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.
Romney called Trump's actions — the president was impeached on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress— "perhaps the most abusive and destructive" violation of oath of office that I can imagine."
Minneapolis City Council member Andrea Jenkins discussed her range of issues including city services, the LGBTQ community, communities of color, infrastructure, economic development, and the future of the U.S. presidency.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, February 5, 2020.
Tonight President Donald Trump gets to issue his third State of the Union address to lawmakers and guests on Capitol Hill. Cheddar is keeping track of the night's best moments.
Democratic state Rep. Robert "Renny" Cushing told Cheddar that the Granite State, surrounded by adult-use legal states, needs to get with the times.
Democratic Party officials in Iowa have released more than 60 percent their delayed caucus results. Confusion and chaos still hang over Iowa and its first-in-the-nation presidential contest.
Technology companies and banks led a broad rally for U.S. stocks in midday trading Tuesday following solid gains overseas. China took more steps to soften the financial blow of the virus outbreak and its main stock index rose following a plunge a day earlier.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, February 4, 2020.
Voting in the 2020 election kicks off today, exactly nine months before Election Day, as Iowans gather at more than 1,600 caucus sites to pick their favorite candidate.
Councilman Ritchie Torres told Cheddar that cashless businesses might uphold institutionalized racism and discriminate against low-income people who are unbanked or underbanked.
