Kenneth P. Vogel Profile picture
Oct 3, 2019 5 tweets 4 min read Read on X
SCOOP: TRUMP's top Ukraine envoys, Kurt Volker & Gordon Sondland, pushed UKRAINE to commit to investigating Trump's rivals -- marking the 1st evidence that the US government effort to push for probes into BIDEN & other rivals was broader than just Trump. nytimes.com/2019/10/03/us/…
JUST OUT: TRUMP's @WhiteHouse signaled that ZELENSKY's Oval Office visit was linked to his ability to convince Trump that Ukraine would investigate the claims that Ukrainians meddled in 2016 to boost @HillaryClinton, according to this text from KURT VOLKER to a top Zelensky aide. Image
@WhiteHouse @HillaryClinton THE TERMS OF THE DEAL, as understood by both sides:

ZELENSKY would publicly commit to investigating a BIDEN-linked company & claims about Ukrainian meddling to help @HillaryClinton in 2016.

— & in exchange —

TRUMP would give ZELENSKY the @WhiteHouse visit he coveted. Image
@WhiteHouse @HillaryClinton The texts corroborate my reporting (which some had challenged) that the Ukrainians only learned of the military assistance delay/review 1 month after the 7/25 call.

* BUT the texts also show it was the WH mtg (not the assistance) being used to coax the Ukrainians to play ball. Image
@WhiteHouse @HillaryClinton WHAT WAS SAID ON THIS PHONE CALL?

Career U.S. diplomat Bill Taylor: "Are we now saying that security assistance & WH meeting are conditioned on investigations?"

TRUMP donor/ambassador Gordon Sondland: "Call me" Image

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More from @kenvogel

Mar 23, 2023
Asked if TikTok's Chinese parent ByteDance had a role in prepping him for today, TikTok chief SHOU CHEW says he worked “with my team here in DC."

Curious what the Biden-connected firm @SKDK, which TikTok hired amid rising US scrutiny, is doing for TikTok.
.@SKDK advises clients on navigating government & public scrutiny.

But it says it doesn't lobby.

It is not currently registered to lobby for TikTok (or any client) under LDA or FARA, despite FARA's requirement that consultants register when they do PR for some foreign clients.
Given the apparent skepticism, here is some reporting on the connections between @SKDK, @POTUS & the @WhiteHouse, if you're interested:
washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/… nytimes.com/2023/02/15/us/…
nbcnews.com/politics/joe-b… Image
Read 4 tweets
Mar 9, 2023
LEONARD LEO's TENEO has been described to me as The FEDERALIST SOCIETY, but for the culture war.

It is the talent pipeline for Leo's powerful network, which I exposed back in October: nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/…

I'd been planning a deep dive on Teneo, but @propublica beat me to it.
TENEO was modeled after @FedSoc.

Its members include judges, but also Senators & business & media execs.

As LEONARD LEO put it in a video obtained by @ProPublica, "if this can work for law, why can’t it work for lots of other areas of American culture…" propublica.org/article/leonar…
According to materials I obtained, TENEO's big Sept. retreat at @BarnsleyResort in Ga. featured presentations by:
▶️@realdailywire's @JeremyDBoreing
▶️filmmaker Jon Erwin
▶️@BetsyDeVos & Dick DeVos
▶️hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer
▶️Leonard Leo & his lieutenant Jonathan Bunch
Read 4 tweets
Feb 3, 2023
NEW: KEVIN McCARTHY's closest confidant & biggest fundraiser is a lobbyist who spearheaded his speaker campaign, sneaking into his Capitol office to avoid reporters & urging donors to pressure holdouts to vote 'yes.'

Now, JEFF MILLER stands to benefit. nytimes.com/2023/02/03/us/…
Rarely has a lobbyist enjoyed access to a House speaker like @JeffMillerCA2TX has with @SpeakerMcCarthy.

As a result, Miller is in high demand in corporate America, where he is seen as the guy to neutralize scrutiny from a GOP right flank that is targeting big business as "woke"
Even with Trump gone, Jeff Miller demonstrated his influence (but also the risks of the relationship for McCarthy) by helping defeat bipartisan antitrust bills targeting his clients @Amazon & @Apple.

@TuckerCarlson & others suggested McCarthy opposed the bills at Miller's behest
Read 8 tweets
Dec 13, 2022
In an encrypted group text, FTX officials & consultants deliberated over how to attribute political donations, & worried they might be violating campaign finance rules, we revealed last month. nytimes.com/2022/11/22/bus…

Those concerns were borne out in the indictment unsealed today
According to the indictment:

@SBF_FTX & others "knowingly & willfully" made donations to candidates, joint cmtes & super PACs "in the names of other persons" (i.e. illegal straw donations), & made corporate donations to campaigns (which are also illegal). documentcloud.org/documents/2345…
Another potential violation not expressly articulated in the indictment:

If @FTX_Official corporate funds were being steered into political donations, that could also constitute illegal FOREIGN donations, since the company was registered in the Bahamas. fec.gov/help-candidate…
Read 5 tweets
Nov 17, 2022
JUST POSTED: With Washington headed for divided government, The Oversight Industrial Complex is revving up.

Millions of dollars are already starting to flow to defense lawyers & new nonprofit groups geared toward GOP congressional investigations. nytimes.com/2022/11/17/us/…
DAVID BROCK is leaving MEDIA MATTERS (@mmfa) & @AMERICAN_BRIDGE to start & run a new 501(c)4, @FactsFirstUSA that aims to raise $5m/year for "A SWAT Team to Counter Republican Congressional Investigations," per memo to Dem donors, outside groups & others. documentcloud.org/documents/2331…
FACTS FIRST USA plans to use paid advertising, social, legal analysis, polling & research to try to turn the oversight investigations back on Republicans.

It produced this video accusing Republicans of preparing “sham investigations to help elect Trump.”
Read 4 tweets
Apr 6, 2022
SCOOP: A donor coalition linked to PETER THIEL & BEKAH MERCER aims to spend $30M+ to “disrupt but advance" the GOP.

ROCKBRIDGE NETWORK met this week in Florida, including a reception at Mar-a-Lago featuring TRUMP.

It's unclear if Thiel or Mercer attended nytimes.com/2022/04/06/us/…
The PETER THIEL-backed Senate candidate BLAKE MASTERS also spoke (before TRUMP) at the ROCKBRIDGE NETWORK's reception last night at Mar-a-Lago.

Then, Masters & Trump attended the premiere of a documentary critical of MARK ZUCKERBERG's donations to support election administration
A deck indicates that ROCKBRIDGE NETWORK is “pursuing political alpha” by funding initiatives like:
➡️"government-in-waiting" for the next GOP WH: $3M
➡️“influencer programs,” investigative journalism & P.R.: $8M
➡️“lawfare & strategic litigation”: $3.75M documentcloud.org/documents/2157…
Read 5 tweets

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