WASHINGTON — A second intelligence official who was alarmed by President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine is weighing whether to file his own formal whistle-blower complaint and testify to Congress, according to two people briefed on the matter.
The official has more direct information about the events than the first whistle-blower, whose complaint that Mr. Trump was using his power to get Ukraine to investigate his political rivals touched off an impeachment inquiry. The second official is among those interviewed by the intelligence community inspector general to corroborate the allegations of the original whistle-blower, one of the people said.
The inspector general, Michael Atkinson, briefed lawmakers privately on Friday about how he substantiated the whistle-blower’s account. It was not clear whether he told lawmakers that the second official was considering filing a complaint.
A new complaint, particularly from someone closer to the events, would potentially add further credibility to the account of the first whistle-blower, a C.I.A. officer who was detailed to the National Security Council at one point. He said that he relied on information from more than a half-dozen American officials to compile his allegations about Mr. Trump’s campaign to solicit foreign election interference that could benefit him politically.
Other evidence has emerged to back the whistle-blower’s claim. A reconstructed transcript of a July call between Mr. Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky released by the White House also showed Mr. Trump pressuring Ukraine. Mr. Trump appeared to believe that its release would quell the push for impeachment, but it only emboldened House Democrats.
Because the second official has met with Mr. Atkinson’s office, it was unclear whether he needs to file a complaint to gain the legal protections offered to intelligence community whistle-blowers. Witnesses who speak with inspectors general are protected by federal law that outlaws reprisals against officials who cooperate with an inspector general.
Whistle-blowers have created a new threat for Mr. Trump. Though the White House has stonewalled Democrats in Congress investigating allegations from the special counsel’s report, the president has little similar ability to stymie whistle-blowers from speaking to Congress.
The Trump administration had blocked Mr. Atkinson from sharing the whistle-blower complaint with lawmakers but later relented.
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Mr. Trump and his allies have taken aim at the credibility of the original whistle-blower by noting that he had secondhand knowledge. The president has also singled out his sources, saying that they were “close to a spy.”
“I want to know who’s the person who gave the whistle-blower the information because that’s close to a spy,” Mr. Trump told staff members at the United States Mission to the United Nations. “You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart with spies and treason, right? We used to handle it a little differently than we do now.”
Mr. Atkinson has identified some indications of “arguable political bias” that the whistle-blower had in favor of a rival candidate. But the inspector general said that the existence of that bias did not alter his conclusion that the complaint was credible.
Still, testimony from someone with more direct knowledge of Mr. Trump’s efforts to use American foreign policy for potential political gain would most likely undermine conservatives’ attacks on the C.I.A. officer’s credibility.
Who Are the Main Characters in the Whistle-Blower’s Complaint?
President Trump’s personal lawyer. The prosecutor general of Ukraine. Joe Biden’s son. These are just some of the names mentioned in the whistle-blower’s complaint. What were their roles? We break it down.CreditCreditIllustration by The New York Times
The House Intelligence Committee has taken the lead on the investigation into the whistle-blower’s claims as part of the impeachment inquiry into whether Mr. Trump abused his powers by using high-level diplomacy to advance his personal interests. Committee aides had sought to interview the whistle-blower last week but have yet to sit down with him, and it was unclear how soon they could.
Democrats looking to keep up the momentum of their impeachment inquiry are seeing more results than they have in their examination of the findings of the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into Russia’s election interference and Mr. Trump’s efforts to impede investigators. Though Mr. Mueller laid out stark examples of Mr. Trump trying to interfere with the inquiry, the White House has fought Democrats’ pursuit of eyewitness testimony.
House Democrats have moved more quickly in scrutinizing Mr. Trump’s use of power to solicit potential foreign help in his 2020 re-election campaign.
Late Thursday, they released explosive texts exchanged by State Department officials and Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani about pressuring the Ukrainians to commit to conducting the investigations that could help Mr. Trump politically.
In one exchange, the Americans sought to have Mr. Zelensky issue a statement promising to investigate a Ukrainian natural gas company where Hunter Biden, the younger son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., sat on the board.
But the top American diplomat in Ukraine, William B. Taylor Jr., raised concerns about the White House’s decision to freeze $391 million in military assistance to Ukraine, tying it directly to the campaign to pressure the Ukrainians to develop dirt on the president’s political opponents.
“As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” Mr. Taylor wrote on Sept. 9 to Kurt D. Volker, the State Department’s former special envoy for Ukraine, and Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union.
