The House Intelligence Committee is holding its inaugural public hearing of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

Congressional investigators will hear testimony from Acting Ambassador William Taylor, Chargé d’affairs at the U.S. embassy in Ukraine, and George Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the European and Eurasian Bureau at the State Department.

**Follow live updates on this event from Breitbart News. All times in eastern.**

6:25 P.M. — Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) to Fox News when asked if he watched today’s hearing: “I wasn’t glued to the TV today. I was actually doing some important work on behalf of the people of America.”

6:24 P.M. — Michigan voters have no time for impeachment:

Michigan voters know exactly what the impeachment #WitchHunt is about: “The Democrats are really just trying to overturn the results from 2016 and I think it’s going to fail miserably.” pic.twitter.com/fOz2dor6Os — Trump War Room (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TrumpWarRoom) November 13, 2019

6:09 P.M. — Andrew Weissmann, who served as one of special counsel Robert Mueller’s top prosecutors, claims President Trump made a “huge mistake” talking to the media about impeachment and denying having a telephone call with an aide to Sondland.

“He now can’t rebut it,” said Weissmann, now an MSNBC analyst.

“He has now said I don’t remember that phone call. So you’re going to have Sondland testifying to it. You’re going to have a staffer testifying to it,” he added. “If [Presideent Trump] doesn’t like their testimony, he’s going to have to say, ‘Oh, now I remember that I didn’t say that.’”

6:00 P.M. — The Department of Defense inspector general’s office has declined to investigate the department’s delay in providing military aid to Ukraine, according to NBC News.

5:55 P.M. — 2020 White House contender Andrew Yang (D) and his supporters ignored the topic of impeachment at a campaign event hosted by Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor Sam Altman.

Just got out of an Andrew Yang event at Sam Altman’s house with about 40 people. He spoke for 35ish mins to a crowd of donors that in many ways represent Yang’s natural base. Lots of talk on the tech industry and nothing on impeachment. pic.twitter.com/kVM8R6DNRZ — Ryan Maclunkey 🙃 (@RMac18) November 13, 2019

5:54 P.M. — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-KY) reveals he didn’t watch today’s hearing:

Ran into @senatemajldr McConnell; asked him about the impeachment hearings. “I didn’t watch. They’re in the House, I’m in the Senate,” he told me, adding, “I have other things to do.” — Sheryl Gay Stolberg (@SherylNYT) November 13, 2019

5:40 P.M. —

Sources close to Senate Republican leadership say they don’t know what Richard Burr is talking about. Timetable hasn’t been set and McConnell has not been inclined towards a 6-8 week trial. https://t.co/J2GFl9Gijm — Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) November 13, 2019

5:31 P.M. — Even pro-impeachment Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) was unimpressed with today’s hearing:

Amash says he thinks the hearing was a wash when asked which party prevailed in the impeachment hearing. — Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) November 13, 2019

5:29 P.M. — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reacts to Day 1 of public impeachment hearings:

Sen. Elizabeth Warren: "If the House goes forward and sends an impeachment over to the Senate, then I will be there for the trial." pic.twitter.com/fLpW8s01MD — The Hill (@thehill) November 13, 2019

5:24 P.M. —

Tonight @SpeakerPelosi asked for her reaction to the impeachment inquiry hearing today said she’s been working all day “but I’m very proud of our Democrats and I think what has come forth has further of course given us the truth of what happened.” Per @KyleAlexStewart — Alex Moe (@AlexNBCNews) November 13, 2019

4:48 P.M. — Dowd deleted his tweet about Stefanik amid accusations of sexism. Not very woke of him!

.@ABC 's @matthewjdowd deleted and apologized for his pathetic tweet bashing @EliseStefanik for being a female millennial simply because he disagrees with her. Now claims people "misinterpreted" what he said… https://t.co/12FyM0i0fc — MediaResearchCenter (@theMRC) November 13, 2019

4:36 P.M. — Stefanik blast’s today events:

Rep. Stefanik: today was “an abject failure for the Democrats & for Adam Schiff”https://t.co/MFzPrvn8ez pic.twitter.com/CTDgULFTeW — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

4:36 P.M. — Swalwell, appearing on MSNBC, responds to question about why House Democrats won’t compel Bolton to testify: “We’re not going to chase them into court.”

Baffled by House Dems not making effort to compel testimony of Bolton, et al. Swalwell just said on MSNBC 'We're not going to chase them into court.' — Byron York (@ByronYork) November 13, 2019

4:32 P.M. — President Trump calls today’s hearings a “sham” that “shouldn’t be allowed,” adding that he hadn’t watch it because of meetings his with Turkish President Recep Erdogan

"I haven't watched," Pres. Trump says of today's impeachment hearing. "I haven't watched for one minute…this is a sham and shouldn't be allowed." https://t.co/Bo1rTmUzkY pic.twitter.com/87J0BcKcoB — ABC News (@ABC) November 13, 2019

4:31 P.M. —

Schiff also confirmed his committee will depose the Taylor aide who overheard Trump and Sondland talking about Biden probe in Ukraine.

He would not say if he believed Sondland was truthful about his interactions with Trump, saying he will let public judge that when he testifies https://t.co/JSDRn0SICv — Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 13, 2019

4:29 P.M. — Schiff runs to CNN to tell the network about his new theory before Sondland even testifies.

