Trump Impeachment News: Military Aid Reportedly Not Only Thing Used To Pressure Ukraine Into Biden Investigation

The White House reportedly denied restoration of Ukraine’s trade privileges in August, an indication pressure on Kyiv to open an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden extended beyond military aid and an Oval Office visit.

The Washington Post reported Thursday U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer withdrew a recommendation that Ukraine’s trade privileges be restored following a warning from then-national security adviser John Bolton that President Trump likely would oppose it. A third of Ukraine’s trade privileges were suspended in 2017 over concerns the country routinely violated U.S. intellectual property rights.

The August action came after the administration already had frozen $391 million in military aid and Trump had asked Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden and his son, Hunter.

The Post said it was unclear whether Trump directed Bolton to intervene on the trade issue. Paperwork reinstating Ukraine trade privileges was withdrawn again last week as the impeachment inquiry in Congress heated up.

Closed-door testimony before House impeachment investigators has indicated the trade privileges issue came up as the White House was saying assistance to Ukraine was dependent on Zelensky announcing an investigation into the Bidens and a debunked conspiracy theory involving Ukraine interference in the 2016 presidential election.

On Capitol Hill, House impeachment investigators suspended depositions for the rest of the week to pay homage to Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., whose body laid in state in the Capitol rotunda Thursday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., unveiled a resolution condemning the impeachment inquiry, which he described as nothing more than partisan rancor despite testimony from career diplomats describing machinations by Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani to circumvent regular diplomatic channels. The resolution has 44 co-sponsors, leaving nine senators who have not given it their backing, including Mitt Romney of Utah.

The resolution was introduced one day after about two dozen Republicans stormed the secure hearing room where the depositions are being taken. They were demanding they be allowed to sit in on the testimony even though none of them sat on committees conducting the investigation. Republican members of the relevant committees have been in on the proceedings.

Trump was back on Twitter Thursday ranting about witch hunts and thanking the lawmakers who succeeded only in delaying the deposition of a Defense Department employee by five hours.

The issue may be moot anyway. Democrats are considering public hearings by mid-November.