President Trump is calling for the whistleblower who set off an impeachment inquiry against him to be “exposed and questioned.”
In an early morning tweet, Trump referenced a Tuesday report from the Washington Examiner that the anonymous whistleblower had a “professional relationship” with one of the Democratic presidential candidates.
“The Whistleblower’s facts have been so incorrect about my “no pressure” conversation with the Ukrainian President, and now the conflict of interest and involvement with a Democrat Candidate, that he or she should be exposed and questioned properly. This is no Whistleblower…..” Trump said.
“…..The Whistleblower’s lawyer is a big Democrat. The Whistleblower has ties to one of my DEMOCRAT OPPONENTS. Why does the ICIG allow this scam to continue?” he added.
…..The Whistleblower’s lawyer is a big Democrat. The Whistleblower has ties to one of my DEMOCRAT OPPONENTS. Why does the ICIG allow this scam to continue?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2019
The identity of the whistleblower has been a point of contention between the Trump administration and congressional investigators.
The whistleblower, who is reportedly a CIA officer, has agreed to speak with the House Intelligence Committee. Democrats are considering a number of ways to keep the CIA official’s identity concealed. Having testimony in a separate location from Capitol Hill or obscuring the person’s identity and voice have been discussed.
Andrew Bakaj, the lead attorney for the whistleblower, wrote to acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire last month and claimed his client was in “harm’s way” by the president and his supporters.
In speaking about the whistleblower and the individual who gave the officer information included in the complaint, Trump raised concern by alluding to punishment for spies.
“I want to know who’s the person who gave the whistleblower the information because that’s close to a spy,” he said last month.
