President Donald Trump was apparently heard discussing firing Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch during a 2018 dinner,.
Lev Parnas released the damning audio #LevSpeaks
This is exactly why #MidnightMitch McConnell and Republicans refused to allow any new witnesses or evidence. #RiggedTrial #RepublicanCoverUp
It was Trump who told his officials including Parnas not to testify, to DISOBEY their subpoenas from the U.S. House of Representatives.
After being thrown under the bus, Parnas wants to testify. CALL YOUR SENATORS: (202) 224-3121. Demand Witnesses & Documents #LetLevSpeak
A recording reviewed by ABC News appears to capture President Donald Trump telling associates he wanted the then-U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch fired while speaking at a small gathering that included Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman -- two former business associates of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani who have since been indicted in New York.
The recording appears to contradict statements by President Trump and support the narrative that has been offered by Parnas during broadcast interviews in recent days. Sources familiar with the recording said the recording was made during an intimate April 30, 2018, dinner at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.
At another point, the recording appears to capture Trump praising his new choice of secretary of state, saying emphatically: “[Mike] Pompeo is the best.”
But the most striking moment comes when Parnas and the president discuss the dismissal of his ambassador to Ukraine.
Parnas appears to say: "The biggest problem there, I think where we need to start is we gotta get rid of the ambassador. She's still left over from the Clinton administration,"
Parnas can be heard telling Trump. "She's basically walking around telling everybody 'Wait, he's gonna get impeached, just wait."
"Get rid of her!" is what the voice that appears to be President Trump’s is heard saying. "Get her out tomorrow. I don't care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. Okay? Do it."
In a recent interview with MSNBC, Parnas publicly recounted his memories of the scene at the dinner and said that Trump turned to John [DeStefano], who was his deputy chief of staff at the time, and said "Fire her,"
“We all, there was a silence in the room. He responded to him, said Mr. President, we can't do that right now because [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo hasn't been confirmed yet, that Pompeo is not confirmed yet and we don't have -- this is when [former Secretary of State Rex] Tillerson was gone, but Pompeo was confirmed, so they go, wait until -- so several conversations he mentioned it again.“
"Boy I'm so powerful I can intimidate the entire Ukrainian government. Please don't tell anyone I can't get the crooked Ambassador fired or I did three times and she's still there.” Rudy Giuliani messaged Parnas in May 2019.