Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Pennsylvania this week, where he not only arrived on the taxpayer's dime and hobnobbed with the commonwealth's Democratic politicians, but trashed Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), the Republican nominee for vice president, as being "too radical." Now, House Republicans are investigating such a visit, with Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) leading the effort.
In a letter addressed to Michael Horowitz and Robert Storch, the inspectors general of the Justice and Defense departments, respectively, Gooden and eight other House Republicans wrote to "express serious concerns about potential violations of U.S. law arising from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent visit to Pennsylvania and request a full investigation into the use of U.S. military assets and federal resources in relation to the visit."
The letter brought up both Zelensky's comments about Vance, as well as that he arrived on the C-17 Globemaster and had Secret Service protection.
"Zelensky’s visit and his comments criticizing the Trump-Vance ticket as 'too radical,' as well as arguing that under Vance, 'America is headed for global conflict' smack of a Kamala Campaign stump speech," the letter pointed out. "These actions have raised serious concerns among observers that the visit may have been politically motivated, potentially violating U.S. laws such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities while on duty or using government resources for such activities."
In bringing up the costs of the trip paid for by taxpayers, the lawmakers also mentioned the nature of Zelensky's visit and if such a visit is unrelated to national security or diplomacy.
"Additionally, it has come to our attention that President Zelensky may have flown into Pennsylvania on a U.S. Air Force C-17 military aircraft and was provided Secret Service protection, both of which involve the use of U.S. taxpayer funds. There is concern that these resources were used for purposes unrelated to U.S. national security or bilateral diplomacy but rather to support a politically significant visit ahead of a major U.S. election," the letter continued. "If taxpayer dollars were used to facilitate this visit in a way that may violate federal laws or ethical guidelines, it is essential that Congress and the public receive a full accounting of those expenditures and the motivations behind the visit."
The nine lawmakers are asking Horowitz and Storch to conduct an investigation into the following areas:
1. Provide a full accounting of the use of U.S. military aircraft, specifically the U.S. Air Force C-17, and Secret Service resources during President Zelensky’s visit to Pennsylvania. This should include a detailed explanation of the justification for providing these resources, including how the visit aligns with U.S. national interests and security priorities.
2. Was any U.S. federal employee, elected official, or entity involved in arranging or facilitating President Zelensky’s visit in a manner that may violate the Hatch Act or other relevant U.S. laws prohibiting the use of government resources for political purposes?
3. Please provide an accounting of all U.S. taxpayer funds used in connection with President Zelensky’s travel to Pennsylvania, including the cost of his transportation and security.
4. Review whether there was any direct or indirect coordination between President Zelensky’s visit and any U.S. political campaigns, specifically in Pennsylvania, given that several high-profile elected officials who are currently campaigning for re-election were involved in the visit. Additionally, were any Republican elected officials representing the state of Pennsylvania invited to attend the event?
"To ensure transparency and accountability, we request that both agency OIGs take steps to preserve all documents, communications, and records related to President Zelensky’s visit to Pennsylvania. This should include internal communications from the Department of Defense, the State Department, the White House, the Secret Service, and any other federal agencies involved in organizing or facilitating the visit," the letter reads towards the end.
There was plenty of chatter about Zelensky's visit on Monday, which also involved appearing with Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. at an ammunitions factory where the governor signed a piece of artillery. Rep. Matt Cartwright also met with Zelensky. Many, including Bonchie at our sister site of RedState, as well as The Federalist's Mollie Hemingway, pointed out that such a trip should be an impeachable offense for the Biden-Harris administration.
Gooden appeared on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" to discuss his letter and his investigation, emphasizing that his questions were about the taxpayer funds that went into this trip. Speaking of the USSS protections for Zelensky, he wondered "why were Secret Service agents that seemed to be underwhelming in their security for Donald Trump posted up in Pennsylvania?" He also questioned "why were no Republicans invited to this event?"
The congressman also had words for Zelensky as well about this trip. He wondered "just exactly how bad is President Zelensky's judgment, to be making this appearance and upsetting half of the American populace? Why is it that he would criticize Donald Trump, who has a very good chance of being Commander-in-Chief in just a few months... and what I want to know is why is he not on his knees thanking Americans, Republicans and Democrats for the sacrifices that they made for his nation?"
"And how dare he come into our nation and opine on any election, much less the presidential race," Gooden passionately added.
Was Zelensky’s visit a legitimate diplomatic effort or a covert campaign stop?
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) September 24, 2024
His comments targeting the Trump-Vance ticket 42 days before the election certainly echo a campaign rally.
Great to join @IngrahamAngle to discuss my efforts to get answers for the American taxpayer. pic.twitter.com/5ewHnPerq1
In covering the letter, POLITICO went with quite the take by claiming in the opening paragraph that the nine lawmakers were "clearly irked that the visit seemed to benefit Democrats in a swing state." It's not until the fifth paragraph that Zelensky referring to Vance as "too radical" is even mentioned.
Perhaps even more stunning, though, is this admission from Casey, who is himself in a tight race against Republican Dave McCormick. "Casey told POLITICO on Tuesday he was unaware of how the visit came together. But he said it was important as the U.S. continues to support Zelenskyy’s Ukraine in its war with Russia," the piece mentioned.
Cartwright, the Democrat who represents Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, is in an even tighter race, regarded by many forecasters to be a "Toss-Up."
Gooden's letter was also signed by Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Mary Miller (R-IL), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Dan Bishop (R-NC), and Eric Burlison (R-MO).