White House Advised Diplomats To ‘Play Down’ Release Of Ukraine Funds

New reporting shows the White House advised diplomats to “play down” the release of security funding to Ukraine once the money was finally approved. Newly-released emails show the officials knew the funds were being held for corrupt purposes but chose to look the other way. From the New York Times:

“Keep moving, people, nothing to see here …” Brad Freden, the State Department’s acting deputy assistant secretary overseeing issues in Europe and Eurasia, wrote in a Sept. 12 email obtained by The New York Times.

He said the National Security Council would not publicly announce that $141 million in State Department assistance was being restored after being held up in what the White House described as a normal review.

The money is now at the heart of an impeachment inquiry by House Democrats into whether President Trump withheld a total of $391 million in funding as he sought damaging information on his political opponents from Ukraine’s newly elected leader.

Much more at the link.