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The power of the purse
“No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law
Thread 11/4/19 - Hands Off My Purse! Part 1
(Ukraine/USAID/Coup)
“No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law
Thread 11/4/19 - Hands Off My Purse! Part 1(Ukraine/USAID/Coup)
1)By the First Monday in February, the President sends a budget request to Congress that provides an assessment of the funding levels needed to implement federal policies for the upcoming fiscal year..
For example, the President may request $85 million for the operations of the Supreme Court for a fiscal year, which includes expenses for salary, building maintenance, and travel for the Associate Justices.
2)Once Congress receives the President’s assessment, The House of Representatives prepares the Congressional budget proposal. But under the current budget statute of 1974, both Chambers formulate budget proposals and combine the two to produce the final budget.
3)Next, the House and Senate budget committees establish the total amount needed to fund local and federal programs, projects, and activities for the fiscal year.
The Treasury then set aside the total amount that Congress has 'apportioned' for the fiscal year.
The Treasury then set aside the total amount that Congress has 'apportioned' for the fiscal year.
4)Once the overall budget is determined, the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate subdivides the funds into 12 appropriations bills.
The 12 include the following, Department of Agriculture; Commerce, Justice, and Science; Dept of Defense; Dept of Energy and.....
The 12 include the following, Department of Agriculture; Commerce, Justice, and Science; Dept of Defense; Dept of Energy and.....
.....Water; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior and Environment; Labor, HHS, and Education; Legislative Branch; Military Construction and VA; State and Foreign Operations; and the Department of HUD.
5)Then, the House and Senate subcommittees further divide the allocation to the activities, programs, and projects.
6)The law requires the Executive branch to spend funds allocated by Congress, but the President may propose cuts to wasteful programs through a process called rescission or cancellations of the discretionary budget.
Through the rescission process, the President can ask to cancel or reduce the funding to any federal program in the Executive branch.
7)The Office of Management & Budget serves the President. OMB prepares the federal budget, performs regulatory reviews, and distributes the funds allocated by Congress to the agencies and departments in the Executive branch.
8)Also, the Office of Management & Budget, together with the treasury, is to open accounts for all apportionments. This serves to record information on the amounts, transactions, and the period of availability of funds prescribed by law.
For instance, if Congress allocates $7 billion in spending to the USAID. First, the Treasury and the OMB open an account for the specific allocation. The Treasury deposits the funds in the account.
Second, OMB transfer the funds into an account established by the....
Second, OMB transfer the funds into an account established by the....
State Department. Third, the State Department moves that money into an account established by the USAID, and finally, the spending begins 
The Agencies must record all transactions as they occur
The Agencies must record all transactions as they occur
9)The President is required to submit a budget summary called a Mid-Session Review by July 15. This summary includes updated policy budget estimates and a list of rescission (cancellations).
10)From the very beginning of his administration, President Trump has made cutting the size of government spending a top priority.
The President was looking to cut $3 billion in foreign grants not yet assigned to specific projects. https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/16/politics/omb-rescission-package-foreign-aid-funding/index.html
The President was looking to cut $3 billion in foreign grants not yet assigned to specific projects. https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/16/politics/omb-rescission-package-foreign-aid-funding/index.html
11)In June, the President ordered a review of military aid to several countries.
Among the programs under review by OMB was the Ukraine Security Initiative which Congress allocated $250 million for in the National Defense Authorization Act
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6157/text
Among the programs under review by OMB was the Ukraine Security Initiative which Congress allocated $250 million for in the National Defense Authorization Act
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6157/text
12)Similarly, in August, OMB asked the State Dept to freeze spending for the USAID until it provided an accounting for 12 accounts
All previous funds would be unavailable effective 11:59pm Saturday August 3rd
Important date
All previous funds would be unavailable effective 11:59pm Saturday August 3rd
Important date
13)The money was part of an appropriations bill passed at the start of the year, which included loan guarantees for Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, and Ukraine
Some of the accounts expired and contained unused funds the administration want to retrieve
Source: https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ6/PLAW-116publ6.pdf
Some of the accounts expired and contained unused funds the administration want to retrieve
Source: https://www.congress.gov/116/plaws/publ6/PLAW-116publ6.pdf
14)In other words, the President has been trying to return to the taxpayer, billions of dollars just sitting in expired accounts
This is the President explaining at a rally Friday that he has been trying to get an accounting for 4 months on how many countries we are subsidizing
This is the President explaining at a rally Friday that he has been trying to get an accounting for 4 months on how many countries we are subsidizing
15)According to reports, in early Aug, Alexander Vindman drafted a memorandum to release cash to Ukraine and presented it to the President to sign. POTUS refused
Vindman said he was concerned after he learned that the OMB took “unusual steps” of withholding aid.