Schiff tells @mkraju that the new call Taylor testified about today between Trump and Sondland "indicates … that the instructions are coming from the president on down." — Jeremy Herb (@jeremyherb) November 13, 2019

4:28 P.M. — Jordan slams today’s hearing, calls it “a sad episode for the country.”

Rep. Jordan: today was “a sad episode for the country”https://t.co/yrnesXe0sZ pic.twitter.com/8LFhBmEAHI — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

4:26 P.M. — Schiff won’t say if he supports impeachment after today’s hearing.

.@RepAdamSchiff: “I’m reserving judgment” on whether Trump should be impeached pic.twitter.com/w0lXCorhnf — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) November 13, 2019

4:25 P.M. — Dualing press conferences from Jordan and Schiff have begun.

4:24 P.M. — Starr reacts to today’s hearings, says there’s “no hope for impeachment” as “no crime was proven today”

Ken Starr: “no hope for impeachment” and “no crime was proven today”https://t.co/83UCWYQEUS pic.twitter.com/wLzj6DiYYF — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

4:22 P.M. — ABC News analyst Matthew Dowd is getting dunked on for his bad take on Stefanik’s impeachment hearing performance.

If @matthewjdowd were a Conservative, this would be all over and the person who said it would be a “sexist pig.” @EliseStefanik has more class than you could ever dream of. NY will be a better place w/ women like @NMalliotakis @LizLemeryJoy @BethforCongress & @CheleFarley in D.C. pic.twitter.com/YEfT52T1Hv — John Seravalli (@John_Seravalli1) November 13, 2019

4:15 P.M. — ABC News figures Jon Karl and Matthew Dowd concede President Trump’s support among GOP lawmakers remains strong after the first day of public impeachment hearings.

“There is no sign of any erosion among Republican support for the fundamental question over whether or not Pres. Trump should be impeached for this,” says Karl.

.@jonkarl to @GStephanopoulos: "There is no sign of any erosion among Republican support for the fundamental question over whether or not Pres. Trump should be impeached for this." https://t.co/YHsiIaIXhs #ImpeachmentHearings pic.twitter.com/7AIUYJhWth — ABC News (@ABC) November 13, 2019

Dowd states: “What’s different from Donald Trump and Richard Nixon is Republicans started to deteriorate on Richard Nixon. That has not happened for Donald Trump. Until that happens, the fundamental nature of public opinion won’t change.”

.@matthewjdowd: "What's different from Donald Trump and Richard Nixon is Republicans started to deteriorate on Richard Nixon. That has not happened for Donald Trump. Until that happens, the fundamental nature of public opinion won't change." https://t.co/YHsiIaIXhs pic.twitter.com/oMUl4Sqfvi — ABC News (@ABC) November 13, 2019

4:08 P.M. — The Dow Jones hit a record-high after today’s impeachment inquiry, signaling Wall Street is unconcerned with Pelosi and Schiff’s inquiry.

The Dow hit an all-time high on Wednesday as Disney shares popped after its streaming service got more than 10 million sign-ups. The S&P 500 closed at a record high, up 0.1%, while the Nasdaq hovered below the flatline. https://t.co/DDschtXbBg pic.twitter.com/9VU9AnPttn — CNBC (@CNBC) November 13, 2019

4:06 P.M. — CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin concedes it’s a “problem” that both Kent and Taylor had no “direct contact with the president.”

CNN’s Toobin: neither witness “had direct contact with the president…that’s a problem”https://t.co/fjNz4cr00Z pic.twitter.com/zKW239luNF — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

3:56 P.M. — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) tweets after Day 1 of the public impeachment hearings: “The Democrats impeachment inquiry may be one of the greatest political stunts in history.”

The Democrats impeachment inquiry may be one of the greatest political stunts in history. — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) November 13, 2019

3:53 P.M. — House intelligence panel votes 13-9 to table to a motion to subpoena the so-called “whistleblower” for a closed-door deposition.

The House Intelligence Committee, 13-9, votes along party lines to table the Conaway motion to subpoena the whistleblower for private testimony Tabled = not accepted — Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) November 13, 2019

3:52 P.M. — Law professor Jonathan Turley issues a warning about the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry:

.@JonathanTurley says House Democrats are "proceeding on the narrowest basis for impeachment in the history of this country" https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/FJGgbtMJlF — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

3:37 P.M. — Kent and Taylor’s testimonies have concluded and are excused from the hearing room. The panel will resume after a recess to take up a motion by Conaway to subpoena the so-called “whistleblower.”

3:36 P.M. — Schiff once again claims he does not know who the so-called “whistleblower” is.

Adam Schiff just lied. Again. About the whistleblower. Calling on @washingtonpost to fact check this. #DemsGotNothing pic.twitter.com/lP28iykIi8 — ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) November 13, 2019

3:34 P.M. — Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has entered the hearing.

