GOP, Dem lawmakers squabble over Trump ‘take her out’ tape

+++ EDITORS NOTE: REUTERS CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT OF THE VIDEO +++

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYING:

"Get rid of her. Get her out tomorrow. I don't care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. OK?"

Lawmakers are beginning to draw party lines over a video that emerged of a 2018 dinner at the Trump Hotel - in which President Donald Trump appears to have ordered the removal of then-U.S ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.

She's a main figure in the series of events that led to his impeachment.

On CBS' Face the Nation Sunday Republican Senator Tom Cotton came to Trump's defense.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) SEN. TOM COTTON, SAYING:

"That video was more than a year before he asked Marie Yovanovitch to be removed. And he was told in that video, we just heard, that she was running around Kiev bad-mouthing you and saying you are going to be impeached. The president has the right to remove any ambassador for any reason whatsoever. An ambassador bad-mouthing the president, is a pretty good reason to remove an Ambassador."

Cotton is talking about a video obtained by Reuters from Lev Parnas' attorney, Joseph Bondy. Reuters cannot independently verify the contents of the video.

Parnas, a former associate of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, has been providing evidence to Democrats as part of the president's impeachment trial in the Senate.

Democrat Jason Crow, a manager of the House impeachment case, says the tape implicates Trump of bullying.

(SOUNBTIE) DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN JASON CROW SAYING:

"Well, you know, I- I've heard the tape. I know the other managers have. I know a lot of people in America have heard the tape. You know, broadly speaking, this is a continuation of the president's bullying and intimidation. You know, it's- it's what he's done for the last three, four years, and he's going to continue to do it."

Trump has said that he does not know Parnas.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the recording. Senators will reconvene on Monday to hear Trump's attorney's make their case before the Senate impeachment trial.