Lawyer says whistleblower willing to answer written questions from Republicans.
Popular in News & Politics
- Jack Smith Basically Has One Option to Save the Classified Documents Case
- The Day Most Important to Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict Is Here
- How Bad Are Biden’s Polling Numbers Right Now? Are You Sitting Down?
- A Key Weakness of Trump’s Defense Is Coming Into View
Mark Zaid, an attorney representing the whistleblower who first raised questions about President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, said his client would be willing to answer written questions from Republican lawmakers without having to through the committee’s Democratic majority. The whistleblower’s attorneys had previous offered to answer questions from lawmakers under oath if they were submitted by the House Intelligence Committee as a whole, but now the new offer would open up a direct channel of communication between the whistleblower and Republican lawmakers.
In a series of tweets explaining the offer, Zaid noted that it comes at a time when Republicans are trying to “expose our client’s identity which could jeopardize their safety, as well as that of their family.” Zaid emphasized that any questions that sought to identify the whistleblower will not be answered. “We stand ready to cooperate and ensure facts - rather than partisanship - dictates any process involving the #whistleblower,” Zaid wrote.
AdvertisementWBer NEWS ALERT:
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) November 3, 2019
1/Our legal team offered GOP direct opportunity to ask written questions of #whistleblower.
Recent GOP messaging, led by President Trump (incl this morning), has been to highlight original #WBer & demand disclosure of identity.
Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement2/Despite long standing policy of HPSCI to protect #whistleblowers, especially anonymity (btw, this was consistent with my efforts w/GOP on #Benghazi), GOP has sought to expose our client's identity which could jeopardize their safety, as well as that of their family.
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) November 3, 2019
AdvertisementEND/We stand ready to cooperate and ensure facts - rather than partisanship - dictates any process involving the #whistleblower.
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) November 3, 2019
The offer to answer written questions came as Trump called on the media to reveal the name of the whistleblower, saying it would amount to “doing the public a service.” Trump mentioned unconfirmed report about the whistleblower’s identity, saying that if they are true then he has no credibility because “he’s an Obama guy” who “hates Trump” and “is a radical.” The president added that “maybe it’s not him, but if it’s him, you guys ought to release the information.” Trump once again accused the whistleblower of lying, saying that his phone call with Ukraine’s president was “perfecto.”
Advertisement AdvertisementPresident Trump called the Ukraine whistleblower an ‘Obama guy,’ reiterating that his or her identity should be revealed https://t.co/jQbcmzKSel pic.twitter.com/ItTPRUCpD2
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 3, 2019
In a tweet, Trump added that the whistleblower “got it sooo wrong that HE must come forward.” The president added that while the “Fake News Media knows who he is” they won’t reveal his identity because they are “an arm of the Democrat Party.” Andrew Bakaj, an attorney representing the whistleblower, said the “fixation” on revealing their identity “is simply because they’re at a loss as to how to address the investigations the underlying disclosure prompted.”
Advertisement Advertisement AdvertisementThe Whistleblower got it sooo wrong that HE must come forward. The Fake News Media knows who he is but, being an arm of the Democrat Party, don’t want to reveal him because there would be hell to pay.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2019
Reveal the Whistleblower and end the Impeachment Hoax!
Tweet Share Share CommentSome people - including Members of Congress (and others) - just don’t get it. Their fixation on exposing the whistleblower’s identity is simply because they’re at a loss as to how to address the investigations the underlying disclosure prompted. https://t.co/i526IXUn1k
— Andrew P. Bakaj (@AndrewBakaj) November 2, 2019