Three House committee chairs subpoenaed the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Monday for key documents related to the House impeachment inquiry. A press release from the chairs of the House Intelligence, Oversight, and Foreign Affairs committees says they are investigating the "extent to which President Trump jeopardized national security" by pressuring Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election and withholding military aid to the country, and any potential related cover-ups on the matter.
"According to multiple press reports, at some point in July 2019, President Trump ordered Acting OMB chief Mick Mulvaney to freeze the military aid to Ukraine, and Mulvaney reportedly conveyed the President's order ‘through the budget office to the Pentagon and the State Department, which were told only that the administration was looking at whether the spending was necessary,’” read a press release from the House Intelligence Committee.
In a letter to the agencies, Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff, Oversight Chair Elijah Cummings, and Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel further wrote, "The enclosed subpoena demands documents that are necessary for the Committees to examine this sequence of these events and the reasons behind the White House's decision to withhold critical military assistance to Ukraine that was appropriated by Congress to counter Russian aggression.”
The press release cites recent reporting asserting that administration officials said the hold-up on aid was related to a supposed "interagency process," with no further details. It also references a story noting that the Departments of State and Defense were "puzzled and alarmed" by the delay. Also included is a report from last week in which Sen. Ron Johnson confirmed that U.S. diplomat Gordon Sondland told him Trump would "release the military spending" if Ukraine would "get to the bottom of what happened in 2016."
If you’re keeping track at home, House Democrats have now subpoenaed the White House (c/o Mick Mulvaney), Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Pentagon, the White House budget office (OMB), and Trump’s fixer Rudy Giuliani. They have also asked for documents from Vice President Mike Pence, but have not subpoenaed him.