Constitutionally, what US official decides American foreign policy?
A senior career official at the Office of Management and Budget testified on Saturday about a budget process that went off the rails when nearly $400 million in US military aid to Ukraine was withheld earlier this year, and that he did not know for sure the reasoning behind the freeze in funds, sources familiar with his testimony told CNN.
CNN previously reported that Michael Duffey, the OMB's associate director for national security programs and a Trump political appointee, signed at least some of the documents delaying aid to Ukraine, according to two sources.
ANNNNNNNNNND now for the punchline.
Normally a career budget official signs such documents.
A senior career official at the Office of Management and Budget testified on Saturday about a budget process that went off the rails when nearly $400 million in US military aid to Ukraine was withheld earlier this year, and that he did not know for sure the reasoning behind the freeze in funds, sources familiar with his testimony told CNN.
CNN previously reported that Michael Duffey, the OMB's associate director for national security programs and a Trump political appointee, signed at least some of the documents delaying aid to Ukraine, according to two sources.
ANNNNNNNNNND now for the punchline.
Normally a career budget official signs such documents.
5 comments:
I'm a trifle puzzled that any OMB official has the authority to release funds. I thought the OMB's job was to prepare the budget. There's a bureau in the Treasury department which operates the payment system. Federal agencies and departments are scattered about in such a way that the whole set looks the like playroom of an insane child. Heckuva job, Congress.
And, again, releasing funds is not part of a 'budget process'. The budget process prepares plans to guide an appropriations process. Funds are released throughout the fiscal year consequent to their appropriation, and withheld in certain contingencies.
Ooh, a Trump appointee was involved instead of "career" budget people. We can't be letting these interlopers in. Why, he might be a Republican!
These sorts of pseudo-controversies remind us of what the Democratic Party, the media, and the permanent government take for granted.
Have disliked the word "career" for a long time now. What annoyed (and also creeped me out) about so many women in the workplace was the way they really never talked about their work, only their careers (how to Get Ahead, often by whatever means necessary). Men did it too, but on the whole it was usually women. It's a dangerous mindset for anyone, and anyone whose life is impacted by them...
Post a Comment