Most Important Moments of the<br />Public Impeachment Hearings: Day One.<br />On Nov. 13, the House Intelligence Committee<br />officially began public impeachment hearings<br />to investigate President Donald Trump.<br />Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff delivered<br />the first opening statement, saying that the hearings<br />would affect “the future of the presidency itself.”.<br />"Our answer to these questions will affect not only the future of this presidency, but the future of the presidency itself, and what kind of conduct or misconduct the American people may come to expect from their commander-in-chief."<br />Adam Schiff, via CNN.<br />Bill Taylor, the top U.S. official in Ukraine, used<br />his statement to lay out a specific timeline of his<br />interactions with top U.S. and Ukraine officials. .<br />At one point, Taylor spoke about Trump’s decision<br />to withhold aid from the Ukraine unless they<br />agreed to investigate Biden’s son, Hunter. .<br />“Ambassador Sondland responded that President Trump cares more about<br />the investigations of Biden, which [Rudy] Giuliani was pressing for.”<br />Bill Taylor, via CNN.<br />Taylor also specifically spoke<br />against the Republicans, calling<br />Trump’s attempt to “leverage security<br />assistance” against Ukraine “alarming.”.<br />California Representative Devin Nunes, <br />the highest-ranking Republican on the <br />Intelligence Committee, spoke in defense of Trump.<br />Nunes used his time to voice<br />his belief that the hearings are<br />a “low rent, Ukrainian sequel”<br />to the “Russian hoax.”.<br />"It seems you agreed witting or unwittingly to participate in a drama,<br />but the main performance — the Russia hoax — has ended<br />and you've been cast in the low rent Ukrainian sequel."<br />Devin Nunes, via ‘Nightline’
