Witnesses to Trump's Ukraine phone call testify on day 3 of impeachment hearings

FOX 2 - More drama on Capitol Hill as the impeachment inquiry continued into President Donald Trump.
    
On Tuesday, we heard testimony from witnesses with first-hand knowledge of Trump's phone call with the Ukrainian president. All the talk in Washington revolves around what the president did when he spoke with the Ukrainian president this past summer.

Kurt Volker, a U.S. special representative for Ukraine, testified along with Tim Morrison, a former National Security Council official. Both sides are sticking to their story of that call with Ukraine being just fine or wrong with Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib mentioned in the middle of the heated testimony. 

"You want to investigate Hunter Biden, go at it," said Rep. Peter Welch, (D-Vermont). "Just don't do it by asking a foreign leader to help you in your campaign."

The showdown pitted Democrats against the president and Republicans taking on political rivals and the media in the same swoop.
 
"What you read in the press were accounts of 'shocking, damning and explosive testimony,' that fully supports the Democrats accusations," said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-California). "If these accounts have a familiar ring, it's because this is the same preposterous reporting the media offered for three years on the Russian hoax."

The first five hours of testimony revolved around what happened on a July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky. 

The Democrats believe the president was trying to make a deal with Zelensky, that leveraged military aid and a powerful white house visit and photo opp - if the Ukrainians would help investigate Hunter Biden and his business dealings with an energy company in that country.
 
"Frankly I couldn't believe what I was hearing," said Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. "There was probably an element of shock. Maybe in certain regards my worst fear of how Ukraine policy could play out - was playing out." 
 
The two people who were listening in on the call, Vindman and an aide to Vice President Mike Pence, Jennifer Williams. Vindman believes the phone call in question was improper.

Republicans have called this a charade and a witch hunt-by name, mentioning efforts by a Detroit lawmaker in Washington and her interest in impeaching President Trump.
 
"Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib started this Congress, first day of Congress, saying impeach the president," said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

Republicans grilled Vindman about whether the president actually made a request or gave an order to the Ukraine president about investigating the Bidens.
 
"Your interpretation of a favor is a demand based on your military experience in military culture," said on congressman.

"I think that is correct," said Vindman.

"I think that is correct, is President Trump a member of the military?" asked the congressman.

"He is not," said Vindman.

The White House Twitter account reflected the sentiment coming from the president about this impeachment inquiry. One tweet called out Vindman's judgment. The other tweet from the president, featured a video that said in part, "They promised a coup, now they’re trying to carry it out."
 
"They've been out to get the president since the day he was elected," Jordan said.
 
Vindman, though, was not budging.
 
"My impression is that in order to get the White House meeting, President Zelensky would have to deliver these investigations," Vindman said.

Hearings will continue Wednesday.