Impeachment News Roundup: Oct. 7
Missing documents: The House Appropriations Committee is "processing" a "partial production of some" of the documents requested from the Office of Management and Budget regarding the Trump administration's decision to temporarily withhold aid to Ukraine. The panel hasn't received all the documents and information requested, according to spokesman Evan Hollander.
More subpoenas: House Oversight, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence Committee chairmen on Monday issued subpoenas for Pentagon and Office of Management and Budget documents as part of the House's impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and OMB acting director Russell Vought have until Oct. 15 to produce the requested documents.
The lawmakers are hoping to discover whether Trump endangered U.S. national security interests by withholding military aid to Ukraine unless the Kiev investigated his political rivals.
The subpoenas are seeking official government documents that could substantiate media reports that Trump ordered OMB Director Mick Mulvaney to suspend military aid to Ukraine in July.
Schiff censure: Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs announced Monday that his motion to censure House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff for his characterization of a phone call between President Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president during a recent Intelligence Committee hearing now has 73 Republican cosponsors, including the top GOP leaders, who have said they'll force a vote on the censure resolution when the House is back in session next week.
Volker departs McCain Institute: The McCain Institute made official Monday morning that former ambassador Kurt Volker will step down as executive director.
"Today, I informed ASU President Crow and Mrs. McCain that I believe the recent media focus on my work as U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations risks becoming a distraction from the accomplishments and continued growth of the Institute, and therefore I am stepping down as Executive Director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership," Volker said in a statement released by the institute, referring to Michael Crow, head of Arizona State University, and Cindy McCain, chairwoman of the institute and the widow of Sen. John McCain.
Volker met with the House committees conducting the impeachment investigation last Thursday, which was followed by public release of a batch of text messages regarding the withholding of assistance to Ukraine.