Let’s call this what it is
No one reading this should be surprised that Donald Trump never actually released funds providing military aid to Ukraine. According to HuffPost, the funds were released by the State Department, after their lawyers told Trump his action was illegal. Remember the other day when Richard Shelby of Alabama claimed that what Trump did wasn’t “against the law” or “a crime?” Guess what, Shelby? If something is illegal, then it is very much a crime.
This information comes to light shortly before televised impeachment hearings are set to begin. This doesn’t make Trump look good at all. According to Bloomberg, this information was contained in a classified memo to Mike Pompeo, yet he and others silently stood by and pretended that Trump had done nothing wrong. As HuffPost states, this revelation quashes those claims. All while he tried to claim that he released the funds after a plea from Rob Portman (R-OH), the funds were released in spite of him. He is such a liar.
Mick Mulvaney, who both heads the Office of Budget Management and serves as acting chief of staff, admitted to Trump’s illegal activities and then tried to backpedal, but he never mentioned that it was his office that was charged with releasing these funds and that his office had to be overridden by the State Department. Taylor testified as to this unusual move by deciding “they were going to move forward with this assistance, OMB notwithstanding.” The information goes even further. According to HuffPost, Zelensky had scheduled an interview on CNN in September to announce the launch of the investigation, even though he opposed it, to secure the funding he needed and had been promised. As Eric Swalwell stated, let’s call Trump’s actions what they are: extortion.
Swalwell appeared on “Face the Nation” to discuss impeachment. Swalwell said that the House Intelligence Committee possesses evidence that will show that “President Donald Trump engaged in an extortion scheme to pressure Ukraine” to investigate Joe Biden. According to Swalwell, the testimony to date establishes what he claims, and he further points out that Trump was “using taxpayer dollars” to engage in his extortion. This is beyond belief. Trump is, without a doubt, the most ridiculously criminal person to ever occupy the White House, and he has no problem using our money to commit his crimes. Unbelievable! We have to believe that his comeuppance is near.
Even in the face of Trump’s obviously criminal behavior and activity, Eric Swalwell wants to ensure that Trump receives due process, though he certainly doesn’t deserve it. “It is important that these witnesses raise their right hands and take questions from both Republicans and Democrats. The president is going to get that,” said Swalwell. He continued, “This is America and we don’t just have railroading of justice.” After all Trump has done, Democrats are determined to treat him fairly, as they should. They, like the rest of us, know that they must do everything properly and above board, even when dealing with one who knows nothing of those concepts. That will be the only way to defeat Trump and rid us of the blight called his presidency.
Shirley is a former entertainment writer and has worked in the legal field for over 25 years