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October 18, 2019

"We Do That All the Time": Mulvaney Admits to Quid Pro Quo over Ukraine
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Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney publicly confirmed on
Thursday that President Trump blocked nearly $400 million in military
aid to Ukraine in an attempt to pressure Kiev to investigate the
Democrats. House Democrats say Mulvaney's admission could mark a turning
point in the impeachment probe. Mulvaney made the comments while being
questioned during a televised press briefing at the White House.

Mick Mulvaney: "Did he also mention to me in past the corruption related
to the DNC server? Absolutely, no question about that. But that's it,
and that's why we held up the money. Now there was a report" -

Jonathan Karl: "So the demand for an investigation into the Democrats
was part of the reason that he -

Mick Mulvaney: "It was on the" -

Jonathan Karl: - "ordered to withold funding to Ukraine."

Mick Mulvaney: "The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was
part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that
nation. And that is absolutely appropriate."

Jonathan Karl: "But, to be clear, what you just described is a quid pro
quo. It is funding will not flow unless the investigation into the
Democratic server happened, as well."

Mick Mulvaney: "We do - we do that all the time with foreign policy."

Mick Mulvaney went on to continue to defend the administration's
actions.

Mick Mulvaney: "And I have news for everybody: Get over it. There's
going to be political influence in foreign policy."

Mick Mulvaney's comments shocked many in Washington for directly
undercutting President Trump's claim that there was no quid pro quo with
Ukraine. Hours after the press conference ended, Mulvaney accused the
media of misconstruing his comments and issued a statement contradicting
his previous remarks. The statement read, in part, "Let me be clear,
there was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and
any investigation into the 2016 election."


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