Chairmen from three different congressional committees have subpoenaed the Defense Department and White House Office of Management and Budget for documents related to the Ukraine investigation.
The letters are signed by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel of New York, and Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland.
The two letters are addressed to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and acting OMB Director Russell Vought and look to glean more information about allegations that President Trump conditionally withheld military aid to Ukraine.
“The enclosed subpoena demands documents that are necessary for the Committees to examine this sequence of these events and the reasons behind the White House’s decision to withhold critical military assistance to Ukraine that was appropriated by Congress to counter Russian aggression,” the chairmen wrote.
Schiff, Engel, and Cummings write in the letter that the documents must be handed over by Oct. 15, although it is unclear if there will be compliance.
The impeachment inquiry was launched after a yet-to-be identified whistleblower filed a complaint with the intelligence community inspector general saying that Trump exerted improper pressure on Zelensky to investigate the Bidens, alleging that there was a quid pro quo involved.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has characterized the impeachment inquiry as a “witch hunt.”
