Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, received a standing ovation on Friday at the conclusion of her more than five hours of testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Republicans and Democrats alike had praised Yovanovitch's distinguished service as a diplomat during the inquiry, although President Trump's allies had additionally sought to paint the hearing as part of their opponents' "Watergate fantasies."
Trump broke with his party to personally attack Yovanovitch on Twitter, despite the fact that time and time again the congresspeople in the room noted that the former ambassador was well-respected by her colleagues, many of whom appeared in the room in support of her. After the hearing, people could be heard shouting "Masha," Yovanovitch's nickname among her friends.
Yovanovitch was unceremoniously pulled from her post in Ukraine in May after repeated verbal attacks by Trump and his personal lawyer and fixer, Rudy Giuliani, amid an effort to push Ukraine to launch investigations Trump wanted. "What I'd like to say is, while I obviously don't dispute that the president has the right to withdraw an ambassador at any time for any reason ... what I do wonder is why it was necessary to smear my reputation also?" Yovanovitch said in the course of her questioning. Watch the applause below. Jeva Lange
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sitesIn The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s voidFeature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War DepartmentFeature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
2 kids killed in shooting at Catholic school massSpeed Read 17 others were wounded during a morning mass at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis
-
Australian woman found guilty of mushroom murdersspeed read Erin Patterson murdered three of her ex-husband's relatives by serving them toxic death cap mushrooms
-
Combs convicted on 2 of 5 charges, denied bailSpeed Read Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking
-
Sniper kills 2 Idaho firefighters in ambushSpeed Read A man started a wildfire, then fired a rifle at first responders when they arrived
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrialSpeed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulderspeed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
