Democratic leaders of the House impeachment inquiry issued subpoenas on Thursday to two associates of President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who were arrested on charges of campaign finance violations overnight as they tried to flee the United States.
Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian-born American, and Igor Fruman, a Belarus-born US citizen, were arrested at Dulles Airport in Virginia on Wednesday evening as they sought to board an international flight with one-way tickets, Geoffrey Berman, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, told a press conference.
The Florida-based businessmen "reportedly worked with Giuliani to pressure Ukraine for dirt on Trump's opponents," said Representative Adam Schiff, who is spearheading the impeachment inquiry.
The House is conducting an inquiry into Trump over alleged abuse of power for asking Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky in a July 25 phone call to conduct a probe of potential 2020 White House rival Joe Biden and his son, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
Schiff said Parnas and Fruman were ordered to turn "key documents" over to investigators, and to testify before the congressional panels.
"I don't know those gentlemen ... I don't know what they do," Trump said Thursday. "Maybe you will have to ask Rudy."
The indictment said the illegal contributions by Parnas and Fruman were made "to advance their own personal financial interests" and the political interests of "at least one Ukrainian government official."
Parnas and Fruman allegedly created a front company, Global Energy Producers (GEP), to funnel a USD 325,000 contribution to a fundraising committee identified as "Committee-1."
Trump has openly admitted to seeking the removal of the ambassador, calling her "bad news." Sessions said he did seek Yovanovitch's removal but it was because she was "disparaging President Trump to others."
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