Matt Gaetz enters the hearing room as Schiff delivers his closing statement — Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) November 13, 2019

Rep. Gates just joined the hearing at the very end when Schiff was delivering closing remarks pic.twitter.com/byhY02Jb9Z — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 13, 2019

3:31 P.M. — Nunes delivers his closing remarks:

Nunes closing remarks: We really should stop holding these hearings until get answer to 3 topics: 1) prior coordination of WB 2) full extent of Ukraine election meddling and 3) why Burisma hired Hunter Biden on his board. — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 13, 2019

3:29 P.M. —

.@CongressmanRaja: "You don't believe the July 25 call was perfect, do you?" Kent: "I think some of the language in the call gave cause for concern." Taylor: "I agree." https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/UXgCCBPSCr — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

3:23 P.M. — Kent and Taylor testify they believe Giuliani sought dirt on a political opponent of President Trump and did not have U.S. national security interests at heart in his dealings with Ukraine.

DEMINGS: “Was Mr. Giuliani promoting U.S. national interests or policy in Ukraine, Ambassador?”

TAYLOR: “I don’t think so, ma’am.”

DEMINGS: “Mr. Kent?”

KENT: “No, he was not.”

3:18 P.M. —

Rep. Maloney asks questions that lead to Taylor saying that he has sent only one cable in his diplomatic career and that this one cable was about Taylor’s concerns about Ukraine & aid. #ImpeachingHearings — GovTrack.🇺🇸 (@govtrack) November 13, 2019

3:15 P.M. —

Rep Sean P. Maloney asks about Amb. Taylor's West Point history. He was 5th in a class of about 800 in the class of 1969. — Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) November 13, 2019

3:12 P.M. —

Jim Jordan complains they haven’t been allowed to hear from “the person who started it all, the whistleblower.” VT Dem Peter Welch responds: The person who started it all is more than welcome to come testify, President Trump. Laughter heard around the room. pic.twitter.com/PgHs3xos09 — julie faye tsirkin (@julietsirkin) November 13, 2019

3:09 P.M. — Jordan demands that the so-called “whistleblower” testify, says he is”the guy who started it all,” adding that there are “435 members of Congress and only one gets to know who that person is.. only Chairman Schiff knows who the whistleblower is.”

3:05 P.M. — Jordan notes Trump administration’s holdup in military aid as a prudent: “Our president said time out. Time out. Let’s take a look at this new guy Zelensky to see if he’s the real deal.”

2:59 P.M. —

Procedural wrangling ahoy. Rep. Ratcliffe is attempting to question Schiff about when/if public will find out details about Schiff’s staff’s interactions with the whistleblower. #ImpeachingHearings — GovTrack.🇺🇸 (@govtrack) November 13, 2019

2:55 P.M. —

Kent says in his opinion it is now the role of politicians to drive the criminal investigations of this country or any country. Rep. Ratcliffe is making the point that an ambassador serves at the pleasure of the president. Kent agrees. — KUTV 2News (@KUTV2News) November 13, 2019

2:53 P.M. — Bizarre exchange between Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and Taylor:

Dem Rep. Castro just now:

"Is attempted murder a crime?"

Taylor: Yes

"Is attempted robbery a crime?"

Taylor: Yes

"Is attempted extortion and bribery a crime?"

Taylor: I don't know — Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) November 13, 2019

2:51 P.M. —

Ambassador Taylor: The Russians are always looking for vulnerability. pic.twitter.com/QfMvqEApoQ — Michael S. Smith II (@MichaelSSmithII) November 13, 2019

2:45 P.M. — More from Meadows:

My Democrat colleagues keep asking the witnesses about hypothetical things and whether they're "wrong," without actually establishing any evidence that these things really happened. In fact—the fact pattern says otherwise. The aid was released. With no trade off. — Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 13, 2019

2:42 P.M. —

Swalwell: Mr. Taylor, are you a Never Trumper? Taylor: No sir. Kent, when asked same Q: Said he is a career service officer who works for whoever is elected to the office of the presidency. Has served for 27 yrs in 3 Republican admins and 2 Dem admins — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 13, 2019

2:40 P.M. — SWALWELL: “You described in your text message exchanges that engaging in a scheme like this is, quote, ‘crazy.’ Can we also agree that it’s just wrong?”

TAYLOR: “Yes.”

Rep. Eric Swalwell: "You described in your text message exchanges that engaging in a scheme like this is 'crazy.' Can we also agree that it's just wrong?" Taylor: "Yes." https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/kkoqhurkw0 — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

2:37 P.M. — Stefanik asks Kent about past testimony about his previous concerns about the appearance of a conflict of interest with Hunter Biden serving on the board of Burisma, noting it has a “poor reputation.”Kent once again confirms he raised concerns about the Ukraine firm.

2:36 P.M. — Presented without comment:

Someone might want to let Representative Jackie Speier (D) California know that she has a paper clip in her hair pic.twitter.com/nvr3v8mETy — Jim Gilmour (@JimboGilmour) November 13, 2019

2:33 P.M. —

#ImpeachmentHearings @RepMikeQuigley asking Kent, Taylor about "irregular channels" and… regarding hearsay "Courts routinely" allows exceptions to allow hearsay pic.twitter.com/1oGzCC2nT6 — Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet) November 13, 2019

2:24 P.M. —

Stewart: "Those of us in office or up for re-election should be held to a higher standard." He asks if anybody should be surprised if corruption would be reason to be withhold aid to a foreign nation. Kent: Says the Department of Defense makes and made the certification. — KUTV 2News (@KUTV2News) November 13, 2019

2:24 P.M. — Stewart to House Democrats: “If your impeachment is so weak that you have to lie to the American people about it, you have a problem.”

