White House Shifted Authority Over Ukraine Aid Amid Legal Concerns

[Shard Shinjuku]

Dustin Volz

@dnvolz

Click to shrink...

NEW: The White House gave a politically appointed official the authority to keep aid to Ukraine on hold after career budget staff members at OMB questioned the legality of delaying the funds, according to people familiar with the matter

Click to shrink...

 

[Dahbomb]

Most people to subpoena and depose.

 

[WedgeX]

Glad that career staff didn't buckle to political staff.

 

[julian]

I see WSJ is happy to point out shadiness while also muddying the waters by claiming aid wasn't mentioned in the Ukraine call - which is crazy since the call was set up explicitly to talk about aid.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Wall Street Journal doing work! I wonder who their leaker is?

 

[Phantom]

I'm wondering why Ukraine isn't releasing the call, because at this point they're getting fucked over no matter what happens next. Kill two birds with one stone: discredit Trump again (and expose his crimes) AND infuriate Russia. You know, the country that annexed part of your country (Crimea) and still sends unmarked soldiers to kill Ukrainians at the Eastern border.

 

[Brandson]

I'm wondering why Ukraine isn't releasing the call, because at this point they're getting fucked over no matter what happens next. Kill two birds with one stone: discredit Trump again (and expose his crimes) AND infuriate Russia. You know, the country that annexed part of your country (Crimea) and still sends unmarked soldiers to kill Ukrainians at the Eastern border.

Click to shrink...

I don't think Zelensky is as independent from Russia as he is portrayed to be. Trump, Putin, and Zelensky are all allegedly on the same team, although it's possible Trump didn't get the memo on this. Unfortunately for the lot of them, Trump is so bad at playing President that he didn't even realize he was doing anything illegal on that call, so he has put everyone in an awkward position. They have to figure out what course of action would allow Zelensky to continue to pretend to be independent while also not harming his master's interests.