Ambassador Maria Yovanovitch Public Testimony

November 15^th public impeachment hearing featured the former ambassador to the Ukraine, Maria Yovanovitch, a seasoned diplomate for the United States for 33 years of service and experience. One of the focus points of the GOP side of the committee kept insisting that the President of the United States as the untether right to assign and re-assign ambassadors and they are correct. Let’s be clear it is the right of the President to assign and reassign ambassadors at will.


The critical point, in the discussion, however, was lost. The issue was not if the President has the right to re-assign ambassadors, but, in this case, what was the President’s motive or reason. Now, under normal circumstances, the President does not need to justify why an ambassador gets re-assigned, however, this situation is much different.


The case was made by the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Schiff, that if Ambassador Yovanovitch was re-assigned in order to get her out of the way because she was an impediment to getting the Ukraine government to conduct an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden, then the President over stepped his authority for nefarious intentions. HOWEVER, if she was re-assigned because she was an impediment to the President to negotiate an agreement that served the national security interest – then the President was right into make the re-assignment.


So, the question goes to the motive and intent, and not if the President has the authority. But, during this hearing, the GOP insisted on making the point that it is the right of the President to make this re-assignment.