Thread by @LisaDNews

OK. I have a lot of reporting on the - what is the right word? - unusual, explosive briefing that just happened in the U.S. Senate on Ukraine and border.

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First, the room, briefing. TOP officials. Some of the most important military and diplomatic personnel in the world

Sec of State, Antony Blinken
Secof Defense, Lloyd Austin
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown
USAID Deputy Administrator, Isobel Coleman

Then senators of both parties.

Early on, Sen. McConnell tells the group something along lines of "no one supports Ukraine more than me. But we have to talk about the U.S. border."

He turns it over to Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who makes his best pitch for GOP plan.

Schumer would later say McConnell "hijacked" the meeting.

After Lankford speaks, composed, not tense about the border. Schumer then seemed to feel need to respond to the GOP pitch.

Schumer said, essentially, we are not here to talk about the border. We are here for Ukraine..

Then, several Republicans - including Romney - shouted and stood. Irate at the idea that the border was off the table for discussion/questions.

Sen. Cramer asked Joint Chiefs Chair Brown, essentially "don't you think we need to be doing this to secure the border?"

Brown, answered, essentially and I'm told straight-forwardly that this is not his job.

Then a senator (mixed reporting on who, working on it) asked the Joint Chiefs Chairman: "Have you even been to the border?"

Gen. Brown: I am from Texas.

Senator: But were you born there?

(Brown was born in Texas.)

Among those incensed and shouting was Sen. Lindsey Graham, who at one point, I'm told, shouted something like, "can we fucking get someone in here who knows anything?"

Senators also shouted at Schumer, "ask your mayor!" pointing to migrant issues in NYC.

At one point a senator said to Sec. of State Blinken, "you need to tell this to the President - you need to make him understand" where Republicans are, how furious they are about the border.

(Brown was born in Texas.) Among those incensed and shouting was Sen. Lindsey Graham, who at one point, I'm told, shouted something like, "can we fucking get someone in here who knows anything?"

Senators also shouted at Schumer, "ask your mayor!" pointing to migrant issues in NYC. At one point a senator said to Sec. of State Blinken, "you need to tell this to the President - you need to make him understand" where Republicans are, how furious they are about the border.