After hours of testimony, we have learned from  the former ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch:

(1) Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States who has an absolute right to select, remove, or direct the activities of Ambassadors, subject to Senate confirmation of their nominees;

(2) Ukraine didn’t agree to investigate the Bidens;

(3) Ukraine got the military aid that was temporarily paused;

(4) Burisma, the company that employed Hunter Biden and his partner as board members, was considered to be highly corrupt; and

(5) the Obama State Department viewed Hunter Biden’s role with Burisma problematical given that his father was the Vice President of the United State and given the Ukraine portfolio;

(6) the United States provided lethal aid to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression whereas the Obama Administration refused to provide such aid at a critical time when the Ukraine was being invaded by Russia.

Therefore, one might conclude that:

(1) there was no “quid pro quo” as evidenced by the President’s communications with the Ukraine President; and

(2) that the President of the United States has a legitimate interest in investigating corruption prior to providing U.S. taxpayer funds to a country with a deserved reputation for corruption.

So why is the Democrat leadership allowing the Schiff Show to continue? The most likely answer is they have no other game to pursue at this time given the general wretchedness of their candidates.

Bottom line…

The “game” now shifts to the actions of Rudy Giuliani.

We are so screwed.

-- steve

P.S. For those who asked what I thought about the Roger Stone guilty verdict of process crimes, I could care less. Roger Stone, in my opinion, has always been a self-serving liar, charlatan, and pervert. Let us not forget that Stone’s lobbying partner was Trump Campaign Chair Paul Manafort. That Stone was able to insinuate himself into the Trump campaign speaks to Trump's transactional nature where he would work with the devil if he thought it financially advantageous and promotable in the media. Thus, we find Trump surrounded by people of ill-repute and dubious backgrounds. That Trump was betrayed by so many people speaks to his laziness and willingness to delegate the heavy lifting to others. In the final analysis, it is likely that he only trusts Ivanka, Don Jr., and Eric -- with lesser trust for Melania and Jared Kushner. And, little or no trust of the hired help. If there is anything of concern in the Stone matter, it is the unfairness of the lack of prosecution of Hillary Clinton, James Clapper, John Brennan, James Comey, and others.