2:23 P.M. — Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) says in his opening remarks: “Welcome to year four of the impeachment of President Trump.”

2:16 P.M. —

Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH): Did the Obama administration provide lethal weapons to Ukraine?

Taylor: No.

Wenstrup: You said you’re “happy” with President Trump’s assistance, a “substantial improvement.”

Taylor: correct.

2:13 P.M. — KENT: “Rudy Giuliani’s smear campaign [against former Ambassador Yovanovitch] was prevalent in the spring of 2019.”

2:12 P.M. — KENT: “You can’t promote anticorruption action without pissing off corrupt people.”

2:10 P.M. — Jordan to Taylor: “What you heard did not happen. It didn’t happen.”

2:09 P.M. — Taylor on Giuliani in Ukraine: “It is not unusual to ask for people outside government…to help form the policies of the U.S. government. It is unusual to have a person put input into the channel that goes contrary to U.S. policy.”

2:05 P.M. —

.@RepMikeTurner makes simple point but important for Republicans: "You’ve had no contact with the President of the United States? Kent Answer: No.

Turner: "You’ve had no contact with POTUS?" Taylor answer: "No." — Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) November 13, 2019

2:01 P.M. — Kent says he did not find Giuliani’s “particular engagement normal.”

1:57 P.M. —

Rep. Ratcliffe using his time to list all the times that President Zelenskyy said he, Zelenskyy, was not pressured by the United States. Do you – Taylor – think he was lying; yes or no? Taylor: I have no reason to think – Ratcliffe: Thank you. #ImpeachingHearings — GovTrack.🇺🇸 (@govtrack) November 13, 2019

1:50 P.M. — Exchange between Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) and Kent:

Rep. Jim Himes asks George Kent if he hears President Trump requesting "a thoughtful and well-calibrated anti-corruption program" in his call with Ukraine's president Kent: "I do not" https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/fkV6uvWHjy — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

1:42 P.M. — Jordan grills Taylor: “You’re their star witness? … I’ve seen church prayer chains that are easier to understand than this.”

“I’m not here to take one side or the other or to advocate any particular outcomes. Let me restate that second thing is that my understanding is only coming from people that I talk to,” Taylor replies.

1:42 P.M. —

Rep. Jordan says Taylor’s understanding that aid depended on a public statement of an investigation must be wrong because Taylor didn’t bring it up in Taylor’s meetings with Zelensky. #ImpeachingHearings — GovTrack.🇺🇸 (@govtrack) November 13, 2019

1:38 P.M. — Nunes yields his questioning time to Jordan.

1:35 P.M. —

Schiff names several other ppl Trump could be interested in investigating like Chalupa. Taylor: "He was more interested in the Bidens." — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 13, 2019

1:34 P.M. — Schiff asks Kent if President Trump wanted Ukraine to probe Burisma regarding corruption between 2012 and 2014, prior to Hunter Biden serving on their board of directors. Kent replies he didn’t see that mentioned in the Trump-Zelensky call transcript.

1:31 P.M. — Impeachment hearing format shifts in a 5-minute question period for members.

1:29 P.M. —

Castor now asking why George Kent didn't try to "wrest control" from the irregular diplomacy channel, if he thought it was so problematic. Kent says initially, both channels wanted a meeting between the two Presidents, no reason to "wrest control" at that point. — Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) November 13, 2019

1:22 P.M. —

GOP counsel Castor: ": in fairness this irregular channel of diplomacy, it’s not as outlandish as it could be, is that correct?" Taylor, with a little laugh: "That is correct." — Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) November 13, 2019

1:18 P.M. — Kent confirms he reported his worries about Hunter Biden serving on Burisma’s board of directors to the office of the Vice President back in 2015, citing concerns about a perception of a conflict of interests as Joe Biden served as special envoy to Ukraine at the time.

1:15 P.M. —

GOP counsel asking George Kent and Amb. Taylor whether Hunter Biden's experience warranted the seat on and the salary from the Burisma board. "Is he the Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of the Ukraine?" They say they have no knowledge of the younger Biden's CV. — Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) November 13, 2019

1:07 P.M. — Fox News Channel anchor Chris Wallace asserts Taylor’s testimony was “very damaging” to President Trump.

“I think that William Taylor was a very impressive witness and was very damaging to the president. First of all, as you pointed out, he took very copious notes at almost every conversation — when he put quotes in his opening statement, he said those were direct quotes from what was said. It also doesn’t hurt that he has a voice like Edward R. Murrow,” he said.

1:07 P.M. — Taylor testifies that Zelensky told him his July 25 call with President Trump was “fine.”

“I was happy with the call,” he added.

Taylor says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told him, "The call was fine. I was happy with the call." https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/BR6B5GdQOe — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

1:03 P.M. — Great question from author David Limbaugh:

Why is Taylor comfortable with speculating as to Trump’s state of mind when Democrats ask him or when he gives his testimony, but not when Republican counsel inquires? — David Limbaugh (@DavidLimbaugh) November 13, 2019

12:58 P.M. — Schiff interrupts Castor’s questioning by advising Taylor not to submit opinions that can’t be demonstrated by fact, prompting Ratcliffe to interject that most of the House Democrats’ questions were rooted in hearsay.

