A chat with a GOP congressman who criticized Mick Mulvaney.
- Republicans in Congress have been militant in backing President Trump during the impeachment investigation. But after Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, appeared to admit to a quid pro quo with the president of Ukraine on Thursday, that support showed signs of cracking.
- "You don't hold up foreign aid that we had previously appropriated for a political initiative. Period," Senator Lisa Murkowski said. Representative Adam Kinzinger told CNN that it was "quite concerning."
- An impeachment interview planned for Laura Cooper, a senior official at the Defense Department who specializes in Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, was postponed until next week.
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As Congress left for the week, a few Republicans dared to criticize Mr. Mulvaney. I spoke with one of them: Representative Francis Rooney of Florida, a former ambassador who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. |
What was your reaction to what Mick Mulvaney said? |
I thought, "Wow, O.K." We've had this president saying that the withholding of the funds was not related to his pressure of the new president of Ukraine. I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt. And then this week we had some testimony from the impeachment hearings. Then this thing comes out from Mulvaney. It looks like game, set, match to me on that issue. I heard the words like anyone else, and I couldn't believe it. |
What did you think of Mr. Mulvaney's attempt to revise what he said? |
I don't know how you can walk it back. It's not like, "I said these three vague things and one thing was misinterpreted." I didn't see a lot of gray area in what he said. It was pretty clear. |
Why did you react the way you did? |
There are a few things that really bother you. I've been involved in the diplomatic business. I have great respect for our professional diplomats who go about their work. This has undermined them and put them in a bad light. Like Senator Murkowski said, I don't think its right to use the power and prestige of the U.S. for a political situation. Our foreign policy is supposed to advance the interests of the United States. That's what we're in the business of. |
Why were you one of the few to actually speak out today? |
There are a lot of people in the Republican conference. You've got all different shades of response. A lot of them have no response. A lot of them have a defiant response. Some of them are equivocating. And then you have a couple like me that say, "This is kind of bothersome." |
Have you talked to your constituents about this? |
They don't understand how anyone could say anything remotely at variance with President Trump. I'm sorry, but I'm just going to call 'em like I see 'em. |
What else we're following |
- The Washington Post reported that George Kent, a State Department official in charge of Ukraine policy, testified earlier this week that he had raised concerns in 2015 about Hunter Biden's work for a Ukrainian energy company, but was rebuffed by a Biden staffer.
- Mr. Mulvaney will bring a group of Republican lawmakers to the presidential retreat Camp David this weekend to discuss "issues of the day," which will likely include impeachment. Invitees include Representatives Elise Stefanik of New York and Rodney Davis of Illinois, both from potential swing districts.
- Republicans have said the push to impeach Mr. Trump would be politically damaging for Democrats, especially in swing districts. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is circulating a memo saying, in effect, not to worry. "The numbers do not back up Republicans' posture that impeachment worsens the political environment for House Democrats," a pollster wrote.
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