Open impeachment hearings scheduled

WASHINGTON—Three diplomats will testify publicly before House panels on Capitol Hill next week. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., announced plans to begin open hearings on Wednesday in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

Who are the witnesses? Acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia George Kent will testify on Wednesday. Taylor previously said the president withheld military aid from Ukraine until the country agreed to investigate Democrats and a company linked to Hunter Biden, former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. He and others have accused Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani of circumventing designated officials on Ukraine. Taylor said he has not heard the president say there was a “quid pro quo.” Former U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch will testify next Friday.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about the testimony of U.S. diplomats and officials during closed-door hearings.