PORTLAND, Ore. — New details are emerging about the planned testimony of Gordon Sondland, the Portland hotel magnate turned embattled public servant, as protesters gear up for another demonstration at one of his downtown hotels.
The Washington Post reports that Sondland will say his denial of a “quid pro quo” with Ukraine in a text message came directly from President Trump.
Sondland, who is the current U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, is also expected to tell Congress next week that he doesn’t know why military assistance to Ukraine was held up, nor does he know who gave that order, according to NBC News.
The Portland businessman rose to national prominence earlier this month in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump when lawmakers released text messages he sent to another diplomat.
In a text exchange from Sept. 9, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor wrote that he thought it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” That refers to allegations President Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son, which are central to the impeachment inquiry.
There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either of the Bidens.
After more than four hours, Sondland wrote back to Taylor that “the president has been crystal clear. No quid pro quos of any kind.” The Washington Post is now reporting that his response came after a phone call with President Trump, who told Sondland he didn’t “want a quid pro quo.”
After those texts were released last week, President Trump praised what Sondland wrote.
“He was 100 percent for what we’re saying,” the president told reporters on Oct. 4. “He also said there was no quid pro quo. That’s the whole ballgame.”
Sondland was scheduled to testify before Congress on Tuesday, but did not appear at the request of the state department. After being served a subpoena from the House of Representatives, Sondland agreed to testify this Thursday.
On Sunday, protesters plan to once again demonstrate in front of the Heathman Hotel, calling for Sondland to provide full and truthful testimony to Congress. Demonstrators gathered outside the hotel earlier this week, angry about the ambassador and businessman’s role in the Ukraine scandal.
The Heathman is owned by Provenance Hotels, a Portland company founded by Sondland.
Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer has called for a boycott of Provenance Hotels. Portland-based Salt & Straw has also pulled their patented ice cream delivery service from all Provenance properties.
A representative for Provenance told KGW that Sondland stepped down from his executive role with the company more than a year ago when he moved into public service.
