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I’ve had a sick day today, so I’ve been watching the day’s political news — even more than usual.
And this significant story could barely get a word in edgewise, due to the other more significant news (Senate Impeachment Trial started; the fall-out from the Maddow Parnas Interview — Part 1).
However, WHEN this Government Accountability Office (GAO) story did make it into a 2-minute block here and there — nearly everyone commented it was a very important story. Citing the fact that it was important new Evidence — proving the illegality of the Trump Extortion scheme in Ukraine.
(Sidenote: Senators from both sides of the aisle having historically heeded and respected the GAO, due to its being non-partisan, and its critical dogged focus on Fiscal Accountability.)
READ: GAO report finding Trump administration broke the law on Ukraine aid
BY THE HILL STAFF — 01/16/20
The Trump administration violated the law by withholding promised security assistance aid to Ukraine, the Government Accountability Office said Thursday in a new report.
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"Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law," it continues. "OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA). The withholding was not a programmatic delay. Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the ICA."
Here are some key points from the GAO report itself, including the fact that the OMB to tried block the GAO investigation, into their actions to put the appropriated funds for Ukraine Military Aid “on hold” … something the OMB had no authority to do:
Matter of: Office of Management and Budget—Withholding of Ukraine Security Assistance
File: B-331564
Date: January 16, 2020
DIGEST
In the summer of 2019, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) withheld from obligation funds appropriated to the Department of Defense (DOD) for security assistance to Ukraine. In order to withhold the funds, OMB issued a series of nine apportionment schedules with footnotes that made all unobligated balances unavailable for obligation.
Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law. OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA). The withholding was not a programmatic delay. Therefore, we conclude that OMB violated the ICA.
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CONCLUSION [pg 7-8]
OMB violated the ICA when it withheld DOD’s USAI funds from obligation for policy reasons. This impoundment of budget authority was not a programmatic delay.
OMB and State have failed, as of yet, to provide the information we need to fulfill our duties under the ICA regarding potential impoundments of FMF funds. We will continue to pursue this matter and will provide our decision to the Congress after we have received the necessary information.
We consider a reluctance to provide a fulsome response to have constitutional significance. GAO’s role under the ICA — to provide information and legal analysis to Congress as it performs oversight of executive activity — is essential to ensuring respect for and allegiance to Congress’ constitutional power of the purse. All federal officials and employees take an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution and its core tenets, including the congressional power of the purse. We trust that State and OMB will provide the information needed.
I previously reported on “the tug of war” for these funds, on Jan 2nd, in this post:
DOD Comptroller: “You can’t be serious. I am speechless.”
Elaine McCusker, the acting Pentagon comptroller, in a series of emails warned the OMB that what they were doing was violating the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. This law was put in place after Richard Nixon withheld Congressionally-authorized Funding, as a means of retaliation.
As the whole scheme was about to bust wide open, Michael Duffey, associate director of national security programs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), turned the tables on McCusker. Duffey escalated the situation by bringing more people into the discussion, as he proceeded to blamed McCusker for not releasing the Ukraine funds — the same funds Duffey had previously been telling her to keep “on pause” on the “clear direction from POTUS” ...
SO, if the OMB “broke the Law” by putting the appropriated funds on hold — this law-breaking was on the “clear direction from POTUS”.
How many other Laws of the United States of America have be broken, on similar such “clear directions”? — ie. “on Trump orders” ??
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About the highly respected GAO watchdog agency:
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, reliable information to help the government save money and work more efficiently.
Producing reports and testimonies for Congress and other agencies, are among the GAO’s important money-monitoring missions:
GAO’s reports and testimonies give Congress, federal agencies, and the public timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
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Just another day in the Trump neighborhood, I guess, when the GAO issues a report that the Administration actively broke the clear Law. And then actively obstructed their investigation too, into those law-breaking activities — of a anti-constitutional nature.
The story barely made page 12 of today’s headlines … Just another day in the Trump neighborhood — where graft and corruption are the norm … and not the rare exceptions.