Posted on 08/28/2023 10:20:57 AM PDT by John Semmens
In an interview this week, Viktor Shokin, the Ukraine prosecutor who was investigating Burisma--the firm that employed Hunter Biden--asked "why isn't the fact that Joe Biden bragged he threatened to withhold $1 billion in US aid to Ukraine unless I was fired evidence of his corruption? Is that not paying a bribe for my dismissal?"
Presidential Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pointed out that "President Biden was very clear that his threat to withhold the billion dollars in aid had the full backing of President Obama. The threat to withhold federal aid in order to extort desired behavior is a presidential prerogative of long standing. Since then Vice-President Biden was only acting in accord with President Obama's wishes, his pressuring of Ukraine President Poroshenko to fire Shokin falls under the umbrella of this prerogative."
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) validated the Press Secretary's remarks, saying "I know it might be difficult for those unfamiliar with American governance to understand that offering to give or withhold public funds has long been considered a legitimate method for inducing compliance. This is to be distinguished from giving or withholding of private money for inducing compliance with a desired course of action, which, in contrast, is illegal."
Sarah Chayes, a former NPR reporter and special adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, disagreed with her fellow Democrats' efforts "to whitewash the Bidens' access-peddling business. Taking money from foreign oligarchs to influence US government policy goes far beyond the traditionally accepted pork payoffs to political supporters for their votes. The President and his Party should be ashamed of this behavior."
In related news, US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg has come out in favor of "a post-war aid package of $500 billion to rebuild Ukraine. They put their lives on the line to fight for democracy against the evil Putin regime. It is our obligation to repay their valor by repairing the damage they sustained in this noble battle for freedom."
If you missed any of the other Semi-News/Semi-Satire posts you can find them at...
https://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,510652.0.html
No one has a “right” to demand that the USA give them money.
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