By
Greg Sargent
Opinion writer
November 14, 2019 at 9:29 a.m. CST
One of the most dishonest talking points employed by President Trump’s lickspittle loyalists is that Ukraine felt no “pressure” from Trump to carry out his political bidding.
“Both presidents expressly have stated there was no pressure, no demand, no conditions, no blackmail, no corruption,” Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Tex.) intoned at Wednesday’s impeachment hearing, spraying bad faith and phony high dudgeon in all directions like a garden sprinkler.
Republicans made this claim numerous times on the first day, and you’ll hear it countless more times in the coming days. But the already documented facts show this is steaming nonsense.
The latest updates in the Trump impeachment hearings
The claim is based on quotes from the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been desperate to maintain good relations with a U.S. president who already withheld military aid from an ally at a moment of extreme vulnerability under Russian attack.
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Zelensky said in September that he didn’t feel “pushed” on his July 25 call with Trump, in which Trump demanded “investigations” that would help him politically.
The GOP claim is supposed to undercut the notion that Trump extorted Ukraine to help validate conspiracy theories and lies absolving Russia of sabotaging the 2016 election and smearing potential 2020 rival Joe Biden.
In other words, the assertion is central to showing that Trump didn’t act corruptly in making these demands. How could Trump have used a White House meeting and frozen military aid to extort Ukraine, when he wasn’t even pressuring Zelensky in the first place?
But the timeline of events shows beyond any doubt that officials acting at Trump’s direction did repeatedly pressure Ukraine, and that Ukrainian officials themselves felt pressured and alarmed by what was happening. And upcoming testimony will likely reveal this more forcefully.
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To the timeline:
May 1: Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani states publicly he plans a pressure campaign to get those investigations, which would be “very helpful” to Trump.
June 21: Giuliani directly slams Zelensky for failing to launch those investigations.
July 10: Tensions erupt in a White House meeting after Ambassador Gordon Sondland, a ringleader of the scheme, presses Ukrainian officials — top Zelensky aide Andriy Yermak and senior defense official Oleksandr Danyliuk — to undertake those investigations.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified that Ukraine saw this meeting as “critically important” to solidifying U.S. support. Already a crucial Ukraine goal is entangled with Trump’s demands.
July 20: Sondland tells William Taylor, the acting ambassador to Ukraine, that he personally encouraged Zelensky to make it very clear to Trump that he was committed to the investigations Trump wanted, according to Taylor. That’s pressure.
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Also on July 20: Danyliuk tells Taylor that Zelensky doesn’t wish to be a pawn in a U.S. campaign, according to Taylor. A text from Sondland shows he, too, recognized Zelensky’s concerns.
So a top Ukrainian official clearly signaled Ukraine felt strong-armed. It felt pressure.
July 25: Just before the call, Ambassador Kurt Volker directly texts Yermak that if Zelensky persuades Trump that Ukraine will investigate the 2016 theory, then they can set a date for a White House meeting.
So Ukraine was told that only after it commits to doing Trump’s bidding will it get something it badly craves. That’s pressure.
First week of August: Ukrainian officials learn that military aid had been suspended.
Aug. 9: Volker texts Giuliani for guidance on what Ukraine’s statement must say. Trump had told Zelensky that Giuliani was his point man. So Giuliani was being asked to articulate what Ukraine must do to please Trump.
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Aug. 10: In a text exchange Yermak keeps asking Volker for a date for the White House meeting, and says once that’s set, Ukraine will announce the investigations.
This shows Ukraine fully understood that getting the meeting — and the health of the Ukraine-U.S. relationship — was directly contingent on doing Trump’s political bidding. It felt pressure.
Aug 29: Yermak texts Volker in an alarmed tone after seeing press reports that the military aid was withheld. Yermak also contacts Taylor and says he’s very concerned.
Sept. 1: Sondland directly tells Yermak that the military aid wouldn’t come without the statements, per Sondland’s admission. That’s pressure.
Sept 2: Former White House foreign policy adviser Tim Morrison tells Taylor the Ukrainians are troubled by the unexplained frozen aid, according to Taylor. Morrison has confirmed Taylor accurately characterized their conversations.
