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.
The attorneys for advice columnist E. Jean Carroll say they want to determine whether Trump's genetic material is on a dress she says she wore during the encounter. They served a legal notice Thursday to one of Trump's lawyers demanding the sample.
As Republicans gain in confidence that they can block a vote on witnesses, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Cheddar he still thinks Democrats can prevail in tomorrow’s expected witness vote.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, January 30, 2020.
The president has argued he has absolute immunity to bar testimony, an issue Minnesota's Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar would like to question.
The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a low level Wednesday amid an economy that looks solid but faces potential global threats.
Senators began submitting questions as the next phase of President Trump's impeachment trial opened Wednesday, including Republican Susan Collins on behalf of herself and colleagues Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney.
The Democratic senator from Virginia expressed concern that the impeachment trial of President Trump also puts to question the impartiality of the entire American system of justice as well.
President Donald Trump has signed into law a major rewrite of the rules of trade with Canada and Mexico.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, January 29, 2020.
The president's legal team has argued that a quid pro quo on foreign aid to investigate a political rival is not impeachable
