Trump Energy Secretary Rick Perry is resigning by the end of next month and naturally, people are asking what role he played in the Ukraine/Biden mess, considering Hunter Biden was on the board of a Ukrainian energy company. While the focus has rightfully been on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Perry played a role in Trump's efforts to fabricate evidence against the Bidens to use in 2020 too, and that certainly explains his sudden exit.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry urged Ukraine's president to root out corruption and pushed the new government for changes at its state-run oil and gas company, people familiar with his work said Friday — indications that he was more deeply involved than previously known in President Donald Trump’s efforts to pressure officials in Kiev.
The people said they have no indication that Perry explicitly called on Ukrainian officials to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, the issue that has spawned a House impeachment inquiry into Trump. But at the very least, they said, Perry played an active role in the Trump administration's efforts to shape decisions by the newly elected government of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Among other changes, Perry pushed for Ukraine’s state-owned natural gas company Naftogaz to expand its board to include Americans, two people familiar with the matter said. Two long-time energy executives based in Perry’s home state of Texas were among those under consideration for that role, one source familiar with the administration’s dealings with the company said.
Energy Department spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes said Perry had advised that the board be expanded. She was not immediately able to comment on whether Perry had suggested names to fill new seats.
A White House spokesman referred questions to DOE.
So just to be clear, Perry's job was to use his influence to get Americans on to a board of an Ukrainian energy company, exactly what Trump is accusing Joe Biden of doing, only this was Perry's stated goal as Energy Secretary.
It gets worse, of course.
Trump has defended his calls for Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, maintaining he has an “obligation to look at corruption.” Text messages released on Thursday showed U.S. diplomats discussing how a potential summit between Zelensky and Trump would depend on Ukraine “getting to the bottom of what happened” in the 2016 U.S. election, which Trump maintains was marred by an unproven conspiracy against him by Democrats and foreign allies.
Perry, who POLITICO reported is expected to resign next month, attended Zelensky's May inauguration in Kiev in place of Vice President Mike Pence. In addition, he was one of the administration’s "three amigos" on Ukrainian policy, along with Kurt Volker, the U.S. special representative for the Ukraine conflict, and Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, as Sondland described their relationship in a July broadcast interview.
And keep in mind Volker has already talked, his damning text messages showing a delightful little quid pro quo game in the works, implicating Sondland, who is expected to talk Tuesday.
Now do you see why the "third amigo" is planning his resignation? He's up to his neck in this, and he wants out.
Democrats need to get him in front of a committee under oath.
Now.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment