Yovanovitch's testimony contained no new bombshells beyond what was already revealed in the transcript of her testimony behind closed doors. Instead, the bombshell yesterday came from Donald Trump who tweeted bullying, threatening comments about his own appointee as she was testifying with the dignity and gravitas befitting an ambassador (details here).
His remarks were so inappropriate that the House Intelligence chair interrupted the questioning to read the tweets and ask for comments from the ambassador, who underscored how they were yet another example of Trump's threats and intimidation directed at her by the President.
Trump's behavior may be considered witness intimidation and trigger a new article of impeachment. Equally, it completely exploded the GOP's strategy this week of not attacking the witnesses because that would irritate the American public.
Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill were not shy about condemning Trump's tweeting. Once again, he is his own worst enemy.
And in a second development unrelated to the impeachment inquiry, Trump's longtime friend and confidante Roger Stone was convicted in federal court yesterday on seven criminal counts (details here). He was charged with making false statements to federal investigators, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering in an effort to protect Trump.
He will be sentenced in February and could be sentenced for up to twenty years. He is now the sixth close Trump associate who has been criminally convicted since the President took office.
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