Trump's Ukraine policy was to roll back the country’s reforms and recorrupt its judicial system and, especially, its energy sector, undoing the anti-corruption activism of Joe Biden
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Louisiana senator John Kennedy offered one of the Republican Party’s emerging defenses of President Trump’s extortion scheme. “Here are the two possible scenarios,” he said on Face the Nation yesterday. “Number one, the president asked for an investigation of a political rival. Number two, the president asked for an investigation of possible corruption by someone who happens to be a political rival. The latter would be in the national interest.
Corruption is certainly an important social problem in Ukraine, and the struggle to tame it has been well-documented. The American politician with the most impressive record of anti-corruption activism in that country is Joe Biden. The New York Times, the Washington Post and L.A. Times have all conducted deep dives into Biden’s record, and portrayed him as a forceful and effective advocate for reform.
Saletan’s analysis supplies the answer to the question Kennedy pretends to wonder about. Did Trump actually care about corruption? No, of course not. Parnas and Fruman met with Ukrainian officials and demanded an investigation into the Bidens. Parnas and Fruman also pressed Ukraine to give them a piece of the energy import business.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rep. Himes accuses Republicans of a false equivalency between Trump, Biden on UkraineRep. Jim Himes accuses Republicans of creating a false equivalency between accusations that President Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate a political rival and former VP Biden's public posture toward that same country during the Obama administration.
Read more »
A House GOP witness list demands Hunter Biden, Ukraine whistleblower testify publiclyHouse Republicans released a witness list that includes Hunter Biden and the Ukraine whistleblower, demanding they testify publicly so Trump can 'face his accusers.'
Read more »
Giuliani Associate Says He Told Ukraine That Aid Was Contingent On Biden Probe: ReportThe New York Times report is one of the first signs that Lev Parnas has flipped on Trump and his personal attorney in the impeachment investigation.
Read more »
New York Times: Parnas' lawyer says Giuliani told associate to offer Ukraine aid in exchange for Biden investigationA lawyer for Rudy Giuliani's indicted associate Lev Parnas said Giuliani directed Parnas to issue an ultimatum earlier this year to a representative of incoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, warning him that if the new government didn't announce an investigation into Joe Biden, the US would freeze military aid and Vice President Mike Pence would not attend Zelensky's inauguration.
Read more »