"Are you seriously interrupting our time here?" Schiff sets off confrontation with Republicans after telling Taylor he should be "cautioned" about questions based on "facts not in evidence" https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/9ubjhtB2KA — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

John Ratcliffe making a great point: Adam Schiff just apparently changed the rules mid-hearing. Virtually every question Democrats asked was leading, hearsay, or some other federal evidence rules violation. Now Schiff seems to be saying he can enforce those rules. Unreal. — Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 13, 2019

12:57 P.M. —

12:52 P.M. — Nunes asks Taylor is Ukrainians found it inflammatory when then-President Obama was caught on hot-mic telling Russian President Dmitri Medvedev that he would have “more flexibility” to negotiate on the delicate issue of missile defense after the 2012 November election.

“I don’t know, sir,” Taylor replies.

12:50 P.M. —

Nunes first q is for Taylor about ukrainians support for Clinton in the 2016 election. He skips Kent because he said he hadnt expressed concern about it — Alana Abramson (@aabramson) November 13, 2019

12:44 P.M. — The hearing has resumed after a 20-minute break with remarks from Nunes.

Rep. Devin Nunes delivers remarks before beginning his questioning of impeachment inquiry witnesses https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/eI59H6ijaK — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

12:41 P.M. — Rev. Franklin Graham slams the impeachment hearing in a Facebook post:

It’s a day of shame for America. The media is calling the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry “historic;” and it is—historically shameful. That our politicians would bring this kind of harm to our country over a phone call, with the world watching, is unbelievable. As Christians, as those who follow and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, let us pray throughout the day and all of these proceedings. Pray for our nation, pray for our leaders, and pray for President Donald J. Trump.

12:39 P.M. —

I'm told Amb. Sondland will address Amb. Taylor's claims about the phone call during Sondland's testimony next week. — Susan Ferrechio (@susanferrechio) November 13, 2019

12:37 P.M. — On Fox News, Ken Starr describes Taylor as “impressive,” but notes his testimony is based on “hearsay.”

12:34 P.M. — CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett says Americans are likely having a tough time keeping up with the testimony. This is not something House Democrats want to hear from establishment media figures.

.@majorcbs says the public is probably having a hard time following all the facts of the impeachment hearings "It's a bit of a dense collection of testimony. The White House has called it boring…[Trump] doesn't consider this good television" https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/eC4p4jSI6k — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

12:26 P.M. — President Trump on the impeachment hearing: “I’m too busy to watch it.”

12:22 P.M. — Eric Trump mocks the impeachment hearings as a “clown show” that is “horribly boring.”

For as much time as the Democrats have spent trying to orchestrate “political theater” they have done a terrible job. This clown show is horribly boring. There is not a single person outside the beltway who is engaged in this nonsense. Can’t wait to win again in 2020! #DCSucks — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) November 13, 2019

12:20 P.M. — KENT: “I am not aware of any Ukrainian connection to [CrowdStrike].”

12:18 P.M. — Taylor’s aide who was present during Sondland’s phone call with President Trump is David Holmes, who is slated to testify behind closed-doors on Friday, reports CBS News.

12:15 P.M. — Posted without comment:

NO FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE: "What I can do here for you today is tell you what I heard from people." Amb. William Taylor pic.twitter.com/cZHvn7BHIT — Steven Cheung (@CaliforniaPanda) November 13, 2019

12:13 P.M. — Important point from Rep. Mark Meadows:

Notice that most of Bill Taylor's information comes from Gordon Sondland Recall Sondland admitted, in his testimony: he DID NOT KNOW whether aid was linked to political investigations. September 9th, @realDonaldTrump told Sondland it was NOT linked. Sondland acknowledged this. — Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 13, 2019

12:11 P.M. — Goldman asks Taylor about Bolton’s “drug deal” remark concerning Sondland and Mulvaney.

“I don’t know. I don’t know what Ambassador Bolton had in mind,” Taylor replies.

12:05 P.M. —

Taylor now reiterating that he believed nearly $400 million in US aid to Ukraine and a WH Trump-Zelensky meeting were "conditioned on" securing commitments for investigations — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 13, 2019

12:02 P.M. —

HPSCI lawyer: "What did you understand that to mean, to put Zelensky in a 'public box?'"

Taylor: "…That Pres. Trump, through Amb. Sondland, was asking for Zelensky to very publicly commit to these investigations, that it was not sufficient to do this in private…" pic.twitter.com/44Y21H603f — CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 13, 2019

12:01 P.M. — White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham blasts today’s hearings, tweeting: “This sham hearing is not only boring, it is a colossal waste of taxpayer time & money.”

This sham hearing is not only boring, it is a colossal waste of taxpayer time & money. Congress should be working on passing USMCA, funding our govt & military, working on reduced drug pricing & so much more. @realDonaldTrump is working right now-the dems should follow his lead! — Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 13, 2019

11:58 A.M — Taylor to Schiff: “I got several questions from Ukrainians asking about the security assistance. It was very important to Ukraine. They had begun to hear from Ambassador Sondland that the security assistance was not going to come until the investigations were pursued.”

