The State Department directed European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland NOT to testify before the House Joint Committee today on impeachment.
Sondland’s attorney released a statement earlier this morning.
Ambassador Sondland is the current US Ambassador to the European Union.
Lawyer for Gordon Sondland, EU ambassador involved in Ukraine affair, says he was blocked from testifying early this morning by the State Department. He is “profoundly disappointed” after traveling from Brussels, lawyer says, and still wants to testify. pic.twitter.com/LOaOlwm7Jb
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 8, 2019
The Hill reported:
Gordon Sondland, President Trump’s ambassador to the European Union, will not testify as part of the House impeachment probe on Tuesday after a request from the Department of State, his attorney said.
“Early this morning, the U.S. Department of State directed Ambassador Gordon Sondland not to appear today for his scheduled transcribed interview before the U.S. House of Representatives Joint Committee,” Sondland’s attorney, Robert Luskin, said in a statement.
“As the sitting U.S. Ambassador to the EU and employee of the State Department, Ambassador Sondland is required to follow the Department’s direction,” Luskin added.
Sondland is “disappointed” not to appear, according to Luskin.