The Trump administration threatened to veto the massive spending bill passed this week, possibly leading to a government shutdown, if House Democrats didn’t drop a provision that would have required the quick release of $250 million in defense aid to Ukraine.
According to the Washington Post, the language was dropped and the White House said that President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on Friday, averting the Saturday deadline which would have triggered the shutdown.
Democrats were trying to ensure that Trump couldn’t leverage the military aid to Ukraine again, the way he did with the last payment, a pressure campaign at the heart of the impeachment proceedings. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland made it clear that the provision concerning the new aid payment was a dealbreaker.
However, Ueland reportedly insisted that their objection was not over Ukraine specifically, but to protect executive branch powers.
“When someone shows you who they are believe them; the first time.” ― Maya Angelou
Pelosi exercised MASSIVE restraint here. Unbelievable. But we’ve been warned that he will triple down on his efforts now. Putin must be really putting the screws.
[quote]Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland made it clear that the provision concerning the new aid payment was a dealbreaker.
However, Ueland reportedly insisted that their objection was not over Ukraine specifically, but to protect executive branch powers.[/quote]
Why would these officials reporting directly to the President-in-impeachment insist so strongly on this point? Assuming that the aid payment were not being used in pursuit of personal political gains as alleged?
I will say this. Trump takes orders well.
It’s just amazing. He can’t not demonstrate that he’s wildly guilty over and over and over again. It’s like Homer Simpson’s “continuing and baffling” desecration of the Sacred Parchment, and not just as a metaphor since there’s actually a fairly venerated parchment involved here too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJiQ3kzlZ_s