"When Energy Secretary Rick Perry traveled to the inauguration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in May, he was a last-minute substitute for Vice President Mike Pence.
That's because Pence had been ordered to cancel his planned trip by President Trump, who wanted to see how the Ukrainian president "chose to act," according to a whistleblower complaint released today.
Trump had been pressing Zelenskiy to investigate the roles of a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son in a Ukrainian gas company, according to an account of an August phone call between the leaders that the White House released yesterday.
"I learned from U.S. officials that, on or around 14 May, the President instructed Vice President Pence to cancel his planned travel to Ukraine to attend President Zelenksyy's inauguration on 20 May; Secretary of Energy Rick Perry led the delegation instead," the whistleblower stated in the complaint."
Scott Waldman reports for Greenwire September 26, 2019.
SEE ALSO:
"Politics: Pipeline Sanctions For Biden Dirt? Senator Says, 'Hell No'" (E&E Daily)
"U.S. Agency Spends Millions On Ukraine Energy Projects" (ClimateWire)
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