Mark Sandy Testimony - Aid Held Up To Ukraine

Transcripts of prior testimony, that Schiff was trying to block from being released, are finally released.

We learn why Trump blocked aid from the Ukraine. We also see in the testimony that an article from the Washington Post on Aug 5th, explains aid was stalled across the board, not just from Ukraine.

DEPOSITION OF: MARK SANDY

Page 42...

Q: Okay. At any point in time, from the moment that you walked into the SCIF to anytime in history, has Mr. Duffey even provided to you a reason why the President wanted to place a hold on security assistance?

A: I recall in early September an email that attributed the hold to the President’s concern about other countries not contributing more to Ukraine.

Page 111...

Q: I am Doug Anderson with the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The Washington Post reported, I believe, around August 5th on an August 3nd OMB letter detailing that broader hold that, again, was not Ukraine specific. Are you aware of a decision around that timeframe?

A: I am aware of that memo being signed.

Q: And I just want to read the portion beneath the first break that apparently an advertisement was supposed to be printed in, that, according to this, it said the OMB letter listed eight areas that cover a variety of assistance: international organizations; peacekeeping operations and activities; international narcotics control and law enforcement development aid; assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia; economic support funding; foreign military financing programs; and global health programs.
So, in so far as you're aware of this discussion of a recessions package, were you aware that those discussions were going on and related holds?

A: I was aware that my counterparts in the International Affairs Division were involved in those discussions.

Q: And were the discussions that were ongoing, were they country specific? In other words, this is broader than Ukraine; this is a global approach reflecting, as I think you said previously, the skepticism of the administration towards foreign assistance generally?

A: My understanding is it was broader, but again I am not knowledgeable about the details.

Subsequent pages go into questioning about those details.

So now we have testimony as to one of the reasons why aid was on hold to Ukraine. It wasn't Biden. There's nothing impeachable here.

Holding up aid was done across the board, not just for Ukraine.

Here's that article from the Washington Post, back when people were just reporting the news, and not trying to push the quid pro quo angle:

Foreign aid funds put on hold for review - August 5, 2019

The Trump administration has temporarily frozen and ordered a review of several key foreign aid funds that Congress has already approved, in a move that critics fear could lead to another attempted rollback of foreign aid.

The letter, viewed by The Washington Post, lists eight areas that cover a variety of assistance: international organizations; peacekeeping operations and activities; international narcotics control and law enforcement; development aid; assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia; economic support funding; foreign military financing programs; and global health programs.

An administration official said the funds targeted for review are above budgetary limits proposed by President Trump. They include big-ticket items like contributions to the United Nations and smaller items like solar panels in the Caribbean, schools in Uzbekistan and soccer programs in Central America.