Daily Update | October 31, 2019
Kyle Skinner // 10/31/19 //
On the impeachment front, questions emerge about the treatment of former Ambassador to Ukraine Maria Yovanovitch;Just Security reports that the Pentagon warned the White House about withholding funds; and a high-ranking officer testifies that he was troubled by the Trump-Zelensky call. In other news, a three-judge panel stays a lower-court ruling that would have required grand jury materials to be turned over to Congress, and questions linger about who the next DHS head will be.
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
Tim Morrison, the White House advisor on Russia and Europe, will testify before the impeachment committees today (WaPo).
Two diplomats testified on Wednesday that Trump’s view of Ukraine was out of step with White House and State Department officials (WaPo).
- You can read their opening statements at Lawfare.
Questions about the treatment of Maria Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, became central in the Senate confirmation hearing of John Sullivan, Trump’s nominee as amabassador to Russia (WaPo).
On Tuesday, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified that he was troubled by the call between Trump and Zelensky and that some details were omitted from the rough transcript that he tried to add back in (NYT).
New reporting shows that the Pentagon warned the White House that if funds for Ukraine were not authorized by August 6, there would not be enough time to spend them before the end of the fiscal year (Just Security).
Bob Bauer analyzes the foundationsn and limitations of Republican ‘due process’ defenses of Trump in the impeachment inquiry (Lawfare).
INVESTIGATIONS & LITIGATION
Last week’s ruling that documents from the Mueller grand jury investigation should be shown to the House Judiciary Committee has been stayed (The Hill).
IMMIGRATION
An exodus of children fleeing from Central America combined with the Trump Administration’s policies have led to record numbers of minors detained at the border (NYT).
REGULATION
Sean Hecht argues that DOJ’s lawsuit to end the California-Quebec climate treaty was politically motivated, even if not coordinated with the White House (Planet Law).
DEMOCRACY
Moderate Dems in the House and Senate are urging for appropriations toward election security (The Hill).
Christopher Wray testifies that he is concerned about election interference from both Russia and China through disinformation campaigns (The Hill).
Twitter will stop showing political ads starting in November (Ars Techica).
JUSTICE & SAFETY
With the DHS head leaving, there are questions over who will—or could—replace him (WaPo).