IT IS BREAKING RIGHT NOW.

THE FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO

THE EU SAYS THE STATE DEPARTMENT

IS ORDERING HIM NOT TO APPEAR ON

CAPITOL HILL TODAY.

"THE NEW YORK TIMES" ALSO

REPORTS HE WILL NOT BE

ANTICIPATING QUESTIONS.

STEVE: GORDON SONDLAND WAS

EXPECTED TO TAKE THE STAND AND

BE DEPOSED TODAY.

PETE: CATHERINE HERRIDGE JOINS

US LIVE FROM WASHINGTON ON WHAT

IT MEANS FOR THE INVESTIGATION.

REPORTER: GOOD MORNING.

THINGS HAVE BEEN MOVING QUICKLY

IN THE LAST TEN MINUTES.

RECENTLY AS THAT THEY HEARD FROM

LAWMAKERS THEY WERE EXPECTING

GORDON SONDLAND ON THE HILL IN A

CLOSED-DOOR, TRANSCRIBED

INTERVIEW.

IT IS NOT UNDER OATH.

BUT THE SAME IMPACT IF THE

WITNESS LIES OR MISLEADS

INVESTIGATORS.

IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES WE GOT

CONFIRMATION THAT THE DEMOCRATIC

CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE

INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, ADAM

SCHIFF WILL HOLD A NEWS

CONFERENCE AT 9:30 EASTERN TO

TAKE REPORTERS QUESTIONS.

WOULD SEEM NOW ON THE DECISION

BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO BLOCK

THIS INTERVIEW THIS MORNING WITH

GORDON SONDLAND.

HE MATTERS BECAUSE HE SENT A

SERIES OF TEXT MESSAGES IN

SEPTEMBER WHICH REBUTTED OR

PUSHED BACK AGAINST ALLEGATIONS

THAT THE PRESIDENT'S

CONVERSATION WITH THE UKRAINIAN

LEADER IN JULY 25th AND THE

HOLD ON MILITARY ASSISTANCE WERE

PART OF A QUID PRO QUO INVOLVING

AN INVESTIGATION OF JOE BIDEN.

THE GOOD NEWS WITH THAT 9:30

NEWS CONFERENCE, ADAM SCHIFF

WE'LL BE ABLE TO ASK HIM OTHER

QUESTIONS WHY HE WAS NOT MORE

FORTHCOMING ABOUT HIS OFFICE'S

EARLY CONTACT WITH THE

WHISTLEBLOWER, GUYS.

STEVE: GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

AINSLEY: ANY IDEA THEY WOULD

BLOCK HIM AND NOT BLOCK VOLCKER

OR ATKINSON.

REPORTER: I DON'T WANT TO GIVE

YOU THAT INFORMATION T WOULD

ONLY BE SPECULATION.

STEVE: MIKE POMPEO SAID WE'LL

BLOCK ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THEY

DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO

PREPARE.

MR. VOLCKER VOLUNTEERED TO

APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.

REPORTER: VOLCKER IS OUT OF THE

STATE DEPARTMENT.

HE IS FORMER SPECIAL ENVOY.

HE RESIGNED AFTER THE TRANSCRIPT

WAS MADE PUBLIC.

HE IS PRIVATE CITIZEN CAN MAKE

HIS OWN DECISIONS.

SONDLAND IS CURRENTLY U.S.

AMBASSADOR TO EUROPEAN UNION.

EFFECTIVELY ONE OF THE POMPEO'S

EMPLOYEES.

HAS TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIVE OF

THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

I AM GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE

LETTER FROM SECRETARY POMPEO HE

LAID OUT A VERY COMPELLING LEGAL

ARGUMENT FOR WHY PROPER

NOTIFICATION AND OTHER PROCESSES

HAD NOT BEEN FOLLOWED BIT