Chad Pergram
@ChadPergram
Hse 1/6 cmte mtg virtually today. Will decide whether to issue criminal referrals to DoJ
6:55 AM · Dec 2, 2022
Will they admit they got nothing? Or count on DOJ not caring about facts and laws?
EU Testing Legal Options To Use Frozen Russian Central Bank Assets For Ukraine Reconstruction
The EU is continuing its attempts to forge a legal pathway forward whereby it can seize frozen Russian central bank assets and divert them to funding Ukraine’s reconstruction, however, steep enough legal hurdles remain to have thus far thwarted the plans.
“We have blocked €300 billion of the Russian Central Bank reserves, and we have frozen €19 billion of Russian oligarchs’ money,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen boasted in a statement this week. And speaking of her goal of utilizing confiscated assets by EU member states to rebuild war-devasted Ukraine, she said further, “We will work on an international agreement with our partners to make this possible. And together, we can find legal ways to get to it.”
“Russia and its oligarchs have to compensate Ukraine for the damage and cover the costs for rebuilding the country. And we have the means to make Russia pay,” she contineud.
But the issue remains that among most member states, there are clear legal roadblocks making it difficult or impossible to seize frozen assets if the individual or entity in question has not first been convicted criminally.
On this question, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pointed out starting months ago that confiscating Russian state assets “should not be done lightly, should be carried out only in co-ordination with allies and might require legislation in the US” - as the FT paraphrased of her words.
I don’t care how bad the Russians and their oligarchs are, making theft legal is wrong. The Europeans have already made comments on how much our oil companies are making off them. And yesterday Macron complained about our legislation giving subsidies to US car manufacturers putting EU at disadvantage. The whole world thinks we owe them.
Sorry if posted.
Good guy here.
https://twitter.com/robsmithonline/status/1598722356847026178
Rob Smith 🇺🇸 on Twitter: “This guy had the guts to speak from the heart about Balenciaga while his gutless co-hosts quaked in fear of having an Unapproved Opinion. He ripped out his earpiece because he was being told to stop and he didn’t care. Bravo.”