(Washington, DC) – Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is appearing to confirm that the Trump Administration withheld military aid to Ukraine partly over a request to open an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory of the DNC server.
He said it was one of three conditions for the release of the money.
Mulvaney said politics always influences policy. House Democrats opened an impeachment inquiry over President Trump asking Ukraine’s president for favors, including that nation’s involvement in the 2016 election and looking into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
President Trump has said there was no quid pro quo. Mulvaney, however, said this is business as usual in foreign policy.
(Washington, DC-AP) – Senator Lindsey Graham is warning Turkey about moving troops into northern Syria. The South Carolina Republican said Turkey would face “sanctions from hell” by Congress.
He noted that sanctions would be wide, deep and devastating. There are growing concerns about Turkey plotting movements into northern Syria since President Trump announced plans to remove U.S. troops from the war-torn region. Graham chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.
And Both of Alaska’s senators are joining with other Republicans in Congress to condemn Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Northern Syria. S
enator Lisa Murkowski called the move “abrupt and unsettling,” saying that it betrays U.S. alliances with Kurdish forces and give ISIS an opportunity to grow again. Senator Dan Sullivan said the President’s decision will lead to a power vacuum that could be filled by “Russian and Iranian proxies.”
(Washington, DC-AP) — A second whistleblower is coming forward in the Ukraine scandal. Attorneys representing the first whistleblower whose complaint about President Trump’s dealings with the Ukraine confirmed to NBC News today they represent “multiple” clients.
Attorney Andrew Bakaj said his firm is working with the whistleblowers in connection with the August 12th disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General.
The original complaint triggered an impeachment inquiry by House Democrats into claims the President pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate his Democratic political rival Joe Biden and his son.
(Washington, DC-AP) – A Washington attorney says his law firm is representing a second whistleblower with first-hand knowledge of President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.
The lawyer said today the second whistleblower has spoken with the intelligence community’s inspector general.
A complaint filed by the first whistleblower is the basis for an impeachment inquiry into claims Trump pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate his Democratic rival former Vice President Joe Biden.
(Washington, DC-AP) – President Trump has signed a budget bill to avoid a government shutdown. The White House says Trump signed the short-term spending bill Friday, which will extend government funding through November 21st.
The Senate approved the measure Thursday after it had passed the House earlier this month. The government was set to run out of money at the end of this month.
(AP) – House Democrats pursing an impeachment inquiry against President Trump are issuing a subpoena to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
As part of the probe, the Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees are demanding documents concerning the administration’s contacts with the Ukrainian government.
The inquiry follows a whistleblower complaint that Trump asked for a political favor from Ukraine’s new president. Lawmakers are investigating whether Trump’s actions jeopardized national security and the U.S. elections process.
(Washington, DC-AP) – Lawmakers have their hands on the big whistleblower report that prompted a formal House impeachment inquiry into President Trump. The White House delivered the report to Capitol Hill this afternoon.
The whistleblower complaint involved President Trump’s July phone conversation with the president of Ukraine. A White House transcript of the call shows Trump asked the Ukrainian leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who had some business dealings in Ukraine.
In earlier remarks, Trump said he put “no pressure” on the Ukrainian leader. Trump withheld nearly 400-million-dollars in aid to Ukraine but the aid was subsequently released.
(Washington, DC-AP) – The Senate is again trying to block President Trump taking military construction money to use to build a border wall.
Eleven Republicans voted with Democrats to override a national emergency declaration Trump made to seize the funds. That is not enough to overcome a presidential veto. Congress has up to six months to block the declaration that was declared in March.
(Washington, DC-AP) – Nancy Pelosi is criticizing the Trump administration’s plans to send arms troops to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Pelosi said that the White House is trying to circumvent the bipartisan will of Congress.
The Pentagon announced it would send more troops and enhanced air and missile defense systems to the two countries to respond to a drone attack on Saudi oil facilities.
(Des Moines, IA-AP) – Former Vice President Joe Biden is calling the latest news about President Trump “outrageous.”
Multiple media are reporting that Trump repeatedly asked leaders in the Ukraine to launch an investigation in Biden’s son, who worked there as a lobbyist.
Biden says Trump displays constant abuses of power never seen before in any American president and he should be investigated. Biden is also calling on Trump to release the transcript of his call with the Ukrainian president.
