Federal Agency: White House Violated Law by Withholding Military Aid to Ukraine
by JOSHUA CAPLAN16 Jan 2020
FTA:
The White House violated the law by temporarily withholding U.S. military aid to Ukraine, said a Government Accountability Office report published on Thursday.
Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law. OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA). The withholding was not a programmatic delay. Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the ICA,” it concluded.
The Office of Management and Budget placed a hold on the aid on July 25, “pending a policy decision,” and was lifted on September 12, the office’s general counsel Mark Paoletta has said. Paoletta wrote in a December letter to the GAO that the hold was a “programmatic delay,” and thus, Congress did not require prior notice of the move.
The OMB issued a statement in response to the report’s findings, reaffirming that the hold was appropriate.
“We disagree with GAO’s opinion. OMB uses its apportionment authority to ensure taxpayer dollars are properly spent consistent with the President’s priorities and with the law,” OMB spokeswoman Rachel Semmel said.
Apparently, Bolton (?) authorized release.
He is now in Qatar, which has no extradition treaty with the US.
My money is on Sanders.🤪
I mean, who can trust Lieawatha? Srsly?🤥#DemocratImplosion
pic.twitter.com/WQkT2mCt27— ∂(Megan)/∂(t)🇺🇸 (@neuro7plastic) January 16, 2020