Page:Impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States — Report of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives.pdf/317

 Vogel also reported on the actions of Ukrainian parliamentarian Leshchenko, who spoke out against Manafort, in part, to show that candidate Trump was a "pro-Russia candidate." A separate congressional investigation in 2018 learned that Leshchenko was a source for Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm hired by the DNC's law firm, Perkins Coie, to gather information about candidate Trump. Fusion GPS received information about Manafort that may have originated from Leshchenko.

The Democrats' witnesses in the impeachment inquiry testified that the allegations of Ukrainian influence in the 2016 election were appropriate to examine. Asked about the Politico reporting, Ambassador Taylor said that, if true, it is "disappointing" that some Ukrainian officials worked against President Trump. He testified:

"Q. So isn't it possible that Trump administration officials might have a good-founded belief, whether true or untrue, that there were forces in the Ukraine that were operating against them?

A. [B]ased on this [January 2017] Politico article, which, again, surprises me, disappoints me because I think it's a mistake for any diplomat or any government official in one country to interfere in the political life of another country. That's disappointing."

Ambassador Taylor testified that he was "surprise[ed] [and] disappoint[ed]" that Avakov, an influential member of the Ukrainian government—who still serves in President Zelensky's government—had criticized President Trump during the 2016 campaign. He testified:

Q. What do you know about Avakov?

A. So he is the Minister of Internal Affairs and was the Minister of Internal Affairs under President Poroshenko as one of only two carryovers from the Poroshenko Cabinet to the Zelensky Cabinet. He, as I think I mentioned earlier when we were talking about Lutsenko, the Minister of Interior, which Avakov is now, controls the police, which gives him significant influence in the government.

Q. Avakov, he's a relatively influential Minister. Is that right?

A. That is correct. 88