Thread by @rgoodlaw

Many revelations in this SCOOP by @K8brannen (including remarkable reference to Pence's meeting with Zelenskyy).

Here I'll outline the significant trouble these unredacted emails spell for Mick Mulvaney's OMB and evidence of a cover up.

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justsecurity.org/67863/exclusiv…

@K8brannen 2. The emails appear to contradict OMB General Counsel Paoletta's letter to Congress (which set forth new rationale for hold on Ukraine aid on eve of HJC vote on impeachment articles).

It's hard to see why sentences like this in his letter are not intentional false statements.👇

@K8brannen 3. When Politico broke the news of Ukraine hold in August, what did OMB General Counsel Paoletta do?

He circulated false Talking Points.

The Deputy Under Secretary of Defense in an email said that Paoletta's talking point was "just not accurate" and that OMB knew it to be false

@K8brannen @caitlinzemma @connorobrienNH 4. There's more.

Senior @DeptofDefense official wrote in email to OMB’s Michael Duffey that OMB General Counsel Mark Paoletta “appears to continue to consistently misunderstand the process and the timelines we have provided.”

Note: Duffey is one of witnesses on @SenSchumer list

@K8brannen @caitlinzemma @connorobrienNH @DeptofDefense @SenSchumer 5. Following day, the senior Pentagon official writes to Defense Secretary Esper's chief of staff about the problems coming out of OMB:

“this situation is really unworkable made particularly difficult because OMB lawyers continue to consistently mischaracterize the process"

@K8brannen @caitlinzemma @connorobrienNH @DeptofDefense @SenSchumer 6. Should also focus now on propriety of Justice Dept's having redacted this text in a COURT-ORDERED FOIA release, especially in light of unredacted text that DOJ did release that painted a different picture.

cc: @publicintegrity @knightcolumbia

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