Secretary of Energy Rick Perry was more involved in President Donald Trump’s extortion plot to pressure Ukraine for dirt on Joe Biden than previously known. The former Texas governor, according to Politico, may not have “explicitly called on Ukrainian officials to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter,” but he worked to pressure that embattled country’s leaders to root out corruption.
Perry also “played an active role in the Trump administration’s efforts to shape decisions by the newly elected government of President Volodymyr Zelensky,” and “pushed for Ukraine’s state-owned natural gas company Naftogaz to expand its board to include Americans.”
Two of those Perry sought to install on that board are “long-time energy executives based in Perry’s home state of Texas.”
Perry replaced Vice President Mike Pence, attending the inauguration of Ukraine President Zelensky, which sent a warning shot to the new president that he needed to play ball with the Trump administration in order to receive support. That support included $400 million in congressionally-approved military aid. Ukraine is fighting Russia, which illegally annexed Crimea, a portion of Ukraine.
He was labeled “was one of the administration’s ‘three amigos‘ on Ukrainian policy, along with Kurt Volker, the U.S. special representative for the Ukraine conflict, and Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union.”
The Energy Secretary reportedly will submit his resignation effective before year’s end.
Image by U.S. Dept. of Energy via Flickr