Trump defies US Congress’ Khashoggi report deadline
NYT News Service | Feb 10, 2019, 06:16 ISTWASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump refused to provide Congress a report on Friday determining who killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi, defying a demand by lawmakers intent on establishing whether the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was behind the grisly assassination.
Trump effectively bypassed a deadline set by law as his administration argued that Congress could not impose its will on the president. Critics charged that he was seeking to cover up Saudi complicity in the death of Khashoggi, an American resident and a columnist for The Washington Post. "Consistent with the previous administration's position and the constitutional separation of powers, the president maintains his discretion to decline to act on congressional committee requests when appropriate," the Trump administration said in a statement. The statement said the administration had taken action against the killers and would consult with Congress.
Lawmakers, including Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, introduced legislation on Friday that would prohibit certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the killing of Khashoggi and its role in Yemen. The Trump administration has refused to blame Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a key ally and the country's de facto ruler, despite a CIA conclusion that the crown prince ordered it.
Trump effectively bypassed a deadline set by law as his administration argued that Congress could not impose its will on the president. Critics charged that he was seeking to cover up Saudi complicity in the death of Khashoggi, an American resident and a columnist for The Washington Post. "Consistent with the previous administration's position and the constitutional separation of powers, the president maintains his discretion to decline to act on congressional committee requests when appropriate," the Trump administration said in a statement. The statement said the administration had taken action against the killers and would consult with Congress.
Lawmakers, including Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, introduced legislation on Friday that would prohibit certain arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to the killing of Khashoggi and its role in Yemen. The Trump administration has refused to blame Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a key ally and the country's de facto ruler, despite a CIA conclusion that the crown prince ordered it.
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