State Department officials strongly supported $141 million in department funds that Congress appropriated this year for Ukraine — in addition to $250 million in aid from the Defense Department. Officials in the department say accusations against Yovanovitch were baseless and in late March began suggesting ways the State Department could defend her. 3 official at the department, David Hale, and State Department counselor T. Ulrich Brechbuhl, a close confidant of Pompeo. Diplomats who worked closely with Yovanovitch say the State Department and Pompeo did far too little to protect her. Several people with direct knowledge of events said Pompeo was regularly informed by State Department diplomats of Giuliani’s activities regarding Ukraine.

Source: Washington Post October 07, 2019 21:43 UTC