Political Quotes

“Mr. Chief Justice, I submit a question to the desk for the President's counsel on behalf of myself, Senator Manchin, Senator Murkowski, and Senator Collins. The CHIEF JUSTICE. Thank you. The question from Senator Sinema and the other Senators for counsel for the President: The Logan Act prohibits any U.S. citizen without the authority of the United States from communicating with any foreign government with the intent to influence that government's conduct in relation to any controversy with the United States. Will the President assure the American public that private citizens will not be directed to conduct American foreign policy or national security policy, unless they have been specifically and formally designated by the President and the State Department to do so? Mr. Counsel PHILBIN. Mr. Chief Justice, Senators, thank you for the question. Let me preface--let me answer in several parts. The first is, I just want to make clear that there was no conduct of foreign policy being carried on here by a private person. The testimony was clear from Ambassador Volker--and I assume that the reference would be to Mr. Giuliani, the President's private counsel. Ambassador Volker was clear that he understood Mr. Giuliani just to be a source of information for the President and someone who knew about Ukraine and someone who spoke to the President. And, in fact, it was the testimony that it was the Ukrainians, Andriy Yermak, who asked to be connected to Mr.…”