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Editorial

The impeachment inquiry: What happened when

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2019, file photo, President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the InterContinental Barclay New York hotel during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. From the moment he was elected, Zelenskiy pushed for an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump. Zelenskiy saw such a visit as a quick win that would send a message to his Russian adversaries that the U.S. had his back. A visit to the Oval Office conveys power and instantly elevates the stature of any guest. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Evan Vucci/Associated Press
President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in September during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Sept. 28, 2018 — Congress appropriates $250 million in military aid for Ukraine. Months later, it approves additional funds to the State Department to assist Ukraine.

May 9, 2019 — Rudy Giuliani plans to travel to Ukraine to push for investigations into the Bidens and the 2016 election “because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn out to be helpful to my government.”

July 18 — Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s acting chief of staff, relays a Trump order to the State and Defense departments to withhold aid funds to Ukraine.

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July 25 — In a phone call, President Trump asks Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Biden family.

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Aug. 12 — A complaint is filed by a whistle-blower with Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community. The complaint details concerns related to the president’s communications with a foreign leader.

Aug. 26 — Atkinson finds the complaint credible and of “urgent concern” after his investigation. Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph McGuire disagreed and withheld the complaint from Congress.

Sept. 1 — Ambassador Gordon Sondland tells a top aid to Zelensky that it was his understanding that the military aid would not arrive until the Ukrainian president committed to investigating the Bidens.

Sept. 9 — In a letter to the top Democrat and Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Atkinson reveals the whistle-blower’s complaint.

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Sept. 10 — House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff writes back requesting the full complaint and Atkinson’s own report on it.

Sept. 11 — In a tweet, Trump announces John Bolton is leaving his administration as national security advisor. The Trump administration releases the aid money to Ukraine.

Sept. 18 — The Washington Post breaks the news that the whistle-blower complaint was about Trump and a phone call with a world leader.

Sept. 22 — Schiff says that impeachment may be the “only remedy” if the reports of Trump withholding the aid to Ukraine are true.

Sept. 24 — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi begins an official impeachment inquiry.

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Sept. 25 — The White House releases memo with rough transcript of Trump’s phone call with Zelenskiy which fails to silence criticism.

Sept. 26 — The whistle-blower’s complaint is declassified and publicly released.

Sept. 27 — Kurt Volker, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, suddenly resigns and agrees to testify.

Oct. 3 —Oct. 29 Witnesses are deposed behind closed doors on Capitol Hill, some of who appear in defiance of the Administration’s orders.

Nov. 4 — House begins to release transcripts of the closed-door depositions.

Nov. 5 — Ambassador Gordon Sondland revises his original sworn testimony to confirm he communicated to Ukraine that military aid would not be released until Zelenskiy grants Trump’s request to investigate the Bidens.

Nov. 13 — Open impeachment hearings begin.