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Whistleblower may testify to House panel, as Trump pledges to release Ukraine call transcript

President says it will be ‘complete, fully declassified and unredacted’

President Donald Trump speaks during the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, hours before House Democrats launched a formal impeachment inquiry. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
President Donald Trump speaks during the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, hours before House Democrats launched a formal impeachment inquiry. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump announced the White House will release on Wednesday a “complete, fully declassified and unredacted transcript” of the July telephone conversation with now-Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

In a tweet from United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, Trump claimed it will show a “very friendly and totally appropriate call” that featured “No pressure” to investigate the Bidens” and “NO quid pro quo!” The news from the President comes amid an announcement by House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff that his panel expects to hear testimony from the person who first raised the alarm on possible misbehavior during a call with Ukraine’s president. 

[Trump acknowledges discussing ‘corruption’ with new Ukrainian leader]

 Schiff tweeted that the whistleblower had reached out, and wants to testify to House Intelligence this week.

“We have been informed by the whistleblower’s counsel that their client would like to speak to our committee and has requested guidance from the Acting DNI as to how to do so,” Schiff said. “We’re in touch with counsel and look forward to the whistleblower’s testimony as soon as this week.”

Trump fired off a tweet of his own between events at a U.N. General Assembly session signaling an impeachment process could further slow work on major legislation.

“The Democrats are so focused on hurting the Republican Party and the President that they are unable to get anything done because of it, including legislation on gun safety, lowering of prescription drug prices, infrastructure, etc. So bad for our Country!” he wrote.

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At a U.N. General Assembly meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Trump told reporters his goal is a pact between the longtime allies that will “quadruple” trade between them.

After being asked by reporters, Trump flatly denied he told Ukraine’s then-incoming president he would block a massive military aid package unless he investigated the Bidens.

“There was no quid pro quo,” Trump said. “There was no pressure applied, nothing.”

Democratic lawmakers and 2020 White House hopefuls spent much of last week and the weekend saying Trump broke the law by doing just that, which would have the president seeking a personal benefit and trying to use U.S. government resources to do so, which could violate federal laws.

The call included an alleged “promise” by Trump to Zelensky that caused a U.S. intelligence official to file a formal whistleblower complaint.

But Monday, the president all but confirmed he discussed the Bidens with Zelensky during the July 25 telephone conversation.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced that the House will vote Wednesday on a resolution disapproving of the administration’s effort to block the release of the whistleblower complaint.

“This is not a partisan matter, it’s about the integrity of our democracy, respect for the rule of law and defending our Constitution,” they said in a statement. “We hope that all members of the House — Democrats and Republicans alike — will join in upholding the rule of law and oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution as representatives of the American people.”

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