The whistleblower complaint that is being blocked by the Trump Administration is about Donald Trump’s communications with a foreign leader.
The complaint has come from an official in the US intelligence community. Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire has refused to provide the document to the House Intelligence Committee, despite a legal requirement to do so. Committee chair Rep. Adam Schiff responded last week with a subpoena compelling Maguire to hand over the information or appear before the committee to explain why he is not doing so.
“Two former US officials familiar with the matter” told The Washington Post Trump’s communication with the foreign leader included a “promise” that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted the complaint, filed with the Inspector General for the intelligence community.
“A source familiar with the case” echoed the claim in comments to CNN.
Details were not given on the identity of the foreign leader or on the substance of Trump’s promise. It was made during a phone call, according to one of the officials.
Inspector General Michael Atkinson, determined that the complaint was credible as a matter of “urgent concern”, triggering the legal requirement to notify Congressional oversight committees. He will appear before the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday.
Maguire is scheduled to testify next week, according to a statement from Schiff’s office.
Who Was The Foreign Leader?
The whistleblower’s complaint was filed with the Inspector General’s office on August 12. White House records show five conversations or interactions between Trump and at least five foreign leaders in the preceding five weeks.
On July 31, Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the summer, he received at least two letters, which he described as “beautiful” messages, from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
US intelligence officials have been troubled from the outset of Trump’s Presidency by his communications with foreign leaders and their representatives, often conducted without regard for security or the lines of US policy.
Trump has said that he prefers the statements of Russian President Vladimir Putin to those of the US intelligence community. On the day after firing FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, he bragged to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak about the dismissal of the “crazy..lnutjob”, who was refusing to pledge loyalty to Trump during the Trump-Russia investigation.
Trump also revealed sensitive US and Israel espionage operations in Syria to Lavrov and Kislyak in the White House meeting.
Trump’s abrupt switch on North Korea to embrace Kim Jong-un as his “good friend” has also troubled the intelligence community. Their assessments that differed from Trump over Russia, North Korea, Iran, and other issues spurred Trump’s public disagreement with Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who resigned at the end of July.
Who now is Comrade Trumpsky selling down the river to Russia’s PutinKGB? And what information was disclosed to Saudi during Kushner’s visit and was info on Khashoggi given who was later lured to the Saudi Embassy and killed? Two former Saudi Intel agents Americans said Americans and a British activist were being spied on, the British activist was aware that he was hacked and made statements, who the Americans were was never disclosed.
#AbuseOfOffice
#Right2PrivacySafetyAndSecurity
#Accountability #AnIndependentInvestigation
#ACitizensOversightCommittee