The Wall Street Journal reports:
President Trump in a July phone call repeatedly pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s son, urging Volodymyr Zelensky about eight times to work with Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, on a probe, according to people familiar with the matter. “He told him he should work with him [Giuliani] on Biden and that people in Washington wanted to know” whether the allegations were true of not, one of the people said.
Roll Call reports:
President Donald Trump on Friday insisted it “doesn’t matter” if he asks foreign leaders to target his domestic political foes, again describing the powers of his office as unlimited. When pressed by reporters during a wild Oval Office question-and-answer session — this one spanning over half an hour —the former reality television host had an opportunity to distance himself from his latest scandal.
Instead, Trump all but acknowledged reports that he suggested Zelensky’s government investigate a company linked to one of 2020 Democratic presidential primary frontrunner Joe Biden’s sons. “It doesn’t matter what I discussed,” Trump told reporters Friday. He then basically reiterated his reported plea to Ukraine’s leader, looking into cameras in the Oval Office and stating: “Someone ought to look into Joe Biden.”
Discussions with foreign leaders must be appropriate. I disagree with @realdonaldtrump, it does matter what is said. Just another day in Alice in Wonderland.https://t.co/TI4Leu3gkE
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) September 20, 2019
Pres. Trump calls intelligence community whistleblower complaint “just another political hackjob” and says “it doesn’t matter what I discussed” when asked if former VP Biden was part of conversation with Ukrainian PM. https://t.co/5HzMmFc9sL pic.twitter.com/n2Is86FMVo
— ABC News (@ABC) September 20, 2019
Reporter: “Did you discuss Joe Biden with the leader of Ukraine?”
Trump, not denying the story: “It doesn’t matter what I discussed.”pic.twitter.com/nJc0nsXFSc
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 20, 2019
The Trump method to facing criminal charges is first lie & then brazenly acknowledge the truth & shrug your shoulders as if it doesn’t matter. Look at Rudy last night on TV – “yeah it’s true, so what?”
They’ve done it for almost three years. And it keeps working.
— Rogue WH Snr Advisor (@RogueSNRadvisor) September 20, 2019
NEW: Trump in a July phone call repeatedly pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden’s son, urging Volodymyr Zelensky about EIGHT TIMES to work with Rudy Giuliani on a probe, people familiar with the matter say https://t.co/l9wFJWNOBg
— Dustin Volz (@dnvolz) September 20, 2019
Here it comes: Trump repeatedly pressed Ukraine president to investigate Biden’s son. Eight times in one call. https://t.co/Dw8f2KYX6o
— Jeff Stein (@SpyTalker) September 20, 2019