07-25-2020, 02:25 PM
1 year ago today, the United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations sent a text to the aide of the President of Ukraine telling him that they can schedule a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of the US and Ukraine if Zelenskiy convinces Trump in their phone call that he will be open to investigations.
An hour later, Trump and Zelenskiy speak. When Zelenskiy mentions using aid that the White House had illegally been holding for the last month, Trump responds by asking for a "favor", mentioning Hillary Clinton's email servers and Joe and Hunter Biden, saying for him to do whatever he can.
In the weeks that followed, negotiations between the two sides would sour after Ukraine insisted that the US had to formally request the investigations, with the White House refusing to do so. The Pentagon would reach out to the OMB regarding to illegality of withholding aid and the need to go through Congress or risk losing the money and violating impoundment laws. The OMB would bury this and continue to mislead Congress. At the same time, a whistleblower complaint regarding the phone call was withheld by the administration until its existence leaked to Congress and they demanded to see it, eventually leading to the impeachment of Donald Trump.
The pandemic and civil unrest has made this feel like a lifetime ago. In light of the lack of leadership and failures of the last 6 months, it's good to reflect on the excuses given by Republicans who acknowledged the illegality of the this phone call and subsequent actions but assured the country that he had learned his lesson.
An hour later, Trump and Zelenskiy speak. When Zelenskiy mentions using aid that the White House had illegally been holding for the last month, Trump responds by asking for a "favor", mentioning Hillary Clinton's email servers and Joe and Hunter Biden, saying for him to do whatever he can.
In the weeks that followed, negotiations between the two sides would sour after Ukraine insisted that the US had to formally request the investigations, with the White House refusing to do so. The Pentagon would reach out to the OMB regarding to illegality of withholding aid and the need to go through Congress or risk losing the money and violating impoundment laws. The OMB would bury this and continue to mislead Congress. At the same time, a whistleblower complaint regarding the phone call was withheld by the administration until its existence leaked to Congress and they demanded to see it, eventually leading to the impeachment of Donald Trump.
The pandemic and civil unrest has made this feel like a lifetime ago. In light of the lack of leadership and failures of the last 6 months, it's good to reflect on the excuses given by Republicans who acknowledged the illegality of the this phone call and subsequent actions but assured the country that he had learned his lesson.
![[Image: ulVdgX6.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/ulVdgX6.jpg)
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