In Washington, the top U.S. diplomat to Ukraine, William Taylor, is slated to testify to congressional lawmakers as part of the ongoing impeachment hearings. Text messages released by House committees show Taylor repeatedly questioned the decision to hold up millions of dollars in funding to Ukraine as part of a potential quid pro quo aimed at pressuring Ukraine to investigate Trump’s rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter. On September 1, Taylor texted, “Are we now saying that security assistance and WH meeting conditioned on investigations?” Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union and a wealthy Oregon hotel magnate who received the ambassadorship after donating a million dollars to Trump’s inauguration, texted back, “Call me.” On September 9, Taylor also texted, “I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” On Monday, President Trump lashed out at Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney for signaling that he might be open to President Trump’s impeachment.

President Donald Trump: “But two things they have: They’re vicious, and they stick together. They don’t have Mitt Romney in their midst. They don’t have people like that. They stick together. You never see them break off. You never see somebody go out and … The Republicans have to get tougher and fight.”

Meanwhile, House Democrats blocked a House Republican resolution Monday to censure Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff over handling of the impeachment inquiry. The resolution had been introduced last week by Republican Arizona Congressmember Andy Biggs.