GOP senator repeatedly refuses to condemn Trump for soliciting help from Ukraine

During a Wednesday morning interview with a KNXV-ABC 15 in Phoenix, Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) refused multiple times to condemn Trump’s solicitation that foreign countries investigate one of his top political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden.

“Do you think it was appropriate for the president to solicit help from a foreign leader to research a potential political foe?” McSally was asked.

“What I’m concerned about is how there was decisions made about moving forward and using the ‘I’ word,” McSally said, alluding to the impeachment inquiry opened by the House of Representatives.

Rather than answer the question about the appropriateness of Trump’s actions, McSally attacked House Democrats like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the chair of the House Intelligence Committee.

In a follow-up question, McSally was asked if she agrees with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who called Trump’s actions “wrong and appalling.”

Again, McSally refused to answer. She punted, saying the Senate Judiciary Committee is looking into the Ukrainian matter in a bipartisan way, ignoring the fact that the House impeachment inquiry in an investigation supported by more than just Democrats.

The questions McSally refused to answer concern a July 25 phone call, during which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to dig up dirt on Biden. Later, Trump spoke from the lawn of the White House and reiterated the request for Ukraine to open an investigation, and also encouraged China to investigate Biden.

While the concern about Trump’s abuse of power was first flagged by a whistleblower, subsequent reporting and documents released by the White House substantiate claims made in the initial whistleblower complaint.

It is against the law to solicit or accept election assistance from a foreign national.

McSally has her own struggles with following election laws. Her campaign has been cited for multiple campaign finance violations stemming from both illicit contributions and failing to report contributions.

Most Americans support an impeachment inquiry into Trump’s actions, and most acknowledge that requesting political favors from foreign countries is unacceptable.

Yet McSally won’t accept the mainstream consensus, opting instead to refuse time and again to condemn Trump’s actions.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.