Topic: Marie Yovanovitch

A leaked recording from a 2018 dinner at the Trump International Hotel features Donald Trump telling associates to "take out" Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. The audio, recorded by an associate of Lev Parnas, contradicts Trump's claims that he does not know Parnas. Trump defended his comments by stating he has the absolute right to hire and fire ambassadors who do not support his agenda.

The media dramatization of the Yovanovitch firing is criticized, noting that Trump had requested the resignation of all Obama-era ambassadors upon taking office. The hosts compare Lev Parnas to Michael Avenatti, suggesting he is being used as a temporary "hero" by the media to bolster the impeachment case. They argue that the "take her out" comment simply referred to her removal from her diplomatic post.

Lev Parnas, a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, gave an extensive interview to Rachel Maddow regarding his involvement in Ukraine. Parnas addressed text messages from Robert Hyde that suggested Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch was under surveillance, though Parnas dismissed Hyde as a "drunk lunatic" making empty boasts. Parnas also alleged that Vice President Mike Pence was tasked with pressuring President Zelensky to announce investigations into Joe Biden.

Former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko told One America News that Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch pressured him to protect specific individuals from prosecution. Lutsenko claims he discovered $7 billion in potential money laundering involving the U.S. firm Franklin Templeton but was blocked by Yovanovitch when he sought cooperation from the U.S. Justice Department. The hosts highlight that this testimony contradicts Yovanovitch's statements to Congress.

President Trump criticizes former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, claiming she refused to hang his official portrait in the U.S. Embassy for nearly two years. He asserts that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also disliked her and that she was an "Obama person" who worked against his interests. The hosts discuss the standard procedure for replacing political ambassadors.

Mainstream media coverage of the Marie Yovanovitch testimony is criticized for being lopsided and dramatic. CBS News reported on "witness intimidation" following a real-time tweet from President Trump, a narrative characterized by some as a "shadowy smear campaign." The intensity of the media's rhetoric has led to hyperbolic comparisons to historical trials.

Questions are raised regarding the background of former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. Analysis by Steve Pieczenik suggests that her upbringing in Russia and Canada, followed by her education at the elite Kent School in Connecticut, fits the profile of a CIA recruit. The theory posits that her career in the Foreign Service may have served as cover for intelligence operations.

The firing of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch has become a focal point of the impeachment inquiry. While pundits like David Brooks claim the firing was unprecedented, records show that Donald Trump fired all foreign ambassadors upon his inauguration in 2017. Most ambassadors serve three to four-year terms, and Yovanovitch was nearing the end of her scheduled tenure in May.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch is accused by Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko of providing a "do not prosecute" list during her tenure. These allegations surface alongside reports from Zero Hedge claiming Joe Biden received $900,000 from Burisma for lobbying efforts.

During the July phone call, President Zelensky agreed with President Trump that the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, was a "bad ambassador" who admired the previous Ukrainian administration. Zelensky promised that his new prosecutor would be "100% my person" and would look into the Biden situation. The discussion centered on restoring honesty and investigating ties between the Obama State Department and local corruption.