Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman faced questioning from the House Intelligence Committees Republican counsel Steve Castor during Tuesdays impeachment hearing on whether he was asked by Ukraine to become the countrys defense minister.
Vindman, an official in the National Security Council, said that Alex Danylyuk, a former aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asked him in English about offers to become the defense minister of Ukraine.
Vindman said that he “immediately dismissed” the offers and “did not entertain them,” saying he testified that he reported them to his chain of command.
He said it occurred three times. “I turned it down every time,” he said.
Of the offer, he said, “It would be a great honor … but Im an American, I came here when I was a toddler, and I immediately dismissed these offers.”
“The whole notion is comical.”
Earlier, Vindman said former Vice President Joe Bidens son, Hunter Biden, didnt appear to be qualified for a high-paying board seat on the Ukraine-based energy company Burisma Holdings.
But he added that “I dont know his qualifications.” Castor had asked, “Are you aware of any specific experience hunter Biden has in the Ukrainian corporate government world?”
“I dont know much about Mr. Hunter Biden,” said Vindman, who has been described as the National Security Councils top Ukraine expert.
When he spoke to House investigators in a closed-door session last month, Vindman said he was concerned that Trumps push for Ukraines leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his sons dealings with the energy company Burisma in the eastern European nation was harmful to both Washington and Kyivs interests.
“I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was worried about thRead More – Source
