First Impeachment Hearings: Who is Testifying, What to Know and How to Watch

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Public impeachment hearings are set to kick off on Wednesday with the first set of witnesses facing off against the House Intelligence Committee.

So far, witnesses have met with the committee behind closed doors to testify on President Donald Trump’s request that Ukraine investigate his political rivals — and allegations that what the president did constitutes an abuse of power.

Here’s everything you need to know about the impeachment hearings going down this week.

When is the first hearing?

The first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 a.m. EST. After the session is gaveled in, opening statements will be made by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Ranking Member Devin Nunes (D-CA).

Then witnesses will then be sworn in and deliver their opening statements.

The hearing is expected to wrap up in the afternoon.

Who is set to testify?

The witnesses testifying Wednesday are William Taylor, the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and George Kent, a State Department official focused on European and Eurasian affairs.

What do we know about the witnesses from the release of their transcripts?

Taylor testified in his closed-door hearing that U.S. military aid to Ukraine was explicitly tied to the country announcing an investigation into Trump’s political rivals. That’s the quid pro quo that the Trump administration has so strenuously sought to deny.

Kent testified that Trump wanted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce an investigation of the Bidens and the 2016 election. “POTUS wanted nothing less than President Zelenskyy to go to microphone and say investigations, Biden, and Clinton,” Kent said. He confirmed much of Taylor’s testimony, and said that he was concerned that the investigations Trump was demanding were politically motivated.

What are Republicans and Democrats looking to get out of the hearings?

Democrats are seeking to prove that Trump sought to corruptly pressure Ukraine into announcing an investigation into the family of his 2020 rival Joe Biden, by withholding military aid to the country.

Republicans, meanwhile, have derided the impeachment process for being carried out behind closed doors. Nunes has called the inquiry a “coup” and a “cheap knockoff version of the Russia hoax.” He has not gone as far as to parrot Trump’s claim that his call with Zelensky was “perfect,” but he has maintained that what Trump did was not an impeachable offense.

Where can I watch the hearings?

Mediaite will be hosting a livestream of the hearings on our homepage. We will also be covering the testimonies themselves, so you can stick right here throughout the day for full coverage.

What happens next?

The next hearing in the impeachment inquiry is slated for Friday. Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine who was ousted from the post in May after a campaign to have her removed by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, will testify.

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