Why the House GOP is investigating Zelensky’s visit to Scranton with Shapiro

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Scranton earlier this week with Gov. Josh Shapiro is now a subject of a U.S. House committee investigation, as Republicans allege the trip had ulterior political motives in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid.

Here’s a look at why Zelensky visited Pennsylvania, what he did while he was here, and why House GOP leaders are investigating the trip.

Shapiro and Zelensky on Sunday visited the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Lackawanna County, which manufactures large-caliber metal projectiles that are being used by Ukraine to fight Russia’s invasion.

Specifically, the plant builds 155-millimeter howitzer rounds for the U.S. Department of Defense that the two leaders signed as part of a photo op.

The plant is in President Joe Biden’s hometown — which is in an especially important battleground county in the critical swing state. The two leaders were joined by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, both Democrats who are up for reelection on the Nov. 5 ballot.

“Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American freedom, and our commonwealth proudly stands with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom against naked aggression,” Shapiro said. “I’m proud to welcome President Zelensky and his delegation to Scranton, to visit with the women and men who are fueling his country’s fight for freedom.”

Shapiro also signed a five-year agreement with a Southeastern Ukrainian province’s military “to enhance overall cooperation” between the Ukrainian province’s military and Pennsylvania and support its rebuilding efforts.

Republican leaders in and outside Pennsylvania questioned the motivations of Zelensky’s trip almost immediately, arguing that the trip was a taxpayer-funded campaign event for Harris — and that Zelensky was trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R., Ky.), opened an investigation into the trip on Wednesday, questioning the use of taxpayer resources to fly Zelensky to Pennsylvania, just days after the Ukrainian leader made critical remarks about former President Donald Trump’s running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio), in a New Yorker article, in which he said Vance was “too radical.”

The House Oversight Committee is now investigating any coordination among the Biden-Harris administration, Shapiro’s staff, and Zelensky to use government property “to politically benefit Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign,” Comer said in a news release.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) also canceled his scheduled visit with Zelensky on Thursday and demanded that he fire Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States.

“As you have said, Ukrainians have tried to avoid being ‘captured by American domestic politics,’ and ‘influencing the choices of the American people’ ahead of the November election,” Johnson wrote in a letter to Zelensky on Wednesday. “Clearly, that objective was abandoned this week” when Zelensky visited the Scranton ammunition plant and no Republicans were invited, he added.

The part of Scranton where the ammunition plant is located is represented by only Democrats at the state and federal levels.

Johnson also noted that Pennsylvania is an important battleground state, and that Shapiro is a top surrogate for Harris. Shapiro was a top contender to be Harris’ running mate, and he remains a top supporter of Harris in Pennsylvania and nationally. Johnson called the visit a “shortsighted and intentionally political move” that has caused Republicans to lose trust in Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S.

Zelensky’s visit to Pennsylvania was not entirely unusual. Zelensky has visited with other state governors, including Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox earlier this year.

However, Zelensky and Trump have a long history. Trump’s first impeachment trial, which ended in his acquittal in 2020, was about whether he tried to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Biden and his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings in the country.

More recently, Trump has been increasingly critical of Zelensky and his leadership since Russia began its invasion of its neighboring country in 2022. He refused in the Sept. 10 presidential debate to say whether he wants Ukraine to win the war over Russia.

Harris was scheduled to meet with Zelensky while he was in Washington on Thursday. Zelensky had been scheduled to meet with Trump on Thursday, too, but that meeting was canceled, NBC News reported.

Ukraine has leaned on the United States throughout the Russian invasion for financial and arms aid. Biden announced Thursday he would send $7.9 billion in military aid to Ukraine, as part of a $61 billion aid package passed by Congress earlier this year.