Mike Pence gave a dodgy answer when asked if Trump used Ukraine aid to force a Biden investigation

On his trip to Poland earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence was asked directly about whether the hold-up in about $250 million in military aid to Ukraine had any relation to Rudy Giuliani trying to dig up dirt on the Biden family. Pence had just met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the day before, and he dodged the implication of the question entirely.

Without offering a yes or no, Pence said, “We discussed America’s support for Ukraine and the upcoming decision the President will make on the latest tranche of financial support in great detail.”

What makes Pence’s response even more interesting is that the reporter asked a two-part question: “Did you discuss Joe Biden at all during that meeting yesterday with the Ukrainian President? And number two, can you assure Ukraine that the hold-up of that money has absolutely nothing to do with efforts, including by Rudy Giuliani, to try to dig up dirt on the Biden family?”

Pence was very decisive on the first inquiry—“Well, on the first question, the answer is no.”—making his dodge of the second question even more interesting.

Later in his answer, Pence added, “As President Trump had me make clear, we have great concerns about issues of corruption.  And, fortunately, President Zelensky was elected decisively on an anti-corruption message.”

But what gets even more interesting is one reporter’s account of what it was like to be in the room with Pence and other aides on the trip (including newly departed National Security Adviser John Bolton) just after Pence and Zelensky met. Hint: Everyone seemed a little nervous.