The texts show a dispute among the men about whether the president was trying to use the security aid or a White House meeting with Mr. Zelensky as leverage — a charge at the heart of the impeachment inquiry.
Mr. Trump has denied that he held up the aid as a quid pro quo. “Listen to this: There is no pro quo,” he told reporters on Friday on the South Lawn of the White House in response to questions about the texts.
Nicholas Fandos contributed reporting.
Michael S. Schmidt is a Washington correspondent covering national security and federal investigations. He was part of two teams that won Pulitzer Prizes in 2018 — one for reporting on workplace sexual harassment and the other for coverage of President Trump and his campaign’s ties to Russia.
A Guide to Impeachment
Updated Oct. 3, 2019
Latest: Read our coverage of the impeachment inquiry.
What Impeachment Is: Impeachment is charging a holder of public office with misconduct. Here are answers to seven key questions about the process.
What the Accusation Is: President Trump is accused of breaking the law by pressuring the president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation connected to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a potential Democratic opponent in the 2020 election.
What Was Said: The White House released a reconstructed transcript of Mr. Trump’s call to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
A Visual Timeline: Here are the key figures and dates as Mr. Trump and his allies pressured Ukraine to investigate his political opponents.
Why Now: A whistle-blower complaint filed in August says that White House officials believed they had witnessed President Trump abuse his power for political gain. Here are 8 takeaways from the complaint.
How Trump Responds: The president said the impeachment battle would be “a positive” for his chances of winning a second term next year. Mr. Trump has repeatedly referred to the whistle-blower as “crooked” and condemned the news media reporting on the complaint. On Thursday, Mr. Trump, publicly called on China to examine Mr. Biden as well.
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Thank you for your patience!
- M.W.
Thank you for your patience!
- M.W.
Impeachment
Re: Impeachment
Poor Trump, he's a victim...
For Kristian Trumpers are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
-Romans 16:18
Posting Content © 2024 TC Talks Holdings LP.
-Romans 16:18
Posting Content © 2024 TC Talks Holdings LP.
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Re: Impeachment
bmw - Gordon Sondland is a hotelier who contributed more than a million dollars to Trump’s election campaign. In return - Trump made him a diplomat from USA to The European Union- of which Ukraine is not a member.
Before Sondland texts his “crystal clear ... no quid pro quos of any kind” message - he’d had time to engage with Trump - letting Trump know about the hazardous (to Trump) texts that had come before.
Why? Because Sondland is one of Trump’s faithful cash cows and only a neophyte in his new USA/EU diplomat role. His appointment by Trump is payback for helping Trump get elected.
I think the text addressing “Bill”, along with its description “crystal clear” reveals it’s coming after consultation with Trump or his close inner circle. It sounds different in its emphatic emphasis than Sondland’s earlier texting with the same recipient(s).
Before Sondland texts his “crystal clear ... no quid pro quos of any kind” message - he’d had time to engage with Trump - letting Trump know about the hazardous (to Trump) texts that had come before.
Why? Because Sondland is one of Trump’s faithful cash cows and only a neophyte in his new USA/EU diplomat role. His appointment by Trump is payback for helping Trump get elected.
I think the text addressing “Bill”, along with its description “crystal clear” reveals it’s coming after consultation with Trump or his close inner circle. It sounds different in its emphatic emphasis than Sondland’s earlier texting with the same recipient(s).
- audiophile
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Re: Impeachment
I think Nancy Pelosi knows this impeachment thing will backfire. The right will be energized.
Now I didn't vote for Trump in the primary or general, but I'm reconsidering because the democrats have have went off the deep end.
Now I didn't vote for Trump in the primary or general, but I'm reconsidering because the democrats have have went off the deep end.
Ask not what your country can do FOR you; ask what they are about to do TO YOU!!
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Re: Impeachment
No patriotic American who cares about our country would ever consider voting for Donald Trump to be President. Not after years in which to observe his overt, grotesque, and sick show of unfitness for office.
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Re: Impeachment
Any party that attempts to take away the will of the voters for political reasons, should be removed from office themselves. Yes, 1868 called and they want their impeachment votes back:
The impeachment and trial of Andrew Johnson had important political implications for the balance of federal legislative–executive power. It maintained the principle that Congress should not remove the President from office simply because its members disagreed with him over policy, style, and administration of office.
Ask not what your country can do FOR you; ask what they are about to do TO YOU!!
