Fiona Hill Tears Down One of Trump’s Favorite Ukraine Conspiracy Theories

Devin Nunes might explode reading this one.

Caroline Brehman/ZUMA

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Since the start of the Ukraine scandal, President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have steadily pushed a debunked theory suggesting that it was Ukraine—not Russia, as the entire US intelligence community has concluded—that meddled in the 2016 presidential election. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking House intelligence committee member, floated the discredited allegation as recently as yesterday during his questioning of Gordon Sondland. 

But judging from an opening statement provided by Fiona Hill, the former top White House adviser on Russia testifying this morning, Nunes may want to take a break from fanning those flames today. That’s because, from the outset, Hill makes crystal clear her refusal to entertain that “false narrative,” as Russia’s interference is “beyond dispute.” Here’s what she’ll tell the probe:

Based on questions and statements I have heard, some of you on this committee appear to believe that Russia and its security services did not conduct a campaign against our country—and that perhaps, somehow, for some reason, Ukraine did. This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves.

The unfortunate truth is that Russia was the foreign power that systematically attacked our democratic institutions in 2016. This is the public conclusion of our intelligence agencies, confirmed in bipartisan Congressional reports. It is beyond dispute, even if some of the underlying details must remain classified.

The no-nonsense statement also appears to take aim at key witnesses who have refused to testify before the inquiry. One of them is former national security adviser John Bolton, Hill’s former boss, who has refused to cooperate with the investigation despite publicly hinting that he has valuable information in regards to impeachment. “I believe that those who have information that the Congress deems relevant have a legal and moral obligation to provide it,” Hill will tell investigators.

For more on the debunked theories Trump allies have seized in the wake of impeachment—and how those theories parallel Vladimir Putin’s views—read my colleague Dan Friedman’s report here.

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“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. The deadline’s almost here. Please help us reach our $150k membership goal by May 31.

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