Security expert: Unredacted batch of Ukraine documents ‘reveal key decision points’ that underscore White House legal troubles

It remains to be seen when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will send the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the U.S. Senate: although the U.S. House of Representatives indicted Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress on December 18, Pelosi was still holding onto the articles on January 2. But Democrats certainly have a mountain of evidence to work with, and security expert Kate Brannen examines some of the Ukraine-related documents in an in-depth report for Just Security.

One of those documents is an August 30 e-mail from Michael Duffey, associate director of national security programs for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In that e-mail, Brannen notes, Duffey told Pentagon Comptroller Elaine McCusker, “Clear direction from POTUS to continue to hold.” Duffey was referring to the hold that Trump had placed on military aid to Ukraine, which House Democrats say was offered by Trump on the condition that the Ukrainian government investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.