Himes: ‘I don’t think it blows a hole in the case’ if Sondland testifies there was no quid pro quo

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that Democrats’ case against President Trump would not necessarily collapse if Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testifies this week that there was no quid pro quo in the release of military aid to Ukraine.

“Doesn’t your case essentially depend on Sondland? If he doesn’t say that the president set this condition, this quid pro quo, doesn’t that blow a hole in your case?” Fox News’ Chris Wallace asked Himes on “Fox News Sunday.”

{mosads}“I don’t think it blows a hole in the case… there is ample evidence that there was a corrupt deal being cooked up,” Himes responded, citing former National Security Advisor John Bolton’s reported reference to the arrangement as a “drug deal.”

“We know what [Sondland] has already said in his revised testimony where he revised his recollection,” Himes added, also citing the closed-door deposition of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who is scheduled to deliver public testimony this week.

Moreover, Himes said, “The president, who frequently says ‘I’m the most transparent guy out there’ is not letting, is refusing to permit, other people like his chief of staff, to come testify… he is refusing to permit emails and phone calls and other documents that might actually shed some light on this to come forward.”

Wallace suggested to Himes that if House Democrats don’t have any witnesses “who can take us into the Oval Office, it seems to me that creates a big problem,” and asked if Sondland could be considered a credible witness after already revising his testimony.

“That’s a good question,” Himes responded, but said “it was not lost on Ambassador Sondland what happened to the president’s close associate Roger Stone for lying to Congress [so] my guess is Ambassador Sondland is going to do his level best to tell the truth.”

Stone was convicted on seven counts, including witness tampering and making false statements, on Friday.