Just to re-enforce my theory on Thursday that the Trump impeachment inquiry and the subsequent hearing (Yes it will happen) is really a smoke screen to cover up any probe into the Ukrainian covert energy and arms trafficking.

Amb. William Taylor has plenty of career experience In nuclear energy, including his father’s work in Sandia National Lab and the development of mobile nuclear energy right after World War II.

After six years of military service after graduating from West Point, the younger Taylor left the military in 1975. In 1980, he was serving in the relatively new Department of Energy as Director of Emergency Preparedness Policy.

Taylor was also at the National Defense University developing a system to track nuclear shipments in war games and developing the ability to find them if they were diverted. As I’ve said before nuclear energy security lies at the heart of this story.

Following that assignment, he transferred to Brussels for a five year stint as the Special Deputy Defense Advisor to the US Ambassador for NATO, William Howard Taft IV. From 1992 until 2002, Taylor served with the rank of ambassador coordinating assistance to Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union during the break up.

At the time of the Soviet break up Ukraine had the third largest nuclear stockpile in the world.

So if you look at Taylor’s opening statement at the impeachment inquiry he states, “I am neither a career member of the Foreign Service nor of the civil service. I am non-partisan and have been appointed to my positions by every president from President Reagan to President Trump.” While somewhat true he did have a long career working on the “third channel” that works beside Foreign and civil service to facilitate the transfer of nuclear technologies around the world. Think Uranium One.

Then there was George Kent the deputy assistant secretary of state. In his opening statement he stated that his father served a full 30 years, including as captain of a nuclear ballistic missile submarine.

Kent has a friendship with Friday’s witness former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.

I will only add that the first three “witnesses,” who have no first-hand or second-hand knowledge, have more than 50 years experience in eastern Europe and Central Asia, so I’ll use a different Latin term for them.

It’s not quid pro quo they prefer the status quo.