Page:Impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States — Report of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives.pdf/351

 The only facts adduced from those who have direct knowledge of the matters considered in this impeachment are:

1) Ukraine received U.S. aid in conformity with the law;

2) The aid was received without any preconditions other than those required by law;

3) During the period the release of aid was legally paused, Ukraine was not aware of the pause;

4) President Trump had a justified interest in Ukrainian corruption and a well-expressed antipathy toward any foreign aid.

In attempting to make their case Democrats have chosen to draw every inference from the scanty evidence in the most negative light possible against the President. Their obvious animus toward him has prevented them from giving, even one time, a benign interpretation of the evidence. And certainly, they would never accept an interpretation that might inure to the President's benefit.

Having watched and participated in the proceedings, even though limited by Chairman Schiff and the acquiescence of Chairman Nadler in that limitation, I have concluded that the Democrats' would never give a neutral interpretation of the facts (which they believe include rumor, gossip, and innuendo) where President Trump is concerned.

They have no facts. The law is against them. They have rigged the process. Why should the American public give the Democrats the benefit of the doubt?

ARTICLE I- ABUSE OF POWER

During their impeachment inquiry against President Trump, Democrats have dishonestly alleged that President Trump abused the powers of his office by soliciting "interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election." There is no basis for this outlandish claim. Democrats have twisted facts, taken statements out of context, and lied to the American people all in the name of fulfilling their 2016-stated desire of removing President Trump from office.

The shaky foundation of the Democrat case is the July 25, 2019, call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On this call, Democrats allege that President Trump conditioned future support for Ukraine on their agreement to "publicly announce investigations into...former Vice President Joseph R. Biden." This is not true.

There is no mention of the aid appropriated by the United States for Ukraine on the call. Additionally, there is no discussion of any precondition to release aid. This is the first of many examples of the Democrats twisting the facts to create their own narrative. Democrats called in several witnesses hoping to confirm their narrative, most for sessions of closed-door testimony, and some of whose transcripts still have not been released. Not one testified of a quid pro quo. 2