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Re: Impeachment
Get real, Obama rewarded his "bundlers" more than any other president:screen glare wrote: ↑Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:13 am bmw - Gordon Sondland is a hotelier who contributed more than a million dollars to Trump’s election campaign. In return - Trump made him a diplomat from USA to The European Union- of which Ukraine is not a member.
Before Sondland texts his “crystal clear ... no quid pro quos of any kind” message - he’d had time to engage with Trump - letting Trump know about the hazardous (to Trump) texts that had come before.
Why? Because Sondland is one of Trump’s faithful cash cows and only a neophyte in his new USA/EU diplomat role. His appointment by Trump is payback for helping Trump get elected.
I think the text addressing “Bill”, along with its description “crystal clear” reveals it’s coming after consultation with Trump or his close inner circle. It sounds different in its emphatic emphasis than Sondland’s earlier texting with the same recipient(s).
https://publicintegrity.org/federal-pol ... -and-more/
Ask not what your country can do FOR you; ask what they are about to do TO YOU!!
Re: Impeachment
I'm betting WB#2 is the one who initially gave the information to WB#1, and this is just an effort to cover his/her ass before their identity is public.
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Re: Impeachment
I think it's just a matter of time before Trump resigns. The walls appear to be caving in. Now a judge has ordered him to turn over 8 years of tax returns, I bet there is some sort of deal he gets and then resigns. I think Pence is warming up in the bullpen.
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Re: Impeachment
Now he won an emergency appeal but the walls are caving in anyways.....
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Re: Impeachment
Hey! Don’t forget Mother and her Bunny Rabbit book - and John Oliver’s version of Marlon Bundo’s story.
Sexual orientation conversion camps could start drumming up big business, again.
Pray away the GAY!
It’s a NEW day!!
President Pence - will have his way.
Karen Pence will have HER say.
And all God’s gay kids - must obey.
Sexual orientation conversion camps could start drumming up big business, again.
Pray away the GAY!
It’s a NEW day!!
President Pence - will have his way.
Karen Pence will have HER say.
And all God’s gay kids - must obey.
Re: Impeachment
So then, why aren't all the people that were investigating candidate T Rump sitting in jail?
New York and Chicago were all in with respect to their sanctuary status — until they were hit with the challenge of actually providing sanctuary. In other words, typical liberal hypocrisy.
Re: Impeachment
Which people are they? Nobody running against Donald Trump held the president's office in the last election. Complain all you want he is abusing his office to the point where it is breaking the law.
For Kristian Trumpers are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
-Romans 16:18
Posting Content © 2024 TC Talks Holdings LP.
-Romans 16:18
Posting Content © 2024 TC Talks Holdings LP.
Re: Impeachment
LOL, even you can't, with a straight face, claim that just about everyone in the Obama administration viewed T Rump as a political opponent. Name one member that wanted to see T Rump as the next President.
They may not have been running, but they were the party in power and they used that power to investigate the opposition party's candidates. Not just T Rump either, there were others.
New York and Chicago were all in with respect to their sanctuary status — until they were hit with the challenge of actually providing sanctuary. In other words, typical liberal hypocrisy.
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Re: Impeachment
Rudy Giuliani and his law client Trump are in the process of pulling away from each other and knifing one another in the back.
Wait until Giuliani realizes he’s hopelessly headed to the slammer like now-enlightened Trump fixer Michael Cohen - and BLURTS OUT to the press while being hauled off -
TRUMP and BARR had EPSTEIN MURDERED!
Oh yeah. That’s gonna open Pandora’s Box.
Wait until Giuliani realizes he’s hopelessly headed to the slammer like now-enlightened Trump fixer Michael Cohen - and BLURTS OUT to the press while being hauled off -
TRUMP and BARR had EPSTEIN MURDERED!
Oh yeah. That’s gonna open Pandora’s Box.
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- Posts: 1461
- Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2018 10:43 am
Re: Impeachment
The Trump and Barr had epstein murdered is a most irresponsible take as those on the far right saying Hilary Clinton was running pedophile rings out of those pizza places. C'mon dude......you are proving yourself as a left wing wacko...... I try to see your point of view on some of your takes but your TDS is stinking on that.screen glare wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:52 pm Rudy Giuliani and his law client Trump are in the process of pulling away from each other and knifing one another in the back.
Wait until Giuliani realizes he’s hopelessly headed to the slammer like now-enlightened Trump fixer Michael Cohen - and BLURTS OUT to the press while being hauled off -
TRUMP and BARR had EPSTEIN MURDERED!
Oh yeah. That’s gonna open Pandora’s Box.