After Changing His Tune, Gordon Sondland Has a Date Next Week With Congress

It was a tumultuous week for Portland's part in the ongoing impeachment inquiry into the Ukraine dealings of President Donald Trump.

On Nov. 5, Portland hotelier-turned-ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland revised his earlier congressional testimony, turning his prior denial that U.S. officials sought to trade $391 million in military aid for an announcement by Ukraine's president that his country would investigate Joe Biden into an admission that, indeed, that's what happened.

After submitting his revised testimony, Sondland flew home to Portland that night. Jeering protesters met his Alaska Airlines flight, chanting, "Gordon Sondland, tell the truth! Hey, Gordon Sondland, we're watching you!"
Sondland declined to comment, except to tell a KATU-TV reporter, "I didn't change my testimony."

Others disagreed.

In an episode of the The Daily devoted almost exclusively to Sondland, New York Times journalist Michael Barbaro said: "That is as big a revision to testimony as I think I've ever heard. He's now saying that 'the thing I told you I had no knowledge of, actually, I did have knowledge of it—so much knowledge of it that I was the person who communicated it to the Ukrainian government.'"

Barbaro's colleague, reporter Michael Schmidt, who is covering the story, agreed. "What Sondland is doing is giving the Democrats testimony that they need," Schmidt said.

Trump, who CNN reported had earlier praised Sondland as "highly respected" and "a really good man and a great American" when Sondland said there was no Ukrainian quid pro quo, last week changed his tune.

In a subsequent conversation about Sondland with reporters on the White House lawn, Trump said, "Let me just tell you: I hardly know the gentleman."

On Nov. 7, another Portland player joined the fray in what appeared to be an attempt to change the narrative. In a guest appearance on Fox News, the conservative KXL talk show host Lars Larson became the first person on a national network to name the whistleblower whose complaint kicked off the impeachment investigation.

Despite the damaging testimony provided by a series of witnesses and Sondland's revised version of events, Larson claimed he uttered the whistleblower's name because he thinks the impeachment inquiry lacks substance.

"This guy is making a serious charge," Larson says, "and I believe his complaint is false." Congress disagreed and begins public impeachment hearings this week.

This afternoon, the Washington Post reported Sondland is scheduled to appear for open testimony on Nov. 20.