of just how "innocent" trump is, right?

He's the ambassador to the EU, of which Ukraine is not a member. And he isn't even qualified to do that - he's a rich guy who bought his ambassadorship. It's true that these positions are often offered to big donors as rewards for their support, but what they're expected to do is hold parties and dinners at their embassies, dress up and behave themselves and do the meet-and-greet stuff while leaving the heavy lifting to career foreign service staff. But Fat Nixon and Fat Nosferatu apparently decided to enlist this tool to run interference for them behind the backs of the actual diplomats. Then, when the actual acting ambassador, Bill Taylor, figured out what they were up to and started objecting, Sondland got his marching orders and told Taylor, in a carefully-lawyered text, that of course there was no quid pro quo and we're not going to discuss this in text messages. Obviously Sondland can testify about who told him to shut Taylor up, among other things.

Scenario:

Ambassador Gordon Sondland receives call from Bill Turner warning against quid pro quo.

Sondland calls Trump.

Trump consults with advisor for several hours.

Trumps call Sondland to tell Taylor in no uncertain terms that there is no quid pro quo and to stop text messaging about aid to the Ukraine and Biden

Sondland calls Taylor and follows the President's dictates.


***********************

The problem with Sondland testifying is that he can't claim executive privilege while hiding the existence of his communication with Trump, and once he admits talking to Trump in that five-hour period the reason for his denial to Taylor will be obvious and implicate Trump even more in obstruction.

So now what.. ?

Trump is a control freak and no one else has any authority. He has just been over-whelmed with everything and he just got to the Sondland crisis.

I think that is probably the most likely case. I'm sure his answers would be damaging (if they were even truthful), but they are still assholes and like sticking it to us.