Dear Congressman LaMalfa
Why on April 20, 2024, did you join 111 other Republicans and vote against H.R. 8035: Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024? Your press release explained your no vote by saying “These funds do not include significant accounting or cost controls or any of the accountability reforms that had been sought to ensure the funds are not stolen or used for corrupt purposes. There is no mechanism that the loan would be paid back. The portion that replenishes our own armaments has no controls that require it to remain in U.S. stockpiles but could be shipped immediately onward to Ukraine once again, undercutting the claims that approximately half of the spending is to rebuild our own stocks.”
Why did you vote yes on H.R. 8034: Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 and. H.R. 8036: Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024? These two military funding bills made no mention of accounting cost controls, accountability reforms or loans with these funds?
Did you really vote against military aid to Ukraine because Trump has expressed skepticism about providing U.S. assistance to Ukraine in its war against Russia. He also has stated that support for Ukraine is not a vital American interest and that Europe should be providing the bulk of the assistance. On April 12, Trump signaled you and the other Republicans it would be okay to approve additional aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia if it came in the form of a loan.
Congressman LaMalfa, your no vote on Ukrainian military aid would allow Russia to win its war with Ukraine. Your no vote gave aid to a Russian dictatorship rather than supporting Ukrainian democracy? Why did you do this? You obviously believed giving aid to Putin in his war against Ukraine was the right thing to do. This tells me that you do anything Trump tells you to do even if it means giving aid and support to one of America’s long-term enemies. You are nothing more than Trump’s puppet man.
Trump wants to use Ukraine’s potential loss in its war against Russia as a sign that Biden has presided over chaos and failure, stretching from our southern border to Afghanistan and Ukraine. If the freedom of Ukraine and the security of Europe are collateral damage in Trump’s bid to win back the White House, the former president and you, Congressman LaMalfa, seem to regard that as a price worth paying.
Ukraine can thank the 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans that voted yes on giving Ukraine military aid to defeat Russia’s invasion and retain their democracy.
Tom Laurent
May 5, 2024
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Your article illustrates how “politics” enters the decisions our elected representatives make in the House and the Senate. It happens on both sides of the fence. I have written Doug LaMalfa a few times over the last several months sharing my concerns, and he usually replies to my emails. I wish more people would do the same.