Against the backdrop of Russian interference in the 2016 election, a whistleblower’s complaint over a call Trump made to the leader of Ukraine leader raises the question of whether Trump has effectively captured the American State.
Over the last week, there has been much news going around about a whistleblower complaint to intelligence community inspector general, Michael Atkinson, concerning a promise made by Trump to the leader of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Initially, the details were murky. No one knew about what the complaint was about. However, the story went viral because the complaint was apparently so worrying that it warranted the inspector general of the intelligence community, to bring the matter to Congress.
“Michael Atkinson,… deemed the complaint credible and of “urgent concern,” he wrote in a letter earlier this month to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). But acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, whom Trump appointed last month, reportedly said he does not believe the complaint meets the definition of “urgent concern” and has refused to hand it over to Congress.”
However, details trickled out with the passing of time. It appears the whole issue centers around Trump making a “promise” to the Ukrainian leader. Trump allegedly wanted dirt on Joe Biden for which he would unfreeze $250million in military aid. As expected, Trump dismissed the news but “the aid was inexplicably delayed, then released soon after Congress raised concerns about the whistleblower complaint.”
Joe Biden’s alleged Ukrainian dirt has to do with his son’s, Hunter Biden, past business dealings in Ukraine, which are increasingly proving problematic for Biden’s campaign trail. One way this might be happening is Trump trying to use the information to wipe out votes for the Democratic party in 2020. However, what are the implications of these developments for American democracy?
What comes to mind is what appears to be Trump’s capture of the State of America. He seems to be getting away with everything including connections with the enemy, Russia, and now the use of the Office of President of the United States of America to foster personal political agenda.
Trump’s use of Presidential privileges to pressure Ukraine to provide him information which would benefit not the American people but him personally is undemocratic. What the President is doing is distracting State funds.
First, the phone call is paid for the American taxpayer and should not have been used for making calls related to campaign strategies. Second, if indeed the $250million was effectively released as Trump’s end of the bargain then Trump would have embezzled American Taxpayer’s money. Worth noting is the suspicious release of the funds as soon as the complaint cropped up.
Albeit, if Hunter Biden’s Ukraine business dealings were shady and involved his father, then Joe Biden’s fitness for Office is to be questioned immediately. The problem, however, is that this information, though it must be used by the American public in informing their voting decision, might have been obtained through wrongful processes.
The American political system is being sledgehammered from within. As America’s politicians turn a blind eye to the increasing involvement of foreign powers in their internal affairs, the price they may pay is the collapse of American democracy and its global influence.
Did Trump collude with Russia to get elected? Is there clear evidence that he made promises to the Ukrainian President in exchange for information? These questions must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
Congressional Democrats have asked Trump to release the transcript of the call he made to the Ukrainian President. While Trump admits having discussed Biden with the leader of Ukraine he has responded to the Democrats that he is would think about giving them the transcript. Democrats have hinted that there is the possibility of an impeachment of the President over the complaint.
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