White House Shifted Authority Over Ukraine Aid Amid Legal Concerns
Source: Wall Street Journal
By Andrew Duehren and Gordon Lubold
Oct. 10, 2019 10:26 am ET
WASHINGTONThe White House gave a politically appointed official the authority to keep aid to Ukraine on hold after career budget staff members questioned the legality of delaying the funds, according to people familiar with the matter, a shift that House Democrats are probing in their impeachment inquiry.
President Trumps order to freeze nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine in mid-July is at the center of House Democratic efforts to investigate allegations that Mr. Trump used U.S. foreign-policy powers to benefit himself politically. The hold came days before Mr. Trumps request, on a July 25 call, that the Ukrainian president work with Rudy Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr to conduct investigations into presidential hopeful Joe Biden.
Mr. Trump has said he ordered the aid frozen because he wanted European countries to do more to support Ukraine. He has also said he didnt make the aid to Ukraine contingent on the countrys cooperation in an investigation of Democrats, and a rough transcript of the July 25 call released by the White House doesnt show Mr. Trump explicitly linking the aid to an investigation. A Justice Department spokeswoman has said the president never asked Mr. Barr to make the call nor did he ask the attorney general to investigate Mr. Biden.
The president has the authority to delay the release of money in certain instances, according to the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan research agency, including if there has been an unexpected change in circumstances for the program. But without being provided explanation or justification about why the administration was delaying the aid, some career officials at the Office of Management and Budget became worried they didnt have the legal authority to hold up the funds, according to the people familiar.
Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-shifted-authority-over-ukraine-aid-amid-legal-concerns-11570717571
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)Firestorm49
(4,032 posts)pecosbob
(7,537 posts)Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)C_U_L8R
(44,998 posts)Such shifty characters.
pecosbob
(7,537 posts)amcgrath
(397 posts)Other officials or departments to manage the delay of funds, because you are afraid of possible illegality, I think you pretty much have your quid pro quo.
mopinko
(70,084 posts)linking the aid to an investigation.
c'mon man, how stupid are you?
cstanleytech
(26,283 posts)of something?