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.
President Donald Trump, in a fiery letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is objecting to impeachment articles and accuses Democrats of “subverting” democracy. Trump's letter to the speaker came as Democrats were pushing ahead toward a Wednesday vote expected to result in his impeachment.
The middle-of-the-night moves on Capitol Hill blindsided the solar sector. The industry had launched an ambitious lobbying effort this summer to extend the industry's tax credit and until last night had believed that an extension would be included in the tax packages.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Tuesday, December 17, 2019.
Cheddar's Justin Chermol spent time with Mayor Pete boosters in the early primary state of New Hampshire.
U.S. stocks rallied in early trading Monday, rising with European and several Asian markets after China, the world's second-largest economy, reported surprisingly strong signs of life.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, December 16, 2019.
Led by Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump, the White House Summit on Child Care and Paid Leave is the first major meeting on the issue by the Trump Administration.
Impeachment charges against President Donald Trump went to the full House on Friday, following approval by the House Judiciary Committee.
Boris Johnson's gamble on early elections paid off as voters gave the UK prime minister a commanding majority to take the country out of the European Union by the end of January, a decisive result after more than three years of stalemate over Brexit.
A self-described activist, Zozibini Tunzi said she hopes to continue her work against gender-based violence and in favor of gender equality.
