Ohio GOP Sen. Rob Portman: Trump wrong to seek help from Ukraine, China
Source: Columbus Dispatch
While he still says impeachment is too extreme, Sen. Rob Portman readily acknowledged today that President Donald Trump should not have asked the Ukraine or China for help investigating former Vice President Joe Biden.
The Ohio Republican also disputed Trumps characterization of an ousted Ukrainian as an aggressive battler of corruption, whom the president asserts was fired because he was digging into Biden and his son Hunters business dealings. Portman was part of a bipartisan group of senators who wrote a letter to the Ukraine president in 2016 seeking reforms in the prosecutors office; today, Portman said the senators believed the prosecutor wasnt doing nearly enough to root out corruption not because he was doing too much.
And although Portman confirmed that Trump cited a lack of help from European nations as a reason for holding up aid authorized by Congress for Ukraine, the senator said he never heard that assertion until he spoke to the president personally Sept. 11. Earlier conversations with Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper and other Trump administration officials turned up no reason for the hold-up, Portman said.
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Portman also expressed dismay that Trump offered the services of U.S. Attorney General William Barr and the presidents personal attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, to help the Ukrainians in the twin probes.
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Read more: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20191007/ohio-gop-sen-rob-portman-trump-wrong-to-seek-help-from-ukraine-china
exboyfil
(17,863 posts)You and Collins have the vapors.
irisblue
(32,980 posts)For Portman
🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵. He is a self aware politician with minimal morals
berni_mccoy
(23,018 posts)This will have repercussions.
Maeve
(42,282 posts)But if he's starting to back away, we may be close to a dam break.
Cousin Dupree
(1,866 posts)yellowcanine
(35,699 posts)Apparently it is a low misdemeanor in Portman's eyes.
philf99
(238 posts)He isn't a leader but if a few republicans stick their necks out he may join them.
But I am not "holding my breath"
Ohiogal
(32,006 posts)Express that dismay! Find it concerning!
You spineless blob.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)If Republicans start bringing up Trump's bullshit excuses:
1. The investigation into the gas company was about a possible money laundering incident that occured before Hunter Biden had anything to do with the company. There was zero threat of Hunter being prosecuted for anything.
2. The EU gave $16.4 billion in aid to Ukraine since 2014. Trump's claim of them not doing their part is (of course) a total fabrication.
3. The push to get rid of the Ukrainian prosecuter was a multinational push, and was bipartisan here (as Sen. Portman just pointed out).