Republicans welch on promise to subpoena Ukrainian whistleblower

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Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has decided NOT to subpoena Andrii Telizhenko the Ukrainian national who worked for a U.S. lobbying firm acting on behalf of Burisma.

He was interviewed by Rudy Giuliani and makes a convincing case for corruption. Someone should interview him. The DOJ hasn’t interviewed him either.

Johnson pulled back as Democrats attacked the probe as politically motivated, emphasizing Joe Biden’s surge in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Democrats actually warned it could play into Russian efforts to spread disinformation ahead of the presidential election in November. Sounds like a threat.

Democrats are actually the Russian’s best vehicles for spreading Russian disinformation.

INDEFINITE POSTPONEMENT

In a message Wednesday to members of the panel — sent roughly and suspiciously an hour before a planned vote — Johnson said he would indefinitely postpone the subpoena for documents and testimony from Andrii Telizhenko.

Johnson said he was doing so “[o]ut of an abundance of caution and to allow time for [senators] to receive additional briefings.” 

More foot-dragging and backing off.

Johnson indicated that the investigation would continue. In an interview on Wednesday, he said he’d try to directly subpoena the lobbying firm, Blue Star Strategies. 

“My concern is they have not been cooperative,” he said. “If we can get all the records, get all the answers, that’s great. If not, we’re going to have to continue and use other measures.” 

Another waste of time.

ROMNEY AND PORTMAN INVOLVED?

Johnson was getting grief from his fellow Republicans.

Two GOP panel members, Mitt Romney of Utah and Rob Portman of Ohio were very uncomfortable with the subpoena. Romney said last week that he was concerned the probe would look like it’s politically motivated, but agreed to sign the subpoena — allegedly. Portman, another Trump-hating RINO, privately expressed concerns about the reliability of any information Telizhenko might share. 

Portman declined to answer when asked whether he withheld his vote for the Telizhenko subpoena, forcing Johnson to change course. “I think he’s made the right decision,” he said. 

Romney was thrilled with the decision.

“I applaud his decision to take a close look at this and to see if we could find a proposal that meets with the support of both parties.” 

AT SOME POINT

Asked whether he had the votes to move forward with the Telizhenko subpoena, Johnson said, “Yes, at some point.” 

“It is what it is,” he added. “We will continue to iron out the discrepancies that were raised over the last couple of days, and I can’t really get into much more than that.” 

Republicans are welchers.

Not one of these people cared much when the Democrats tried to take down the Republican president.


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