House releases David Hale impeachment inquiry deposition

The House of Representatives has released the transcript of the closed-door deposition of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale, the third-ranking official in the State Department.

According to The Associated Press, Hale, who is the highest-ranking career diplomat in the foreign service, was expected to tell lawmakers during his November 6 testimony that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other senior officials declined to defend ex-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch after her ouster because they thought a public defense of her would damage the attempts to reinstate U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Read the full transcript here

Hale is to appear before the House Intelligence Committee in an open hearing on Wednesday afternoon.