Adam Schiff: Trump Attacking Yovanovitch During Hearing is ‘Witness Intimidation’

President Donald Trump has been tweeting today as the public impeachment inquiry entered its’ second day. Trump launched an attack on former U.S. ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, who is testifying before the House Intelligence Committee.

In what may be an unprecedented moment in Congressional history, Chairman Adam Schiff read one of the President’s tweets just minutes after he sent it. Schiff solicited a response from Yovanovitch and later implied that it could amount to witness intimidation.

“Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad,” Trump said. “She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. President’s absolute right to appoint ambassadors.”

Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad. She started off in Somalia, how did that go? Then fast forward to Ukraine, where the new Ukrainian President spoke unfavorably about her in my second phone call with him. It is a U.S. President’s absolute right to appoint ambassadors.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2019

Schiff asked Yovanovitch what she felt about Trump attacking her in real time.

“It’s very intimidating,” Yovanovitch said.

“It’s designed to intimidate, is it not?” Schiff said.

“I mean, I can’t speak to what the President is trying to do, but I think the effect is trying to be intimidating,” she said.

“Well, I want to let you know, Ambassador, that some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously,” Schiff said.

This may end up being a crucial moment in the impeachment hearings if Trump’s tweet is taken as an attempt at witness intimidation. Such a charge could form an article of impeachment.

Watch the video above.