Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) managed to extract a major admission from Democratic Counsel Daniel Goldman this afternoon at the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment hearing. In the clip below, Collins runs through former Vice President Joe Biden’s now infamous boast about threatening to withhold $1 billion in U.S. aid to Ukraine if the President refused to fire the Prosecutor General who was investigating natural gas company, Burisma Holdings. Then he asks Goldman, “Did [Biden] ask for something, request something, and hold something of value?”
Goldman replied, “He did. George Kent testified that that was – ” He was abruptly cut off by Collins.
Collins jumped in. “I think I’ll do what you did. I’m not asking about George Kent. I’m asking about this.”
Goldman interrupts. “It’s important context.”
Immediately, Collins says, “It’s not! Answer this question. Did he or did he not? Either Joe Biden’s a liar, telling a story to make people impressed, or he actually did this. Which is it?
Goldman rolls his eyes. Looks angry and just a little bit intimidated and answers, “He did it pursuant to U.S. official policy.”
Collins: “So, he did it. Withholding of actual dollars…So Joe Biden is the only one who’s done a quid pro quo. He’s actually used taxpayer dollars to threaten a foreign government. And yet we’re sitting here pretending that it’s not happening. We’re sitting here pretending that a president of the United States would not be concerned…Joe Biden’s a terrible candidate.