Another consignment of mud

And another “They did WHAT?” appears. Judd Legum:

“Two of President Trump’s top envoys to Ukraine drafted a statement for the country’s new president in August that would have committed Ukraine to pursuing investigations sought by Mr. Trump into his political rivals”

“Here, President Zelwhateveritis, here’s a statement where you promise to investigate Donald Trump’s rivals. Sign here please. Now please. We’re not discussing the javelins until you sign.”

The Times:

The statement would have committed Ukraine to investigating the energy company Burisma, which had employed Hunter Biden, the younger son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. And it would have called for the Ukrainian government to look into what Mr. Trump and his allies believe was interference by Ukrainians in the 2016 election in the United States to benefit Hillary Clinton.

The idea behind the statement was to break the Ukrainians of their habit of promising American diplomats and leaders behind closed doors that they would look into matters and never follow through.

It is unclear if the statement was delivered to Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, but no statement was released publicly under his name. Around that time, the Ukrainian officials indicated to the Americans that they wanted to avoid becoming more deeply enmeshed in American politics.

It’s illegal six ways from Sunday, and it is no way to treat a friendly nation that is under pressure from Putin’s Russia.

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