Trump administration blocks mails on Ukraine aid to protect information on Prez's role

In a mid-night court filing on Friday, the United States Department of Justice revealed that it has more than a dozen of emails related to President Donald Trump's involvement in withholding the military aid to Ukraine, international press reported. The revelation came hours after the Senate voted against seeking new evidence and witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial. Trump administration acknowledged that there are more than 24 emails available that showed the President's opinion on the aid.

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Trump's impeachment trial

An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) lawyer wrote in his filing that the emails should not be released as it contains communications by the President, the Vice President and the President's immediate advisors regarding Trump's decision to withhold military aid to Ukraine. According to media reports, OMB lawyer Heather Walsh wrote in his filing that out of the 111 emails, 24 are protected by 'presidential privilege'. As per media reports, the emails included discussions between the Department of Defence (DoD) officials and were from June and September 2019. 

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After the Senate voted against seeking the new evidence, paving way for Trump's acquittal, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in a statement said, "To not allow witnesses or documents in an impeachment trial is a grand tragedy, one of the worst tragedies that the Senate has ever overcome. America will remember this day—a day when the United Senate did not live up to its responsibilities, turned away from the truth and instead went along with a sham trial. If the president is acquitted with no witnesses, no documents, any acquittal will have no value because Americans will know that this trial was not a real trial. It’s a tragedy on a very large scale."

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Interestingly, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Mitt Romney voted with Democrats to allow witnesses and documents in the impeachment trial. Senate leadership on Wednesday plans to hold the final vote to acquit Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. US President Donald Trump allegedly withheld nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine to press the country to investigate his potential 2020 general election rival, Joe Biden. Trump and his allies have repeatedly made allegations that Joe Biden was involved in corrupt activities in Ukraine when he was Vice President un Obama administration. 

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