Trump bars Gordon Sondland, key player in Ukraine controversy, from testifying in impeachment investigation

The Trump administration on Tuesday blocked a U.S. ambassador involved in orchestrating pressure on Ukraine from being deposed by House Democrats leading an impeachment inquiry.

Gordon Sondland, President Donald Trump's ambassador to the European Union, was scheduled to appear before a trio of committees Tuesday morning to answer questions about his role in pushing Ukraine's president to open investigations aimed at former Vice President Joe Biden.

But the State Department directed him not to cooperate with the probe, according to Sondland's attorney, Robert Luskin.

"Early this morning, the U.S....