US aid to Ukraine looks like money laundering scheme: Congresswoman
American aid to Kiev goes to NGOs run by āfriends and familiesā of US politicians, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene claims
FILE PHOTO. Ā© Global Look Press /
www.imago-images.de
The financial support America provides to Ukraine looks very much
ālike money laundering schemes,ā Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has told āThe Truth With Lisa Bootheā podcast on Monday. The money supposedly destined for Ukrainians ends up in the pockets of
ānon-profits and NGOsā that are often run by people close to the politicians in Washington, Greene has claimed.
āThey want to get $40 billion to Ukraine and you have these $40 billion on top of the money that have already been given. That brings it to $53 billion. That is over two thirds of the State Departmentās entire budget for the year,ā the congresswoman said, referring to the latest aid package that is currently going through the US Senate.
According to Greene, the US officials are doing this to eventually fund the NGOs operated by
ātheir families and friends.ā āIt is basically like money laundering schemes,ā she said.
The congresswoman believes these funds should be spent to deal with issues inside the US instead, including homelessness or human trafficking, which, according to Greene, have reached
ārecord-highā levels.
Of the upcoming $40 billion aid package, $900 million is to be given to
āqualifiedā organizations and NGOs for wraparound services, housing and medical services, the congresswoman said, adding that these organizations will be
āeligible for any help the US government can give them.ā
READ MORE
US Republicans bicker over Ukraine āproxy warā cash
Washington also plans to provide $150 million for global agriculture and food programs at a time when US farmers are
āon the verge of going out of business,ā Greene said, adding that she has talked to the farmers in her district over the past week and found out they had been
āhurt so badly by inflation and high fuel costs, chemicals and fertilizer costs⦠they are not breaking even.ā
The congresswoman has also accused the US of being hypocritical about its alleged desire to
āhelp the Ukrainian people.ā Washington is pouring money into Ukraine but is
ātotally ignoringā other conflicts around the world, she said, adding that
āEthiopia has a civil war right now, with thousands of people killed and millions displaced,ā but the US pays little attention to this fact.
Greene is not the only one concerned about the transparency of the US spending when it comes to aid for Ukraine. Last week, a quick vote on the $40 billion Ukraine aid package bill was blocked by Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky. He demanded a special inspector general be appointed to monitor how the massive aid package is spent.
READ MORE
US prioritizes arming Ukraine over Covid aid
Paul insisted that his proposal be added to the bill, which would require that the revised legislation go back to the House for another vote after Senate approval. He noted that the latest package would bring total US aid to Ukraine to $60 billion since the conflict began in February, nearly as much as Russia earmarks annually for its entire defense budget. The Senator also argued that America would have to increase its debt and worsen its inflation crisis to make the aid available to Kiev.
Greene herself was among the 57 Republican representatives who voted twice against sending financial aid to Ukraine during its conflict. Both aid packages, however, received overwhelming support in the House and were passed 368-57.
On Saturday, US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the US support during his visit to Kiev. He also vowed to
āget the job doneā by passing the aid package bill.