11:57 A.M. —

Goldman: What does that mean to put Zelensky in a public box? Taylor: I understood that to mean that Trump wanted Zelensky to make a public statement about investigating Burisma and 2016 election. — Matthew Bell (@matthewjbell) November 13, 2019

11:53 A.M. —

Taylor plugs Pence into the puzzle: Taylor became “alarmed” about aid being held for political investigations right AFTER Pence meeting w Zelensky in Warsaw. It was there Sondland told Yermak the assistance was held pending announcement by Zelensky of investigations. — Heidi Przybyla (@HeidiNBC) November 13, 2019

11:50 A.M. — House intel committee schedules two new depositions on Friday and Saturday: David Holmes and Mark Sandy, reports CNN. Holmes is an aide to Taylor.

11:46 A.M. — Taylor is asked if he ever saw U.S. military assistance conditioned on political help:

GOLDMAN: “Have you ever seen another example of foreign aid conditioned on the personal or political interests of the president of the United States?”

TAYLOR: “No, Mr. Goldman, I’ve not.”

11:43 A.M. —

Bill Taylor testified that his ability to serve in the position was contingent on the Administration's Ukraine policy meeting *his* standards. His & others' allegations are about a disagreement over policy. But the President determines foreign policy–not unelected bureaucrats! — Trump War Room (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TrumpWarRoom) November 13, 2019

11:42 A.M. — Rep. Andy Biggs blasts the impeachment hearing:

I think we’re finding out one of the primary reasons that Chairman Adam Schiff held Soviet-style hearings away from the American people, media, and most Members of Congress: it’s easier to concoct an impeachment narrative when the public isn’t privy to the facts and witnesses. — Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) November 13, 2019

11:38 A.M. — House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) weighs in on the impeachment hearing:

Meet the “star witnesses” Adam Schiff called today: – Neither have any firsthand knowledge

– Neither spoke to @realDonaldTrump

– One got his info from The New York Times This hearing is a sham. Read the transcript—an actual firsthand account. It shows nothing impeachable! — Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) November 13, 2019

11:38 A.M. —

Length of opening statements:

12:10 – Schiff

9:10 – Nunes

16:41 – Kent

40:58 – Taylor — Jeremy Art (@cspanJeremy) November 13, 2019

11:35 A.M. — Schiff questions Taylor about new information on his aide who heard President Trump over the phone inquiring about the “investigations.”

SCHIFF: “You understood that to mean Burisma and the Bidens?”

TAYLOR: “That is correct.”

Schiff asks if President Trump cares more about Biden-related investigations than he does about Ukraine Taylor: "Yes, sir." https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/XfACe3mapk — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

11:32 A.M. —

Taylor statement, pg. 15: "According to Mr. Morrison, President Trump told Ambassador Sondland that he was not asking for a “quid pro quo.”' — Ben Siegel (@benyc) November 13, 2019

11:28 A.M. —

Taylor: Trump provided the lethal defense aid to Ukraine Obama did not, put stronger sanctions on Russiahttps://t.co/PAOTcX73Y3 pic.twitter.com/UHE5yE5g1N — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

11:25 A.M. —

Taylor: "in the presence of my staff at a restaurant, Sondland called Trump and told him of his meetings in Kyiv. The member of my staff could hear Trump on the phone, asking Sondland about ‘the investigations.’ Sondland told Trump that the Ukrainians were ready to move forward.” — Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) November 13, 2019

11:24 A.M. —

Taylor says that Sondland told him he recognized that he had made a mistake by telling the Ukrainians that it was only a WH meeting that was conditioned on them launching investigations into Bidens/2016. — Kellan Howell (@kellanhowell) November 13, 2019

11:19 A.M. —

Taylor says he "sat in astonishment" after an OMB official told him Ukraine aid was put on hold: "In an instant, I realized that one of the key pillars of our strong support for Ukraine was threatened" https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/z7V9JfpiW9 — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

11:17 A.M. —

TAYLOR adds a couple new wrinkles. One of them: The CIA director, Gina Haspel, was among those who tried to get Trump to lift the hold on Ukraine aid. pic.twitter.com/acRf6dH9vK — Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 13, 2019

11:15 A.M. — Republican National Committee Rapid Response Director Steve Guest flags key points about Taylor’s testimony:

Reminder: Chargé d’affaires for Ukraine, Bill Taylor, is not a fact witness to the Trump Ukraine call. Taylor was not on the July 25th call and he did not read the transcript until it was publically released for the world to see. Furthermore, Taylor doesn’t have relationships with any of the players involved. He has previously testified that he did not have direct communication with President Trump, Rudy Giuliani or Mick Mulvaney. [Pages 107-108] Yet even worse for Democrats’, Taylor’s closed-door testimony has undermined their phony narrative. Taylor testified that at the time of President Trump’s call with Ukraine, the Ukrainians were unaware of the hold on the U.S. aid. [Page 119] Taylor also testified that combatting corruption in Ukraine is a “constant theme” of U.S. foreign policy. [Pages 86-88]

11:14 A.M. — Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) weighs in on Taylor’s testimony:

