WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government's watchdog agency said Thursday a White House office violated federal law in withholding security assistance to Ukraine.
The Government Accountability Office said in a report that the Office of Management and Budget violated the law in holding up the aid. The freeze is at the center of the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
The independent agency, which reports to Congress, said OMB violated the Impoundment Control Act in delaying the security assistance Congress authorized for Ukraine for “policy reasons,” rather than technical budgetary needs.
“Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law,” wrote the agency's general counsel, Thomas Armstrong, in the report.
OMB has argued the hold was appropriate and necessary.
“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," said OMB spokeswoman Rachel Semmel.
Trump was impeached last month on charges of abusing his power for pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rivals, as he was withholding the aid, and for obstructing Congress' ensuing probe. The Senate is set to begin its trial on Thursday.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif. 83rd District) on Tuesday joined Cheddar to express her support for the protest movement rocking the nation and to officially endorse Joe Biden for president.
GOP Iowa Rep. Steve King lost his primary race , former CIA agent Valerie Plame, famously outed in a scandal involving the George W. Bush White House, lost her bid for a seat in New Mexico, and Joe Biden comes closer to the official Democratic nomination.
More than 4,000 people have been arrested over the last six days during sweeping protests across the country in response to the police killing of black Minneapolis resident, George Floyd. Cheddar's Megan Pratz takes a deep dive into the rights of protesters and how to protect yourself while demonstrating.
Stocks are closing higher on Wall Street for the third day in a row, continuing a stretch of gains for the market.
The state of Minnesota has filed a human rights complaint against the Minneapolis Police Department in the death of George Floyd who died after an officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for minutes, even after he stopped moving.
Nine states and the District of Columbia are voting. Tuesday's elections will be the largest slate of presidential primaries in almost three months.
Former NAACP President, Ben Jealous, sits with Cheddar's Jill Wagner to speak on nation's unrest and President Trumps response.
Joe Biden blistered President Donald Trump a day after police drove back peaceful protesters near the White House so Trump could pose with a Bible before a damaged church.
Rep. Clarke spoke to Cheddar about the NYPD and Mayor De Blasio's handling on two NYPD squad cars driving into a crowd of protesters over the weekend.
As demonstrations across the country grow more violent by the day, Rashad Robinson says a lack of leadership in the White House is part of the issue.
