Post by Sprockey on Oct 17, 2019 17:28:03 GMT -5
Mulvaney comments seized on by critics saying it's proof of Ukraine quid pro quo
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney seemed to contradict President Trump’s claim that there was no “quid pro quo” during his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, by telling reporters at the White House Thursday that the release of military aid to Ukraine was tied to the administration’s demands that Kiev investigate purported corruption by the Democrats during the 2016 presidential election campaign.
When questioned by reporters about the administration’s decision to withhold $400 million in aid from Ukraine, Mulvaney said that Trump told him at the time: "This is a corrupt place. Everyone knows this is a corrupt place ... Plus, I'm not sure that the other European countries are helping them out either.”
Mulvaney added: “Did [Trump] also mention to me, in the past, the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely. No question about that. But that’s it. And that’s why we held up the money ... The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that nation. And that is absolutely appropriate.”
Mulvaney was then questioned by a reporter about his explanation, saying that it sounded like a quid pro quo.
He responded: "We do that all the time. Get over it. Politics is going to be involved in foreign policy. Elections do have consequences."
www.foxnews.com/politics/mulvaney-comments-seized-on-by-critics-as-proof-of-ukraine-quid-pro-quo
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney seemed to contradict President Trump’s claim that there was no “quid pro quo” during his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, by telling reporters at the White House Thursday that the release of military aid to Ukraine was tied to the administration’s demands that Kiev investigate purported corruption by the Democrats during the 2016 presidential election campaign.
When questioned by reporters about the administration’s decision to withhold $400 million in aid from Ukraine, Mulvaney said that Trump told him at the time: "This is a corrupt place. Everyone knows this is a corrupt place ... Plus, I'm not sure that the other European countries are helping them out either.”
Mulvaney added: “Did [Trump] also mention to me, in the past, the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely. No question about that. But that’s it. And that’s why we held up the money ... The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that nation. And that is absolutely appropriate.”
Mulvaney was then questioned by a reporter about his explanation, saying that it sounded like a quid pro quo.
He responded: "We do that all the time. Get over it. Politics is going to be involved in foreign policy. Elections do have consequences."
www.foxnews.com/politics/mulvaney-comments-seized-on-by-critics-as-proof-of-ukraine-quid-pro-quo
