Trump and Pompeo tried to prevent Yovanovitch testimony

(Since I've seen how the ambassador presents her own name: Yovanovitch, I'm editing all my posts from Jovanovic (which is probably how it's spelled in Ukraine - well, but in a Cyrillic alphabet.)

It is now clear that Marie Yovanovitch, who is still technically an employee of the state department, defied the White House’s wishes in testifying before the House committees investigating impeachment.

[...]

The Democratic chairmen of the committees leading the impeachment inquiry said that the White House had directed the state department to block Marie Yovanovitch from testifying.

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Adam Schiff, Eliot Engel and Elijah Cummings said: “Last night, the Committees learned that the State Department, at the direction of the White House, directed Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch not to appear for her voluntary interview today.

[...]

“In response, the House Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena to compel her testimony this morning. This duly authorized subpoena is mandatory, and the illegitimate order from the Trump Administration not to cooperate has no force. As is required of her, the Ambassador is now complying with the subpoena and answering questions from both Democratic and Republican Members and staff.

[...]

The Democratic chairman of those committees confirmed moments ago that they issued a subpoena to the former US ambassador to Ukraine to compel her to appear, which she complied with.

But other Trump administration officials have ignored congressional subpoenas to adhere to the president’s wishes. And that raises this question: will the White House retaliate against Yovanovitch for testifying?

  Guardian

I'd say there's a better than zero chance of that.

That certainly seemed like a possibility in the talking points that the administration issued about Yovanovitch’s appearance. The White House warned in those talking points that, by testifying without a state department lawyer, Yovanovitch was in “serious danger that she could breach her obligations as a current employee.”

And don't forget Trump's statement that "she's going to go through some stuff" even before she testified.

I guess they couldn't scare her.  Too bad more people in DC don't have her integrity.  And credit to Sondland, who is also going to testify under subpoena, in spite of orders from the White House and State not to do so.

The three Democratic chairman of the House committees leading the impeachment inquiry said the White House’s efforts to block Marie Yovanovitch’s testimony provided more evidence of obstruction.

How observant.