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GAO finds Trump administration broke law by withholding aid from Ukraine
The Hill ^ | 01/16/20 10:06 AM EST | BY REBECCA KLAR

Posted on 01/16/2020 7:57:13 AM PST by Swordmaker

The Trump administration violated the law by withholding appropriated security assistance to Ukraine, the Government Accountability Office said Thursday in a report.

The independent watchdog said the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) withheld the appropriated funds last summer.

The report said U.S. law “does not permit the president to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law.”

“Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the [Impound Control Act],” GAO said.

The withholding of the aid is central to the ongoing impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

--This breaking news report will be updated.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bs; gao; impeachment; presidenttrump; trumpukraine; ukraine
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To: Swordmaker

I often ask: what is the point of electing a POTUS when bureaucratic mofos and lefty arse politicians seeks to undermine, question, and otherwise tell a POTUS what he/she can or cannot do? Like wtf?


21 posted on 01/16/2020 8:06:12 AM PST by cranked
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To: Swordmaker

If the President violated the Impound Control Act, why didn’t the Democrats cite it in their articles of impeachment? Oops!

Stupid House Democrats didn’t think of getting the GAO’s opinion? Its too late. Their ship has sailed.

And its still an opinion from government bureaucrats in the GAO, not a legal finding of fact.

Means nothing.


22 posted on 01/16/2020 8:06:37 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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Impoundment Control Act—Withholding of Funds through Their Date of Expiration

The law applies to rescission, not holding, which is in fact permitted. The Government Accountability Office is misreading the actual law which states that the President may temporarily withhold funds from obligation-but not beyond the end of the fiscal year. It is obvious to all who can read and comprehend that the funds for Ukraine were not held beyond the end of the fiscal year. Oops. The Democrats in the GAO, an arm of the Democrat controlled House of Representatives, staffed almost, if not exclusively by Democrats, is obfuscating what the law allows.

23 posted on 01/16/2020 8:07:51 AM PST by Swordmaker (My pistol self-identifies as an iPad, so you must accept it in gun-free zones, you hoplophobe bigot!)
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To: Artcore

The WAPO is having a field day with this.


24 posted on 01/16/2020 8:08:13 AM PST by Shady (One More Time: CO2 is PLANT FOOD! Without it we die. Any questions?)
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To: Swordmaker

So, an accounting office determines and pronounces guilt? Bureaucrats are above all 3 branches of government now?

FUDS


25 posted on 01/16/2020 8:08:24 AM PST by Dr.Deth
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To: Swordmaker

The Deep State is desperate to get this man because he’s the ONLY ONE who can expose the widespread and deep corruption within our government. If he’s driven out of office they retake power and our country is finished!


26 posted on 01/16/2020 8:09:00 AM PST by dowcaet
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To: Swordmaker

I think this is the, throw everything at the news cycle time. They will do everything they can to throw stuff into the news that is not verified. It will come from everywhere. It will be a huge garbage dump of fake news. The idea is to shake the resolve of the senate. Nothing will be checked. It will all be reported, like another Kavanaugh.


27 posted on 01/16/2020 8:09:38 AM PST by poinq
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To: Swordmaker

Hi, Swordy!

Is the GAO tasked with determining violations of law under their charter?
Are they part of the DOJ?


28 posted on 01/16/2020 8:09:48 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (The Republican Party: Freeing Americans since 1865.)
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To: Westbrook
Right near "collusion", guaranteed abortions and banning some types of scary guns. 🐷💨💩
29 posted on 01/16/2020 8:10:25 AM PST by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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To: Swordmaker

Just over 90% of federal workers are Democrats, for them it was an easy call.


30 posted on 01/16/2020 8:10:38 AM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart - I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: Swordmaker

The Independent Watchdog = Democrat Party

PU lingers


31 posted on 01/16/2020 8:10:42 AM PST by Vaduz (women and children to be impacIQ of chimpsted the most.)
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To: Swordmaker

I mean once he got caught breaking the law he released the aid, so it really wasn’t that bad!!

I was shoplifting once and when the security guard grabbed me I put the watch back on the shelf. NO CRIME!


32 posted on 01/16/2020 8:10:45 AM PST by babble-on
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To: Swordmaker

It boils down to this: Radical Leftist regressives, including their Deep State minions, hate everything — Trump, conservatives, America, Christianity, peace & prosperity, firearms, American citizens, unborn babies, themselves.


33 posted on 01/16/2020 8:11:15 AM PST by twister881 (Jeffrey Epstein did not kill himself)
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To: Swordmaker
Actually, the law explicitly does allow President Trump to withhold aid money.

In fact, there are other laws that require him to withhold the funds based on corruption concerns.

This one is for all the marbles and people are going to go down

There is obvious corruption in Ukraine and Democrats and some Republicans were taking part in the corruption via massive kick backs on misappropriated US foreign aid to Ukraine. These kick backs were laundered through complex transactions with multiple banks in multiple countries.

The guilty are trying to hide this by saying that the investigations into their corruption are political retribution, abuse of power and the evidence was faked by Russian hackers working for Putin

Of course, this does not explain the millions of dollars sent to the personal accounts of the Democrats involved.

The GAO leadership is as dirty as the FBI.

34 posted on 01/16/2020 8:11:18 AM PST by rdcbn ( Referentiai)
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To: Swordmaker

The GAO is an independent watchdog? Really? Where does it get its funding? Bake sales?


35 posted on 01/16/2020 8:11:41 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: Blueflag
So, when Obama didn’t execute immigration laws, which Congress passed ... and some president signed ... he didn’t violate the law?

Of course he did, but he has so many layers of protection, that the gutless old party, won’t hold him accountable.

36 posted on 01/16/2020 8:11:53 AM PST by Mark17 (Father of Air Force Officer in pilot training. Air Force aircraft, go much faster than Army tanks)
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To: Vaduz

Same Deep State, different Deep State Channel.


37 posted on 01/16/2020 8:12:03 AM PST by FlipWilson
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To: Swordmaker

Why was this released at this exact moment?

For the same reason that the dems will begin releasing a flood of claims, accusations, condemnations and false testimonies against Trump.

They begin today. They end, ... when Trump is a private citizen.

It’s going to be mean and brutal.

Dems have a stable of whores they can call on at any moment to make a declaration which the compliant news media will eagerly pick up and broadcast.


38 posted on 01/16/2020 8:12:16 AM PST by I want the USA back (If free speech is taken away, dumb and silent we are led, like sheep to the slaughter: G Washington)
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To: Williams

OMB is run by RATS, the entire workforce in the government are democRats. The Giant Deep State.


39 posted on 01/16/2020 8:12:25 AM PST by boomop1 (Term limits is the only way to change this failed government.)
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To: Westbrook
What law?

USC title, please.

Title USC Ch. 17B: IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL

40 posted on 01/16/2020 8:12:28 AM PST by Swordmaker (My pistol self-identifies as an iPad, so you must accept it in gun-free zones, you hoplophobe bigot!)
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