SFRC Dems Call on Chairman Risch to Convene Committee Hearings on Trump-Ukraine Scandal

WASHINGTON – Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), today was joined by all Democratic members of the Committee in sending a letter to Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) to request he immediately convene hearings on the Trump-Ukraine scandal. As the Senate committee of jurisdiction responsible for conducting oversight of the conduct of U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy, the Foreign Relations Committee Democrats requested prompt hearings with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as well as key Department officials who were involved in Ukraine policy or had interactions with Ukrainian officials. 

“The Foreign Relations Committee has an obligation to examine the serious questions raised by these events,” wrote the Members, citing allegations regarding the President’s interactions with President Zelensky involving U.S. foreign assistance. “As the Committee charged with jurisdiction over U.S. foreign policy, it is incumbent on us to understand fully all the facts, including the circumstances surrounding the delay in U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, the early departure of the U.S. ambassador to Kyiv, the Department of State’s role in these matters, as well as the implications these events may have on U.S-Ukraine relations, and U.S foreign policy more broadly.”

Joining Menendez in sending the letter were Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

This is the latest in a series of oversight inquiries Ranking Member Menendez has opened to ensure Congress and the American people get a full accounting of how President Trump and his Administration leveraged security assistance to Ukraine for the President’s personal political gain.

A copy of the Senators’ letter can be found HERE and below:

Chairman Risch:

We write regarding this Committee’s critical oversight role over matters of foreign policy. Over the last week, serious allegations have arisen regarding the President’s interactions with President Zelensky involving U.S. foreign assistance and a key bilateral relationship. As the American public continues to understand and examine the facts for themselves, we write to ensure that this Committee does the same.

The Foreign Relations Committee has an obligation to examine the serious questions raised by these events. As the Committee charged with jurisdiction over U.S. foreign policy, it is incumbent on us to understand fully all the facts, including the circumstances surrounding the delay in U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, the early departure of the U.S. ambassador to Kyiv, the Department of State’s role in these matters, as well as the implications these events may have on U.S-Ukraine relations, and U.S foreign policy more broadly. Recent revelations that the Secretary of State himself listened in on the President’s July 25 call with President Zelensky adds to questions about the Department’s role and only underscores the Committee’s need to conduct oversight. 

To that end, we call on you to promptly convene hearings and use all available Committee tools to fully examine these matters. At a minimum, this must include hearings with the Secretary of State as well as key Department officials who were involved in Ukraine policy or had interactions with or related to Ukrainian officials. 

We look forward to working with you on a bipartisan basis to fulfill this Committee’s oversight role, and to continued engagement on these issues.

###