Q & A Peach Mint Highlights: Wed Jan 29 2020: page 3
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Q: Sen from OK (Armed Services Cmte members) to POTUS team: David Hale said lethal aid was future aid. Which had more impact: POTUS temp pause of future aid or OBAMA's refusal to provide lethal aid?
A: Philbin: Obama's withholding. POTUS funding was for future ops. Ukrainians didn't know the aid was paused.
Q: Sen from Maine (King) for both groups. John Kelly: "I believe John Bolton." Do you agree w/Kelly that he should be heard?
A: Sekulow: This is about a possible quote from Bolton's book, not from within the book. Just a perception. Book has other stmts, like one that grossly distorts conversation between Barr and Bolton from NYT. [speaks to credibility of either the book, the NYT or both]. if there ARE witnesses, it should be tit for tat.
A: Schiff: What matters is whether YOU believe John Bolton; you should have the chance to judge for yourself. We should have witnesses. [Tries to make the case that it won't take that long to have witnesses.]
Q: Sen from Utah ( ) to POTUS team: It is true that Sean Misko, Abigail Grace and alleged whistleblower were detailed to the NSC Jan 2017 and the present? Do you think they knew each other & coordinated to take out the POTUS?
A: Philbin: All we know comes from public reports, understand whistleblower's name, where he worked (at the NSC staff). We have no knowledge of that otherwise and don't want to speculate. To an unknown extent, may have been addressed in the testimony of Inspector Genl of the Intell Community before Schiff's cmte's. "But that is shrouded in secrecy to this day." Has not been forwarded. Or contacts between S's staff and whistleblower…..to get to the bottom of this, could be relevant.
Q: Sen from NM ( ) to POTUS team: When did POTUS' counsel first learned of Bolton's manuscript submission? Any effort to block it?
A: Philbin: Doesn't know exact date. NSC said it hasn't been reviewed by anyone outside of NSC staff. Efforts to block it? Misinfo on this was put out earlier today. NSC sent a letter to Bolton's atty's Chas Cooper on Jan 23, saying that there's a lot that's classified in the book, some of it is at the top secret level. Publication may not be published wo/deletion of this info. 1:37
Q: Sen from IOWA to POTUS team: True that Trump admin approved Javelin's to Ukraine? Came after 3 yr debate? Did Obama refuse to do the same, against advise of his staffers in this area?
A: Philbin: Yes, Obama did not provide Javelins. Trump did provide them. Whether contrary to advise of his advisors? Yes.
Q: Sen Feinstein to House mgrs: POTUS says no witnesses/docs? Any justification for this blanket refusal?
A: Lofgren: [Trump issued blanket order not to cooperate.] He's trying to "avoid accountability." 1:35 PST
Q: Sen from WV to POTUS team: You said Z didn't know about pause in aid until Aug 28 2019 from Politico. But didn't Laura Cooper say there were inquiries about the aid on July 25?
A: Purpura: No. Emails Cooper testified about were from State Dept; but she didn't know substance of the emails. Aug 28–there was a flurry of activity among Ukrainians that indicated they were just finding out about it; they also said so. [cites more evidence that indicated surprise on Aug 28]
Q: Sen from MD to House mgrs: Is it true that Z and other Ukrainians didn't know the aid had been paused before Aug 28?
A: Crow: we should subpoena those State Dept emails….[then irrelevant stuff]. Goes back to mindset of POTUS re delay…..
Q: Sen from Maine to POTUS team: Witnesses in the House consistently said that POTUS said Ukraine was corrupt. Before VP Biden entered the Pres. race in April 2020, did POTUS ever mention the Bidens in connection to Uk. corruption?
A: Philbin: Nothing in the record; but there is other info helpful for understanding the timeline. Z was just elected in April 2019–that's when POTUS would have wondered whether the new guy was corrupt or not. Second: role of Rudy. Rudy was asking q's going back to Nov 2018. There were articles published in July 2019.
Q: Sen Harris & Murry to House mgrs: tape discovered where Trump says to Parnas and Fruman to take out Yovanovich? Likely that new evidence will continue to come to light?
A: Schiff: Yes. [Goes back to Bolton book….to need for calling witnesses…he knows what the new evidence is going to be….suggests it's not coincidental that Biden inquiry happens when B is running for President]