More at:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...umb-dishonest-defense-trump-is-about-implode/
Greg Sargent
Opinion writer
November 14, 2019 at 9:29 a.m. CST
One of the most dishonest talking points employed by President Trump’s lickspittle loyalists is that Ukraine felt no “pressure” from Trump to carry out his political bidding.
“Both presidents expressly have stated there was no pressure, no demand, no conditions, no blackmail, no corruption,” Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Tex.) intoned at Wednesday’s impeachment hearing, spraying bad faith and phony high dudgeon in all directions like a garden sprinkler.
Republicans made this claim numerous times on the first day, and you’ll hear it countless more times in the coming days. But the already documented facts show this is steaming nonsense.
The latest updates in the Trump impeachment hearings
The claim is based on quotes from the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been desperate to maintain good relations with a U.S. president who already withheld military aid from an ally at a moment of extreme vulnerability under Russian attack.
AD
ADVERTISING
Zelensky said in September that he didn’t feel “pushed” on his July 25 call with Trump, in which Trump demanded “investigations” that would help him politically.
The GOP claim is supposed to undercut the notion that Trump extorted Ukraine to help validate conspiracy theories and lies absolving Russia of sabotaging the 2016 election and smearing potential 2020 rival Joe Biden.
In other words, the assertion is central to showing that Trump didn’t act corruptly in making these demands. How could Trump have used a White House meeting and frozen military aid to extort Ukraine, when he wasn’t even pressuring Zelensky in the first place?
But the timeline of events shows beyond any doubt that officials acting at Trump’s direction did repeatedly pressure Ukraine, and that Ukrainian officials themselves felt pressured and alarmed by what was happening. And upcoming testimony will likely reveal this more forcefully.
AD
To the timeline:
May 1: Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani states publicly he plans a pressure campaign to get those investigations, which would be “very helpful” to Trump.
June 21: Giuliani directly slams Zelensky for failing to launch those investigations.
July 10: Tensions erupt in a White House meeting after Ambassador Gordon Sondland, a ringleader of the scheme, presses Ukrainian officials — top Zelensky aide Andriy Yermak and senior defense official Oleksandr Danyliuk — to undertake those investigations.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified that Ukraine saw this meeting as “critically important” to solidifying U.S. support. Already a crucial Ukraine goal is entangled with Trump’s demands.
July 20: Sondland tells William Taylor, the acting ambassador to Ukraine, that he personally encouraged Zelensky to make it very clear to Trump that he was committed to the investigations Trump wanted, according to Taylor. That’s pressure.
AD
Also on July 20: Danyliuk tells Taylor that Zelensky doesn’t wish to be a pawn in a U.S. campaign, according to Taylor. A text from Sondland shows he, too, recognized Zelensky’s concerns.
So a top Ukrainian official clearly signaled Ukraine felt strong-armed. It felt pressure.
July 25: Just before the call, Ambassador Kurt Volker directly texts Yermak that if Zelensky persuades Trump that Ukraine will investigate the 2016 theory, then they can set a date for a White House meeting.
So Ukraine was told that only after it commits to doing Trump’s bidding will it get something it badly craves. That’s pressure.
First week of August: Ukrainian officials learn that military aid had been suspended.
Aug. 9: Volker texts Giuliani for guidance on what Ukraine’s statement must say. Trump had told Zelensky that Giuliani was his point man. So Giuliani was being asked to articulate what Ukraine must do to please Trump.
AD
Aug. 10: In a text exchange Yermak keeps asking Volker for a date for the White House meeting, and says once that’s set, Ukraine will announce the investigations.
This shows Ukraine fully understood that getting the meeting — and the health of the Ukraine-U.S. relationship — was directly contingent on doing Trump’s political bidding. It felt pressure.
Aug 29: Yermak texts Volker in an alarmed tone after seeing press reports that the military aid was withheld. Yermak also contacts Taylor and says he’s very concerned.
Sept. 1: Sondland directly tells Yermak that the military aid wouldn’t come without the statements, per Sondland’s admission. That’s pressure.
Sept 2: Former White House foreign policy adviser Tim Morrison tells Taylor the Ukrainians are troubled by the unexplained frozen aid, according to Taylor. Morrison has confirmed Taylor accurately characterized their conversations.
More at:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...umb-dishonest-defense-trump-is-about-implode/
