At the same press conference where he announced that next year’s G7 Summit will be held at Trump National Doral Miami, Mick Mulvaney dropped another odd little nugget.
What??
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 17, 2019
Uh, Mulvaney seems to confirm that military aid was withheld due to concerns over "corruption."
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 17, 2019
That "corruption" by the way is not confirmed by the Pentagon, which had focused on genuine corruption in Ukraine. The WH version of "corruption" is a euphemism for Biden/2016.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney essentially confirms that Trump froze aid to Ukraine in part because he wanted Ukraine to investigate 2016 election matters.
"The look back to what was happening in 2016 was part of that thing," Mulvaney says— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney just admitted Ukraine aid was held up over Ukraine not investigating origins of Russia probe.
He admits it was a quid pro quo, but suggests it wasn't a corrupt one — that it was similar to other such foreign aid decisions.
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney adds that while the Russia origins probe was part of the quid pro quo, "The money had absolutely nothing to do with Biden."
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) October 17, 2019
Told that's a quid pro quo, Mulvany says "We do that all the time." https://t.co/QV8UV0c5ry
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 17, 2019
Mulvaney on Ukraine: says the request for a look back to what happened in 2016 WAS part of the reason why Trump held up military aid to Ukraine. The president has previously denied that. Says “we do that all the time with foreign policy.” pic.twitter.com/Q83ZZHaqNu
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) October 17, 2019
After @jonkarl points out the White House's explanation for its dealings with Ukraine was quid-pro-quo, the chief of staff replies: "We do that all that time with foreign policy."
To those concerned about political influence in foreign policy, he says, "Get over it." pic.twitter.com/AYoTajGLTL
— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) October 17, 2019
White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney tells reporters: "I have news for everybody: Get over it, there's going to be political influence in foreign policy. That is going to happen. Elections have consequences."
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 17, 2019
Yeesh.
A shift in the WH posture. https://t.co/9FykRXuSrs
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) October 17, 2019
This seems to be a significant change of defense by the White House – no longer arguing there was “no quid pro quo,” but arguing that there was a quid pro quo and that was fine.
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) October 17, 2019
This is a huge bombshell.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 17, 2019
At the very least, the optics aren’t the best.
Now you see why they buried it under the Doral news. https://t.co/nA96G0hK6W
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 17, 2019
Speaking of stuff getting buried …
https://t.co/ddu7Mw5DfG pic.twitter.com/jWmRdLDxmW
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) October 17, 2019
A lot of that happening lately.
However, it’s also important to emphasize that Mulvaney didn’t admit to a “quid pro quo” with regard to an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden, but rather into the 2016 election.
"The money held up had absolutely nothing to do with Biden," Mick Mulvaney says, attributing it to questions of corruption in Ukraine, whether other countries were participating, whether Ukraine was cooperating with DOJ.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 17, 2019
Mick Mulvaney, asked about what role he had in pressuring Ukraine to investigate the Bidens: "None."
"I was never in a conversation that had the word 'Burisma' in it," he says. "Or the Bidens. That never happened with me in there."
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 17, 2019
So take that as you will.
I’m confused: Wasn’t the scandal supposed to be Trump strong-arming Ukraine for dirt on Biden?
I thought Dems wanted to get to the bottom of 2016 meddling? https://t.co/jVdW92xjAp
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 17, 2019
Not impeachable. We were told that the quid pro quo was digging up dirt on Hunter Biden, not this. Stop moving the goal posts. https://t.co/Y14EvUf0cp
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) October 17, 2019
I know people are jumping on Mulvaney… But I don't get it.
Generally in foreign policy… This is common.
The rub comes when they specifically talk about Biden. That clearly is unethical, no question. But was there a Quid Pro Quo specifically on Biden? Did I miss it? https://t.co/iRUYIqpQ1y
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) October 17, 2019
One thing’s definitely for sure: this mess isn’t even close to being sorted out yet.