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The two names you need to know for Wednesday's impeachment inquiry

Bill Taylor and George Kent have a combined half-century of foreign service experience under their belts.

WASHINGTON — House Democrats are set to present two of their strongest witnesses in the opening act of the public impeachment inquiry Wednesday, placing two non-partisan diplomats with a combined half-century of foreign service experience under an intense and potentially unforgiving spotlight.

State Department officials Bill Taylor and George Kent will present testimony from 10 a.m. until at least 1 p.m., as Democrats attempt to present a clear case conveying abuses of power by President Trump.

Bill Taylor

Taylor is the top American diplomat in Ukraine. He serves as America’s acting ambassador after Trump removed Taylor’s predecessor earlier this year.

Taylor is a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, who testified in a closed-door hearing that he is personally committed to helping Ukraine break free from Russian political and military dominance.

Taylor grew increasingly disturbed over the past spring and summer, when he said it became clear that Ukraine would only receive American military aid if Kyiv investigated the Bidens.

His concerns are immortalized in a text message released by impeachment investigators, when Taylor wrote, "as I said on the phone, I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign."

RELATED: US diplomat: Trump linked Ukraine aid to demand for probe

George Kent

George Kent is a top State Department official, shaping American foreign policy in Europe as Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs.

Kent told lawmakers in a private deposition that Trump "wanted nothing less than [Ukrainian] President Zelensky to go to microphone and say investigations, Biden, and Clinton."

Kent also grew uneasy with Rudy Giuliani taking a larger involvement in the White House’s policy positions concerning Ukraine – including Giuliani’s efforts to remove the American ambassador, Marie Yovanovitch.

Taylor filled Yovanovitch’s role, after State Department officials asked her to return to America in May.

RELATED: House Democrats announce public impeachment hearings next week

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