Since the White House stated it would not cooperate with investigations surrounding President Donald Trump's impeachment, House committees responded by subpoenaing Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union. This occurred right after the State Department instructed him not to appear for his planned testimony early on Tuesday.

"You have designed and implemented your inquiry in a manner that violates fundamental fairness and constitutionally mandated due process," White House counsel Pat Cipollone wrote. "President Trump cannot permit his administration to participate in this partisan inquiry under these circumstances."

There are certain documents also that would be integral to the investigations that the Democrats claim are being held by the state department. The subpoena demands those documents be turned over by October 14, and that Sondland sit for a deposition on October 16 before three congressional panels.

Moreover, it has come to light that Former Special Envoy Kurt Volker, E.U. Ambassador Gordon Sondland and diplomat Bill Taylor, used WhatsApp- which is encrypted and therefore cannot be tapped- to communicate about Ukraine, suggesting a highly suspect involvement in the abuse of presidential powers by Trump.

"I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify," Mr. Trump tweeted. "But unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republican's rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public to see."

Sondland's fate is extremely important because it will determine if the ultimate classification of the American political system as truly "democratic," or not. That is, whether or not the U.S. is a country in which it is possible for the president to make illegitimate use of his powers to further his own agenda, and for the state to be involved in that entire process.

"As the sitting U.S. Ambassador to the EU and employee of the State Department, Ambassador Sondland is required to follow the Department's direction," his attorney, Robert Luskin, said in a statement. "Ambassador Sondland is profoundly disappointed that he will not be able to testify today. Ambassador Sondland traveled to Washington from Brussels in order to prepare for his testimony and to be available to answer the Committee's questions."