Great to sit down with leaders from @SoDakBiotech to discuss the work they’re doing to make South Dakota a biotechnology powerhouse.
The Facts Related Trump's EXTORTION of Ukraine with Taxpayer Dollars to Go After His Primary Political Rival - It's Exactly What Impeachment was Made For In July of 2019, the Trump WH ORDERED A HOLD ON NEARLY $391 MILLION in congressionally approved US aid to Ukraine. Congress controls spending in our Constitutional Republic, not the WH. At the time, all US Agencies (Department of Defense, State Department, National Security Council, etc.) repeatedly stressed that aid to Ukraine was ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT RUSSIAN AGRESSION. On July 25th 2019, Trump spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Zelensky. Zelensky expressed a desire to purchase javelin missiles to help prevent Russian aggression, and Trump responded, “I would like you to do us a favor though…” He then clearly conditioned US aid on Zelensky opening investigations into the Bidens. He EXTORTED a foreign government to INTERFERE IN U.S. POLITICS. Ninety minutes after Trump’s phone call, Michael Duffey, a WH budget official emailed the Pentagon. He emphasized the importance of the HOLD ON U.S. AID to Ukraine and urged Pentagon officials to keep it SECRET due to its “sensitive nature.” Immediately after Trump’s attempt to EXTORT Ukraine, a whistle blower, who was on the phone call, wrote a letter to the chairman of the Senate House Intelligence Committee. The letter flatly stated, “the President of the United States… [used] the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 election." National Security Council Director for Russia and Ukraine, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, was also on the phone call. He immediately reported Trump’s attempt to EXTORT Ukraine to his superior. In subsequent sworn testimony before Congress, Vindman characterized Trump’s actions as CLEARLY IMPROPER and a THREAT TO "U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY." On October 3rd 2019, a reporter asked Trump what he expected Zelensky to do about Trump’s request. Trump responded that he hoped Zelensky would “start major investigation into the Bidens.” Seconds later, Trump added that China should investigate the Bidens. Plain as day, Trump admitted on live TV that he was using his POWER TO PRESSURE FOREIGN GOVERNEMNTS to investigate his primary political rival. Soon after Trump’s ADMISSION OF GUILT, WH Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney gave a press conference. A reporter asked why aid was withheld from Ukraine. Mulvaney responded, “The look back to what happened in 2016 was certainly part of what was worried about…” The reporter followed up, “Let’s be clear, what you just described is a quid pro quo.” Mulvaney then gave the shocking response, “We do that all the time… Get over it! There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.” As Democrats launched an investigation, the Trump WH engaged in the most BLATANT OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS in our Nation’s history. The Trump WH issued a blanket order for its employees and other federal agencies to defy all subpoenas. Subpoenas power is essential to the Constitutional Checks and Balances of our Republic. During the House impeachment hearings, the ENTIRE DIPLOMATIC CORE TO UKRAINE, including life-long civil servants and decorated war heroes, TESTIFIED UNDER OATH as to Trump’s BRAZEN ABUSE OF POWER. They testified that Trump’s intent was political, the Trump WH was running shadow diplomacy through Rudy Giuliani, and the effect of the Trump WH’s actions was to strengthen Russia, undermine democracy internationally, and make a mockery of US Foreign Policy. Gordon Sondland, a registered Republican and Trump appointee who gave $1 Million to Trump’s inaugural committee, testified that he knew the Trump WH was withholding aid for an improper purpose like he knows “TWO PLUS TWO EQUALS FOUR” He also testified that all of the highest-ranking people in the Trump WH knew about Trump’s EXTORTION SCHEME, including VP Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. During impeachment proceedings, Trump’s own National Security Advisor, John Bolton, claimed to have first-hand knowledge of Trump’s EXTORTION SCHEME. He went so far as to characterize Trump’s illegal scheme as a “DRUG DEAL.” Lev Parnas, a close associate with Rudy Giuliani, also came forward, claiming to have direct knowledge of Giuliani’s role in the EXTORTION SCHEME. But GOP Congresspeople blocked their testimony in an attempt to hide the evidence from the American people. On December 18th, 2019, the House voted to IMPEACH Donald Trump for ABUSE OF POWER and OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS. All but one Republican (249 of them) voted against impeachment. The GOP’S FAILURE TO UPHOLD RULE OF LAW is the DEFINITION OF ORGANIZED CORRUPTION. The sole Republican to vote for either impeachment or conviction was the GOP’s 2012 presidential nominee, Mitt Romney. In an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, Romney said the evidence showed “a FLAGRANT ASSAULT on our electoral rights, our national security, and our FUNDAMENTAL VALUES.” He concluded, “CORRUPTING AN ELECTION is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.” Romney was RIGHT, but his statements revealed a lack of imagination. Within the year, an emboldened Trump would TURN HALF OF AMERICA AGAINST ITS ELECTORAL PROCESS, INCITE AN INSURRECTION, AND ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
@SenJohnThune @SoDakBiotech 12/2022 Both Rounds and Thune voted for the 1.7 Trillion Omnibus bill without reading it. -Ukraine gets $45 billion -87,000 new IRS agents
@SenJohnThune @SoDakBiotech John Thune doing what he does when he is not crying. He does photo ops.
@SenJohnThune @SoDakBiotech After all, the photo ops continue.