Vindman said he was concerned after he learned that the OMB took “unusual steps” of withholding aid.
Raise your hands if you did not know who Alexander Vindman was two week ago? Who is Vindman to be telling a duly elected President when to release the people’s money?
Did Vindman receive 63 million votes?
This just one of the many swamp creatures in the Executive Branch.
Did Vindman receive 63 million votes?
This just one of the many swamp creatures in the Executive Branch.
At the same time, State Dept Coordinator for Assistance to Ukraine, James Kulikowski, wrote to his colleagues, “We realize the strain this puts on posts, and your ability to conclude grants and carry out programs”
This is just 2 days after the funds were held
Oh no! Not the aid
This is just 2 days after the funds were held
Oh no! Not the aid
16)On August 16, in a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Pelosi took offense to the rescission package proposed by the White House. Pelosi stated, that the recession proposal would be illegal and urge Mnuchin not to submit it.
17)As you can tell, the reviews have more to do with accountability for taxpayer's money, than to do with a "hold on aid" to a particular country.
The "power of the purse" now lies with hookers, drug addicts, and pedophiles, who just want to spend your money, endlessly
The "power of the purse" now lies with hookers, drug addicts, and pedophiles, who just want to spend your money, endlessly
18)The President decided to cancel the recession proposal, but the review on aid for several countries still remained. https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/22/politics/foreign-aid-white-house/index.html
19)On August 28, Politico published a story about President holding aid to Ukraine in order to help Russia
This was the initial narrative teed-up a week before Congress was to return from recess
Adam Schiff was one of the first to retweet the story. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/28/trump-ukraine-military-aid-russia-1689531
This was the initial narrative teed-up a week before Congress was to return from recess
Adam Schiff was one of the first to retweet the story. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/28/trump-ukraine-military-aid-russia-1689531
20)Democrats needed a trigger to get things started, once Congress returned from recess.
The Russia G7 narrative got drop like a bad habit and finally, we arrive at the intended narrative: “The President trying to effect the 2020 election by seeking dirt on his political rival!”
The Russia G7 narrative got drop like a bad habit and finally, we arrive at the intended narrative: “The President trying to effect the 2020 election by seeking dirt on his political rival!”
21)In furtherance of the scheme, Bill Taylor texted Kurt Volker from his State Department device that “it is crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.”
22)Bill Taylor is a careerist at the State Department and understands that the devices given to employees in the federal government are federal records.
Bill Taylor has a lot to hide too.
NGO he sat was receiving money from the USAID
Gee, how did that happen
Bill Taylor has a lot to hide too.
NGO he sat was receiving money from the USAID
Gee, how did that happen
23)On Sept 12, POTUS lifted the hold
On the same day, Dep Asst Sec of Europe and Eurasia Brad Freden, emailed his colleagues, informing that the cash was now available, but there would be no public announcement
He Added (intentionally), “Keep moving people, nothing to see here”
On the same day, Dep Asst Sec of Europe and Eurasia Brad Freden, emailed his colleagues, informing that the cash was now available, but there would be no public announcement
He Added (intentionally), “Keep moving people, nothing to see here”
24)Bill Taylor wrote back to Freden “I will inform President Zelensky as soon as he is out of a meeting. We intend to make it public here (Ukraine).
In my opinion, all communications (email, text, etc) beginning in August, were carefully crafted for this very moment
In my opinion, all communications (email, text, etc) beginning in August, were carefully crafted for this very moment
25)So to recap, Ukraine did not know of a review/hold on aid until Politico released their story on August 29
If a hold was not detectable, then it's fair to say, that the hold did not interfere w/ Ukraine's day-to-day operations
Why would Ukraine need to make an announcement?
If a hold was not detectable, then it's fair to say, that the hold did not interfere w/ Ukraine's day-to-day operations
Why would Ukraine need to make an announcement?
26)It appears that unelected bureaucrats in the Executive Branch, together with the Legislative Branch, are conspiring to stage a coup against the new guy in town, to keep their corruption hidden.
The people testifying against the President, hands are dirty
The people testifying against the President, hands are dirty
27)Worst of all, Coordinator for Overall Assistance & Economic Strategy for Ukraine, James Kulikowski's wife, Michelle “Missi” Tesseir, was the Managing Director for the Podesta Group from '97-2017!
This is Schiff and Heather Podesta at a party hosted by the Podesta Group in DC
This is Schiff and Heather Podesta at a party hosted by the Podesta Group in DC
