Perry denies pressing Ukraine on energy company, says he's not resigning

[PupCamo]

Source: Politico

Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Monday denied that he pressed the Ukrainian government to put two U.S. businessmen on the board of the state energy company or that he was planning to leave the Trump administration.

Perry's comments at a press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, come amid growing scrutiny into the Trump administration's diplomacy in Ukraine, which has triggered a House impeachment inquiry into whether the president withheld aid to the country in exchange for a pledge from President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate political rival Joe Biden and his son.

Perry acknowledged making the recommendations to Ukraine’s state-owned natural gas company Naftogaz, but said he did so only at the request of that country’s government. He also said it was "true" that he had pressed President Donald Trump to make the July call to Zelensky that is at the center of the impeachment inquiry.


“Absolutely, I asked the president multiple times, ‘Mr. President, we think it is in the United States' and in Ukraine’s best interest that you and the president of Ukraine have conversations, that you discuss the options that are there,’” he said. Axios reported on Saturday that Trump told House Republicans he made the call at Perry's request.


Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/07/rick-perry-denies-pressing-ukraine-037716

[wasupaloopa]

1. He got taken to the wood shed with Ron Johnson

[PupCamo]

2. he's being set up as the fall guy in all of this

I almost feel bad for him

[Pachamama]

6. Perry famously said he wanted to get rid of the Dept of Energy...

...I guess he never calculated that the Dept of Energy will get rid of him....

[Beartracks]

7. Well, he didn't tell Trump, "Slip a little treason into the conversation, Mr. President." n/t

[tblue37]

9. I sure don't. nt

[Harker]

11. I don't.

He's a self serving moron.

[choie]

3. these people spend

more time out of the U.S. than in it.

[PupCamo]

4. that's not always a bad thing

less time to do damage at home

[Lock him up.]

12. They damage home from afar. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Only a Rick Perry can throw his own self under the bus!

[MFGsunny]

8. Backtracking maybe? What? - he's got grifting to finish on oil and gas boards in TX? n/t

[SunSeeker]

10. Doesn't he realize this does not exonerate Trump?

What Trump said in that call is still a crime.

[Lock him up.]

13. Exact, but the media should ask him this:

If President Obama had said exactly what Trump said to any country leader, like to investigate ivanka Trump, what would you have said?

[duforsure]

14. I learned long ago

Perry's not so bright, and he will either not show up for the House, or be run off for saying anything. Trump knows he can't trust him, and Perry knows he can't trust trump. This will be fun watching them now. Who'll turn on the other one first.

[Nitram]

15. "Energy Secretary Rick Perry on Monday denied that...that he was planning to leave the Trump

administration." Translation: Perry is toast..