Folks, as you listen to Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kent today, remember: neither of these witnesses have any serious firsthand knowledge of the key events. Taylor didn't even speak to @realDonaldTrump during any of this. Kent admitted he had no firsthand info of any order from POTUS. — Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) November 13, 2019

11:11 A.M. — Important note from Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) regarding Taylor’s testimony:

As Taylor testifies about the goal of requesting investigations into 2016 election interference and Burisma, keep in mind that Taylor admitted to me during his deposition that his ONLY basis of that information is that he read it in The NY Times. pic.twitter.com/V5n2H6NaYd — Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) November 13, 2019

11:08 A.M. —

TAYLOR: "By mid-July it was becoming clear to me that the meeting President Zelenskyy wanted was conditioned on the investigations of Burisma and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections." — Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) November 13, 2019

11:04 A.M. — Taylor describes what he claimed were two channels of U.S. policymaking with Ukraine, stating “one regular and one irregular.”

11:02 A.M. —

Amazing how both witnesses cite the traumatic event of Russia annexing Crimea – which occurred during the Obama administration — Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 13, 2019

10:59 A.M. — Trump 2020 campaign is raising funds during the impeachment inquiry. The probe has been a boon for his re-election bid.

10:56 A.M. — Taylor says: “The security assistance we provide is crucial to Ukraine…it is clearly in OUR national interest to deter further Russian aggression.”

“I believe that withholding security assistance for help with a political campaign would be crazy,” he adds.

10:54 A.M. —

Bill Taylor: "I am not here to take one side or the other, or to advocate for any particular outcome of these proceedings." — Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) November 13, 2019

10:53 A.M. — Republican National Committee Rapid Response Director Steve Guest flags key points about Kent’s testimony:

Kent is not a first-hand witness and much of his testimony is based off of second-hand knowledge. [Page 206-207] Kevin Bacon has fewer degrees of separation to the Trump Zelensky call than George Kent. That being said, his closed-door testimony revealed far more devastating pushback on the Democrat narrative than anything else. Kent testified that it is appropriate for the State Department to look at the level of corruption in a country when evaluating foreign aid. [Page 103] (Reminder: The Trump administration sent Ukraine lethal aid.) Kent also testified that Hunter Biden being on the board of Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma while Joe Biden was VP was a conflict of interest. [Page 226-227] And according to his testimony, when he raised corruption concerns with the Obama White House, he was rebuffed and was told “There was no further bandwidth to deal” with Hunter. [Page 226-227]

10:53 A.M. —

Kent ends statement defending foreign service colleagues, Taylor begins statement. — Jonathan Landay (@JonathanLanday) November 13, 2019

10:49 A.M. —

KENT: "Over the course of 2018-2019, I became increasingly aware of an effort by Rudy Giuliani and others, including his associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, to run a campaign to smear Ambassador Yovanovitch and other officials at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv" — Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) November 13, 2019

10:45 A.M. —Kent states that Ukraine is “on a path” to becoming a vital NATO partner.

Kent says that over the last 5 years, the U.S. has appropriated more than $1.5 billion to Ukraine to support their efforts to fight Russian aggression. — Rebecca Shabad (@RebeccaShabad) November 13, 2019

10:42 A.M. — More remarks from Kent on Ukraine:

George Kent: "They were the 21st century version of our own minutemen" Referring to the volunteer battalions that helped fight off recent Russian aggression and advancements on Ukrainian soil. #ImpeachmentHearings on @wbznewsradio — JimMacKayOnAir (@JimMacKayOnAir) November 13, 2019

10:39 A.M. — Kent delivers his opening statement, stating: “For the past 5 years, we have focused our united efforts across the Atlantic to support Ukraine in its fight for the cause of freedom and the rebirth of a country free from Russian dominion and the warped legacy of Soviet institutions and post-Soviet behavior.”

George Kent, the deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs who is a key witness in the impeachment inquiry, delivers his opening statement https://t.co/O6ybmtHEg0 pic.twitter.com/UlV2bVqNMl — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

Kent adds: “It was unexpected and most unfortunate…to watch some Americans, including those who allied themselves with corrupt Ukrainians in pursuit of private agendas, launch attacks on dedicated public servants. Those attacks undermined U.S. and Ukrainian national interests.”

Kent: "It was unexpected and most unfortunate…to watch some Americans, including those who allied themselves with corrupt Ukrainians in pursuit of private agendas, launch attacks on dedicated public servants. "Those attacks undermined U.S. and Ukrainian national interests." pic.twitter.com/4NfYVnnwqw — Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) November 13, 2019

10:35 A.M. — Schiff tells Jordan he does not know the name of the so-called “whistleblower.” Recall the so-called “whistleblower” contacted a House intel panel staffer prior to filing a complaint with the intelligence community inspector general. In early October, a panel official was forced to clarify Schiff’s Sept. 17th remarks in which he claimed: “[w]e have not spoken directly with the whistleblower.”

10:34 A.M. — Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) requests Schiff to allow for the so-called whistleblower to testify behind closed doors.

10:29 A.M. — Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) asks Schiff when he will respond to the Republicans’ request to interview witnesses.

Schiff refuses to commit to not block Republican questionshttps://t.co/J7ts7hvycE pic.twitter.com/ennsIENab9 — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

10:29 A.M. — Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a recent addition to the House intel panel, is seated next to Schiff.

