A spokesperson for House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff (D-CA) attempted to downplay a bombshell report confirming suspicions the impeachment inquiry architect received an early account of allegations made in a complaint regarding President Donald Trump’s July telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the New York Times, the partisan CIA officer initially directed a colleague to discuss his claims with the agency’s chief attorney. Shortly after, the officer contacted a House Intelligence Committee aide to discuss the Trump-Zelensky call in which the world leaders discussed U.S. military aid and the business dealings of Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President and 2020 White House candidate Joe Biden. The Times states the panel staffer shared several of the officer’s claims with Schiff, but did not reveal the Deep Stater’s identify. The newspaper says the officer’s allegations were vague at the time that he approached the staffer.
“This is a regular occurrence, given the Committee’s unique oversight role and responsibilities. Consistent with the Committee’s longstanding procedures, Committee staff appropriately advised the whistleblower to contact an Inspector General and to seek legal counsel,” Patrick Boland, Schiff’s spokesman said. “[A]t no point did the Committee review or receive the complaint in advance… The Committee did not receive the complaint until the night before the Acting Director of National Intelligence’s open hearing before the Committee.”
Asked about the Times report during a joint press conference with the leader of Finland, President Trump said the fact that Schiff possessed prior knowledge of the allegations shows he’s a “fraud.”
“I think that it’s a scandal and I’ll go a step further, I think he helped write it,” the president quipped.
Appearing together at the United Nations last week, President Trump and Zelensky both dismissed the complaint’s allegations — chalked full of second-hand information — affirming that no pressure was applied to probe Hunter Biden’s activities in the eastern European country.
“I think you read everything. I think you read text. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be involved to democratic open elections, elections of USA. No, sure, we had I think good phone call. It was normal. We spoke about many things, and I — so I think and you read it that nobody pushed me,” Zelensky said.
As House Democrats move swiftly with their impeachment probe, President Trump has mounted a full-throated defense against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Schiff, accusing them of conducting “coup” to remove him.
“As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP, intended to take away the Power of the People, their VOTE, their Freedoms, their Second Amendment, Religion, Military, Border Wall, and their God-given rights as a Citizen of The United States of America!” the president wrote on Twitter Tuesday.
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