland is "profoundly disappointed" he won't testify today

US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland is "profoundly disappointed" he will not testify before Congress today, his lawyer Robert Luskin said in a statement.

Early this morning, the State Department ordered him not to appear.

"Ambassador Sondland is profoundly disappointed that he will not be able to testify today," Ruskin said. "Ambassador Sondland hopes that the issues raised by the State Department that preclude his testimony will be resolved promptly."

Here's the full statement:

8:27 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

What you need to know about Gordon Sondland

US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland was scheduled to testify before three House committees in a closed-door meeting today — but moments ago, the State Department ordered him not to appear.

Here's what we know about the ambassador:

His background: Sondland was a Trump donor and hotelier who has been EU ambassador since 2018.
About the texts: He was cited in text messages turned over to the committee last week by former US special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker that cut to the heart of the Democrats' impeachment probe. Sondland exchanged messages with Volker and a senior US diplomat in Ukraine about setting up the call between Zelensky and Trump and whether foreign aid was being withheld while Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, pushed for Ukraine to open an investigation.
He is mentioned in the whistleblower complaint: Here's what it said: "On 26 July, a day after the call, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker visited Kyiv and met with President Zelenskyy and a variety of Ukrainian political figures. Ambassador Volker was accompanied in his meetings by U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland. Based on multiple readouts of these meetings recounted to me by various U.S. officials, Ambassadors Volker and Sondland reportedly provided advice to the Ukrainian leadership about how to “navigate” the demands that the President had made of Mr. Zelenskyy."

8:15 a.m. ET, October 8, 2019

JUST IN: State Department tells US ambassador to the EU not to appear for deposition today

From CNN's Katelyn Polantz

US Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland has been told by the State Department to not appear this morning before the House.

His attorney Robert Luskin said Tuesday morning he has no choice but to comply. “He is a sitting Ambassador and employee of State and is required to follow their direction,” Luskin said.

Luskin said Sondland will not appear.