White House: Ukraine aid held up in part over election probe

Associated Press

The White House acknowledged Thursday that it held up military aid to Ukraine as President Donald Trump pushed the country’s new leader to investigate the Democratic National Committee in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, a central question in the House impeachment inquiry .

Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee leading the impeachment probe told reporters: “I think Mr. Mulvaney’s acknowledgment means that things have gone from very, very bad to much, much worse.”

It is illegal to solicit or receive anything of value from a foreign entity in U.S. elections.

A key part of the impeachment investigation has now been confirmed by the White House. After Mulvaney acknowledged the quid pro quo, he then went on to defend it as nothing wrong.

The administration insists it held up military assistance to Ukraine in part because they wanted Ukraine’s cooperation in investigating whether Democratic National Committee’s email servers were in Ukraine.

The impeachment investigators and federal prosecutors will decide whether there was something wrong or not with the now clear quid pro quo, but it is absolutely going to be the news of the week that the White House is now acknowledging this after weeks of denying any quid pro quo.

Mick Mulvaney admits to quid pro quo with Ukraine: 'We do that all the time'

"The look-back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that [Trump] was worried about" when deciding whether to release aid to Ukraine earlier this year, Mulvaney said

theweek.com...

After weeks of Trump and minions shouting "No Quid Pro Quo!!"

They are now admitting it.

Watch his defenders spin 180 degrees from what they shouted yesterday without even a stutter.

Withholding US Military Aid to try and get Ukraine to give private Citizen wack-job Giuliani help with Trump's 2020 re-election campaign?

A-OK. No abuse of power there.

Wait for the spin in 3...2...1

a reply to: HanyManny

I think that whole Christmas thing McConnell is pushing is wishful thinking, hoping this does not carry over into the election year.

I think this is so serious, it's not just about impeaching the president, it's about investigating all the other key players not only in the acts themselves, but also in the cover-up that followed.

Witnesses are growing exponentially; with each testimony it seems another handful of people are subpoenaed. I would like to see the investigation take a few months and get to the bottom of it all. I hope it is not rushed.

As with any trial, innocent until proven guilty. And to prove any guilt solid evidence is needed.

a reply to: Oraculi

so we can expect a Biden arrest soon?

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: Oraculi

so we can expect a Biden arrest soon?

Why do you say that? Have you heard anything about the US government investigating the Bidens?

I thought the hubbub was because he was " threatening the Ukraine to resume investigating Innocent Joe". Now it's that he wanted their cooperation in an existing DOJ investigation into election interference? Investigating election interference is now election interference? Amazing...

originally posted by: Oraculi
a reply to: HanyManny

I think that whole Christmas thing McConnell is pushing is wishful thinking, hoping this does not carry over into the election year.

I think this is so serious, it's not just about impeaching the president, it's about investigating all the other key players not only in the acts themselves, but also in the cover-up that followed.

Witnesses are growing exponentially; with each testimony it seems another handful of people are subpoenaed. I would like to see the investigation take a few months and get to the bottom of it all. I hope it is not rushed.

As with any trial, innocent until proven guilty. And to prove any guilt solid evidence is needed.

couldn't agree more. When the IG report comes forward, and we hear from Barr and Durham, I hope your integrity in somewhere in the neighborhood. It would be a shame to have this post haunt you. Why, you might have to create a new account!

originally posted by: RadioRobert
I thought the hubbub was because he was " threatening the Ukraine to resume investigating Innocent Joe". Now it's that he wanted their cooperation in an existing DOJ investigation into election interference? Investigating election interference is now election interference? Amazing...

Like the saying goes: "When investigating a crime is treated like a crime, you're being ruled by criminals."

a reply to: Oraculi
Information is not "something of value", NEXT!

originally posted by: Oraculi

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: Oraculi

so we can expect a Biden arrest soon?

Why do you say that? Have you heard anything about the US government investigating the Bidens?

LOL, as with some of your crowd, we don't need an investigation, we have video of Biden bragging about pressuring the Ukrainian government into firing a prosecutor, and threatening to withhold a billion dollars if they didn't. Or is that different?

originally posted by: AndyFromMichigan

originally posted by: RadioRobert
I thought the hubbub was because he was " threatening the Ukraine to resume investigating Innocent Joe". Now it's that he wanted their cooperation in an existing DOJ investigation into election interference? Investigating election interference is now election interference? Amazing...

Like the saying goes: "When investigating a crime is treated like a crime, you're being ruled by criminals."

Couldn't agree more.

You notice how the whole Constitution mandated impeachment inquiry is being treated as if it were a crime? It's very telling of those who would rule us.

originally posted by: PurpleFox
a reply to: Oraculi
Information is not "something of value", NEXT!

The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data

Information is the most valuable commodity on planet Earth, more so than oil currently.

You're living in the last century.

I thought we withheld aid to pressure countries to cooperate all the time.
The crime would only be for personal gain.

originally posted by: PurpleFox
a reply to: Oraculi
Information is not "something of value", NEXT!

Democrats and the media are becoming increasingly desperate and have no power.

It's fun to watch them unraveling like this.

Goods or services offered free or at less than the usual charge result in an in-kind contribution. Similarly, when a person pays for services on the committee’s behalf, the payment is an in-kind contribution. An expenditure made by any person in cooperation, consultation or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate’s campaign is also considered an in-kind contribution to the candidate.

FEC, "Types of Contributions"

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: PurpleFox
a reply to: Oraculi
Information is not "something of value", NEXT!

Democrats and the media are becoming increasingly desperate and have no power.

It's fun to watch them unraveling like this.

IF that were true, Trump supporters would ignore the situation, instead, the opposite is true. Obsessively so.

Time out ... I have a question. Why did the President think that Ukraine had the "Crowdstrike" server?

originally posted by: Oraculi

originally posted by: PurpleFox
a reply to: Oraculi
Information is not "something of value", NEXT!

The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data

Information is the most valuable commodity on planet Earth, more so than oil currently.

You're living in the last century.

You should call the FEC and tell them that then.

Their official stance is that information is not considered a thing of value in regards to campaign violations.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
Time out ... I have a question. Why did the President think that Ukraine had the "Crowdstrike" server?

I'd like to know as well.