Ex-Ukraine Envoy Volker Out At The McCain Institute

Former U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker announced his resignation as the executive director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University in a Monday morning statement.

In the statement, Volker cited the “recent media focus on my work as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations” as a reason for his decision to resign. Volker noted that the scrutiny he’s facing in the midst of the unfurling Ukraine scandal “risks becoming a distraction from the accomplishments and continued growth of the Institute.”

Read Volker’s statement below:

For the past seven and a half years, I have worked hard with Mrs. Cindy McCain, Arizona State University, and the McCain Institute’s first rate team of Trustees and staff, to build an Institute dedicated to advancing character-driven leadership and making difference in the real world on a wide range of issues. Today, I informed ASU President Crow and Mrs. McCain that I believe the recent media focus on my work as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations risks becoming a distraction from the accomplishments and continued growth of the Institute, and therefore I am stepping down as Executive Director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership. I know the Institute is well equipped with a first rate team of staff and Trustees to continue it’s progress in the future. I especially want to thank Cindy McCain and the McCain family for their selfless support of the institute.

Last week it was reported that Volker felt unceremoniously pushed out by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after reports found that Rudy Giuliani’s contacts with State Department officials were part of an effort to dig up dirt against former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter with the help of Ukrainians.

Following fallout over Giuliani’s on-air admissions that the State Department was involved with his efforts to dig up bogus allegations against the Bidens, Pompeo reportedly clamored for someone to blame, which led to Volker’s resignation as U.S. representative to Ukraine negotiations last month.