President of the United States enlists personal lawyer to work with foreign leader to gather intel on political opponents
Sept. 25, 2019
On September 25, an official, declassified memoradum was released of a July conversation between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It included an interaction in which President Trump encourages Zelensky to work with the president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, on an investigation of political opponent and potential Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
“Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man,” Trump asserted. “He was the mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to call you. I will ask him to call you along with the attorney general. Rudy very much knows what’s happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great.”
The president’s use of his office and powers to pursue campaign-based investigations, specifically encouraging a foreign leader to partner with a personal lawyer, is a severe violation of America’s presidential and political norms. This action threatens the validity and transparency of the nation’s foreign affairs and is an abuse of power of the office of the president.
These transcripts appear to be part of a pattern of corruption, now including the president’s use of his office to influence foreign leaders for political ends. Congress and the Department of Justice should pursue an investigation of these actions with the utmost professionalism and efficiency.
