Democrats release 2 more impeachment inquiry transcripts

Washington — The three House committees that led the first phase of the impeachment inquiry released transcripts of closed-door testimony from two more witnesses on Wednesday.

Philip Reeker, an assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, testified behind closed doors on October 26. Mark Sandy, an official at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), appeared several weeks later, on November 16.

The transcripts show Sandy raised concerns about the legality of the delay in hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine. He told lawmakers the first formal implementation of the hold came on July 25 — the same day as President Trump’s phone call with the president of Ukraine, in which Mr. Trump urged him to investigate the Bidens and conspiracy theories about the 2016 election.

Sandy also testified that he knew of at least one OMB lawyer who was frustrated by the delay and subsequently resigned.

Reeker testified about the “outrageous smears and attacks” against Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine who was recalled from her post after a campaign to discredit her led by Rudy Giuliani and Ukrainian officials.

This is a developing story and will be updated.