Staff Reports
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided to make a little detour to Pennsylvania this week, possibly on a whim, or maybe because he heard the Democrats in the state were throwing a “let’s flaunt our influence” party. What better way to show some international diplomacy than to ride in on taxpayer-funded Air Force resources? Sadly, the event was marred by some pointed critiques aimed at the Trump-Vance ticket. According to Zelensky, Senator JD Vance is “too radical” — but one can’t help but wonder if Zelensky got his talking points from the nearest leftist handbook.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is not one to let the incident ride off into the sunset without proper scrutiny. He dispatched a letter to some heavy hitters in Washington, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, demanding to know what, if any, government resources were utilized for Zelensky’s visit. Drawing from both history and a healthy dose of skepticism, Comer reminded everyone that then-President Donald Trump faced impeachment over a phone conversation with Zelensky back in 2019. That was over a supposed conspiracy, despite evidence being about as palpable as a wisp of smoke.
🚨 BREAKING: Chairman James Comer Is Investigating the Biden-Harris Admin’s Use of Taxpayer-Funded Resources to Fly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Pennsylvania to Campaign for Kamala Harris
Chairman Comer today is opening an investigation into the Biden-Harris… pic.twitter.com/BaVKAhoFoO
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) September 25, 2024
Interestingly enough, this show of Zelensky claiming the current Republican ticket is “too radical” seems suspiciously timed, especially with the looming battleground that is Pennsylvania. The state is critical for both parties as the political tug-of-war ramps up. Comer is probing whether the Biden-Harris Administration might be leveraging their foreign contacts, specifically calling Zelensky to the frontline, to give a helpful nudge to Vice President Kamala Harris’s not-so-stellar campaign efforts. The use of a foreign leader for domestic political gain is something right out of the playbook of tactical mischief.
When rummaging through the back and forth of Zelensky’s comments, it becomes clear that his disdain doesn’t stop at Vance; he’s thrown shade at Trump as well. Although Trump focused heavily on peace in his campaign, Zelensky’s claims—disguised as insights—seem to suggest that the former president and his administration were incapable of stopping the ongoing conflict. Such narrative shifts don’t go unnoticed, especially when they arise during taxpayer-funded visits that help paint the GOP as a party in disarray.
Ultimately, the optics of an overseas president criticizing the political opposition while mingling with Democrats raises eyebrows. This is particularly evident with Zelensky cozying up to Pennsylvania Democrats like Governor Josh Shapiro, Senator Bob Casey Jr., and Congressman Matt Cartwright, all of whom are facing re-election campaigns in a state that’s not exactly rolling out the red carpet for inner-party squabbles. The fact that this visit utilized military resources is certainly giving Comer—and others—plenty of fuel to stoke the fire of accountability, and rightly so.
As the requests from Congress pile up, one thing is clear: taxpayers deserve answers on whether their hard-earned dollars were used to boost a campaign for someone who couldn’t secure their seat in the first place. The implications of a foreign leader hopping on a U.S. Air Force plane to help out the Democrats isn’t merely a delightful gossip in D.C.; it’s a potential conflict that needs proper investigation. And in a climate where election interference is on everyone’s lips, the last thing America needs is another banana republic-style stunt.