Worth noting that Jim Jordan is seated right beside Schiff, Nunes and their counsel. It highlights the prominent role he'll be playing today — Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) November 13, 2019

10:27 A.M. — Nunes slams impeachment hearings as a “televised theatrical performance,” mockingly congratulates Taylor and Kent for passing the Democrats’ “star audition process.” He then calls the hearing a “low-rent Ukrainian sequel” to the Russia hoax.

Rep. Nunes: Dems’ impeachment inquiry is a “carefully orchestrated media smear campaign”https://t.co/CtwoT6dqbd pic.twitter.com/Rn0cnDsbBH — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2019

10:25 A.M. — Nunes says the name of DNC contractor Alexandra Chalupa was redacted from transcripts thus far.

10:23 A.M. — Nunes cites Schiff falling for a prank in which he expressed interest in nude photos of President Trump, saying: “We should forget about Democrats attempting to get nude Trump pics from Russian pranksters.”

10:21 A.M. — Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) calls the impeachment inquiry a continuation of the “spectacular implosion of their Russian hoax.”

Rep. Devin Nunes delivers his opening remarks for the public impeachment hearings https://t.co/O6ybmtq2Rq pic.twitter.com/FhvkeA70Ft — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

10:19 A.M. — Schiff asks: “If this is not impeachable conduct, what is?”

10:18 A.M. — Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is far from a fan of Schiff’s opening statement:

My press table can hear Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) mumbling in the public seating area as Intel Chairman Adam Schiff delivers his opening remarks. Latest remark: "Good grief" — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 13, 2019

10:17 A.M. — Schiff falsely claims: “The facts in the present inquiry are not seriously contested.”

10:11 A.M. — Schiff claims President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, led a smear campaign of U.S. ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in a bid to help his plan to pressure Ukraine to aide the president’s re-election.

“Neither of these investigations were in the US national interest, and neither was part of the official preparatory material for the call. Both, however, were in Donald Trump’s personal interest,” says the California Democrat.

HEARING BEGINS: Rep. Adam Schiff delivers opening statement of the first public impeachment hearings https://t.co/O6ybmtq2Rq pic.twitter.com/5rZQuy7j5k — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 13, 2019

10:08 A.M. —

Ratcliffe interrupts Schiff’s opening statement to expose that there are no clear “rules of engagement.”

Schiff begins by mapping out procedure. Chair Schiff will make an opening statement, then Ranking Member Nunes. Before he can finish, Rep. Ratcliffe interrupted. Wants to know how many 45 minute rounds of questioning Schiff and Nunes will each have. Schiff said not clear yet. 2/ — Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) November 13, 2019

Read the exchange below:

SCHIFF: The committee will come to order. Good morning everyone. This is the first in a series of public hearings the committee will be holding as part of the House’s impeachment inquiry. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess of the committee at any time there is a quorum present.Here’s how the committee will proceed for this hearing. I will make an opening statement, and then Ranking Member Nunes will have the opportunity to make a statement. Then we will get to witness statements and then to questions. For audience members, we welcome you, and we respect your interest in being here; in turn we ask for your respect as we proceed with today’s hearing. RATCLIFFE: Mr. Chairman? SCHIFF: It is the intention of the committee to proceed without disruptions. RATCLIFFE: Mr. Chairman, bef–may I make a parliamentary in–inquiry? SCHIFF: The gentleman will state the inquiry. RATCLIFFE: Mr. Chairman, this is our first hearing under these new set of rules. House Resolution 660 gives you the discretion to allow yourself and the Ranking Member periods of extended questions of up to 45 minutes each before other members are allowed to ask questions. If possible we would like to know the rules of engagement before we get started. Have you made a decision yet as to how many 45 minute rounds you will allow yourself and the Ranking Member? SCHIFF: I have not. As we informed the minority yesterday we will see how the first period goes and how much material we are able to get through. At that point the chair will announce the period. If there is a period of the second round, which may be up to 45 minutes or we will go straight to five-minute questions by members.

10:00 A.M. — Breitbart News senior editor-at-large Joel Pollak is out with the definitive op-ed on the case against impeaching President Donald Trump.

Key points below:

The President’s Phone Call with the Ukrainian President Was Legal, Necessary, and Also Praiseworthy The Claim that the President Was Soliciting a Bribe Fails to Meet Any of the Elements of Bribery There Was No ‘Quid Pro Quo,’ But It There Were, It Would Have Been Perfectly Legal The President Has Not Committed Abuse of Power, Which Is Not Sufficient Cause for Impeachment Anyway Impeachment Should Involve the Actual Commission of a Crime, Not Disputes over Policy and Opinion The Impeachment Effort is the Result of an Attempted Coup, and the Evidence Is Fruit of a Poisoned Tree

9:57 A.M. — As always, Schiff is basking in the establishment media spotlight ahead of today’s first public impeachment hearing.

Surrounded by cameras pic.twitter.com/thaNKIce4k — Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 13, 2019

9:45 A.M. — The New York Post’s Wednesday edition mocks the House Democrats’ impeachment probe, featuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) in clown outfits and features the all-caps headline: “GUILTY! NOW FOR THE TRIAL.”