This didn’t get enough attention yesterday, and it was a big break in the Ukraine-Impeachment saga:
George Kent, the deputy assistant secretary of state in charge of Ukraine policy, testified before House committees after the State Department tried to block his appearance. He told Congressional investigators that Always-Wrong Rudy was part of a disinformation campaign to smear President Trump’s political targets: Vice President Joe Biden and then-ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.
Per Kent, White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney decided that Ukraine policy should be placed in the hands of the three amigos.
The Three Amigos: Energy Secretary Rick Perry, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and special U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker.
Kent testified that he was told by administration officials to “lay low” on Ukraine as “three amigos” took over U.S. foreign policy toward the Eastern European ally, AP reports.
Also on the Impeachment front, Tiger Beat on the Potomac (AKA Politico, thanks Charlie Pierce) tells us…
“Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders will hold off on a full House vote authorizing an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, according to multiple lawmakers and aides.
“Democratic leadership sources caution, however, that the decision could be ‘reassessed at some point.’ The move came amid opposition from key chairmen and members of leadership, as well as a number of centrist Democrats facing tough reelection bids.”
All I can add is that anytime Democrats take the Republicans' advice, it ends up being a loss for us. By voting on it now, it would keep the focus very narrowly on Ukraine related things, and any other crimes found outside of that would not be included.
Also: there is no requirement in the Constitution to take a preliminary vote. This is all GOP BS.
