Giuliani is potentially on his way to an indictment. The Yovanovich transcript released today shows that Giuliani engaged in a smear campaign against her in Ukraine in order to justify Trump removing her from her post. Trump wanted her gone so he and Rudy could pressure President Zelensky to conduct a conspiracy theory investigation into the Bidens. He also wanted to investigate Ukraine interference in the 2016 Presidential election, to discredit US Intelligence Agencies’ findings that it was Russia that did the interfering.
Yovanovich is a well-respected career State Department official who has served in 6 administrations of both political parties. Giuliani’s underhanded tactic of convincing prosecutor-general Lutsenko to oust her from her assignment was part of a Trump strategy to exonerate Russia from the wrongdoing it conducted which was documented in the Mueller Report.
Per Ms. Yovanovich’s testimony, the US policies she was carrying out in Ukraine were making progress in stopping corrupt behaviors in which Lutsenko himself was engaged. She explained that Giuliani’s presence in Ukraine was highly suspect. He was literally engaged in conducting shadow diplomacy that undermined the existing US State Department policy to help Ukraine maintain a non-corrupt, strong democracy.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did nothing to protect Ambassador Yovanovich from the campaign led by Giuliani to damage her reputation with the Ukraine government. It has been reported that Pompeo knew that Giuliani was inserting himself into US foreign policy in Ukraine despite the fact that he does not work for the State Department. Pompeo has turned his back on the men and women of the State Department and now runs the department in alignment with Trump and not what is best for the American people. Pompeo has lost all credibility, like many other professionals who joined Trump World. The number of Trump loyalists who have lost their jobs, their freedom or their morals is staggering.
The impeachment inquiry is uncovering corrupt actions by Trump, Giuliani, Pompeo and others that are threatening our national security and degrading the office of the presidency and the reputation of the State Department. Loyalists to this president must follow the proceedings in the impeachment inquiry and be open to the facts. In order to get out of the Trump bubble, they should ask themselves, “What if Obama or Clinton asked a foreign government to investigate a US citizen, their political opponent, and withheld congressionally appropriated military aide in order to get what they wanted?”
The corruption is rampant in the Trump Administration and the impeachment inquiry is necessary to uncover the facts. Why are Republicans so angry at the House looking to find out the facts in the Ukraine scandal and other suspect actions by Trump? What happened to their spines and their patriotism? All Americans should care more about the survival of our Democracy than the adoration they feel for this snake-oil, circus-barker president.
