The Failing New York Times (which is actually doing quite well):

The Trump administration directed a top American diplomat involved in its pressure campaign on Ukraine not to appear Tuesday morning for a scheduled interview in the House’s impeachment inquiry.

The decision to block Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, from speaking with investigators for three House committees is certain to provoke an immediate conflict with potentially profound consequences for the White House and President Trump. House Democrats have repeatedly warned that if the administration tries to interfere with their investigation, it will be construed as obstruction, a charge they see as potentially worthy of impeachment.

As a Twitter friend points out, in his tweets explaining the decision, Trump is not even bothering to claim privilege. He’s just saying Sondland doesn’t have to testify because the impeachment is being run by Democrats:

I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, 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….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019

….to see. Importantly, Ambassador Sondland’s tweet, which few report, stated, “I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear: no quid pro quo’s of any kind.” That says it ALL!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2019

T̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶g̶o̶t̶ ̶1̶0̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶g̶h̶e̶r̶ The articles of impeachment just got 10 sentences longer.

Why is Sondland important? He talked to Trump before sending the “to be clear we are totally not committing any crimes here” text:

Gordon Sondland called Trump before telling Bill Taylor that there was no quid-pro-quo and they should stop texting about it https://t.co/hYSzx6IyuV pic.twitter.com/V67ONqQNiy

— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) October 8, 2019

Apparently inquiry into how that text got written is not to be allowed.

Okay then.