Whistleblower complaint describes White House cover-up on Trump-Ukraine scandal

[webfact]

Whistleblower complaint describes White House cover-up on Trump-Ukraine scandal

By Patricia Zengerle, David Morgan and Doina Chiacu

 

Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Joseph Maguire is sworn in to testifify before a House Intelligence Committee hearing on the handling of the whistleblower complaint in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 26, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A whistleblower report released on Thursday said President Donald Trump not only abused his office in attempting to solicit Ukraine's interference in the 2020 U.S. election for his own political benefit, but that the White House also tried to "lock down" evidence about that conduct.

 

The Democratic-led House of Representatives Intelligence Committee released a declassified version of the report, which had triggered a raging controversy and prompted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday to launch a formal impeachment inquiry into the Republican Trump that threatens his presidency.

 

The report said Trump acted to advance his personal political interests, risking national security, and that White House officials intervened to shift evidence to a separate electronic system.

 

"This is a cover-up," Pelosi said. "The president has been engaged in a cover-up all along."

 

Trump has denied wrongdoing.

 

According to a summary of a July 25 telephone call central to the whistleblower complaint, Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate 2020 the Democratic presidential front-runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, in coordination with U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. A written summary of the call was released by the Trump administration on Wednesday.

 

House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff addresses reporters after a hearing with the acting Director of National Intelligence. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

 

The whistleblower report, citing multiple U.S. officials, said senior White House officials intervened to "lock down" records of the call especially the official word-for-word transcript.

 

"Instead the transcript was loaded into a separate electronic system that is otherwise used to store and handle classified information of an especially sensitive nature," the report said. "One White House official described this act as an abuse of this electronic system because the call did not contain anything remotely sensitive from a national security perspective."

 

Democrats have accused Trump of soliciting a foreign power to smear a domestic political rival. The Ukraine controversy follows U.S. intelligence conclusions that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election with a campaign of hacking and propaganda to boost Trump's candidacy.

 

During a three-hour Intelligence Committee hearing, the top U.S. intelligence official, Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire, said the whistleblower had acted in good faith and followed the law in bringing the complaint, which was dated Aug 12.

 

The call to Zelenskiy occurred after Trump ordered a freeze of nearly $400 million in American aid to Ukraine, which the administration only later released. Before the call, Ukraine's government was told that interaction between Zelenskiy and Trump depended on whether the Ukrainian leader would "play ball," the whistleblower said.

 

Trump reacted with fury after the hearing and assailed Democrats for their impeachment inquiry.

 

"What ... Democrats are doing to this country is a disgrace and it shouldn't be allowed. There should be a way of stopping it, maybe legally through the courts," Trump told reporters.

 

The identity of the whistleblower, a person within the U.S. intelligence community, has not been made public. In the report, the whistleblower said that "I was not a direct witness to most of the events described" and based the account on information from colleagues.

 

The New York Times, quoting three people familiar with his identity, reported that the whistleblower is a CIA officer who at one time was detailed to work at the White House.

 

'CLOSE TO A SPY'

The New York Times and Los Angeles Times reported that Trump told staff from the U.S. mission to the United Nations he wanted to know who provided information to the whistleblower.

 

"I want to know who's the person, who's the person who gave the whistleblower the information. Because that's close to a spy," the Los Angeles Times quoted Trump as saying based on a recording of his remarks made by a person who attended the event in New York. "You know what we used to do in the old days when we were smart? Right? The spies and treason, we used to handle it a little differently than we do now."

 

The whistleblower's concerns did not end with Trump's conversation with Zelenskiy. The next day, the report said, Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker and Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland met with Zelenskiy and other Ukrainians and advised them "about how to 'navigate' the demands that the president had made of Mr Zelenskiy."

 

Trump has repeatedly suggested wrongdoing by Biden and his son Hunter but has offered no evidence. There has been no evidence that Biden used his position to help his son, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine.

 

The complaint stated that multiple U.S. officials said they were "deeply concerned by what they viewed as Mr. Giuliani's circumvention of national security decision-making processes to engage with Ukrainian officials and relay messages back and forth between Kiev and the president."

 

Some of Trump's fellow Republicans criticized the report. "Clearly a coordinated effort to take second-hand information to create a narrative damaging to the President," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement.

 

'GOOD FAITH'

At the hearing, despite comments by Trump and other Republicans, Maguire said there was no reason to believe the whistleblower was disloyal to the United States or a political hack.

 

"I believe the whistleblower and the inspector general have acted in good faith throughout," he said, also referring to intelligence community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who determined that the whistleblower allegations appeared credible and were of urgent concern.

 

"I think the whistleblower did the right thing. I think he followed the law every step of the way," Maguire said.

 

Maguire frustrated committee Democrats when he declined to say whether he had discussed the whistleblower complaint with Trump. Maguire said it would not be "appropriate" for him to publicly rebuke Trump's attacks on the whistleblower.

 

Maguire testified about the document after refusing for weeks to share it with Congress. Democrats said federal law required that the report be sent to lawmakers.

 

"I have upheld my responsibility to follow the law every step of the way in the matter that is before us today," Maguire testified. Under questioning, he acknowledged this was the first time a whistleblower complaint was not shared with Congress.

 

Maguire said he had not immediately released the report out of concern for "executive privilege," a legal doctrine protecting certain executive branch communications.

 

Maguire said he did not know who the whistleblower was and that he would work to ensure the individual's anonymity is protected and that the individual not face retaliation.

 

'INFORMATION WARFARE'

Adam Schiff, the Democratic committee chairman, grilled Maguire about why the whistleblower report was withheld. Trump, Schiff said, "has betrayed his oath of office, betrayed his oath to defend our national security and betrayed his oath to defend the Constitution."

 

"What you are seeing in the actions of this president is not democracy. It is the very negation of democracy," Schiff said as he ended the hearing.

 

Representative Devin Nunes, a close Trump ally who is the committee's top Republican, blasted Democrats for pursuing the matter, as well as media reports about the call and whistleblower report.

 

"I want to congratulate the Democrats on their latest information warfare effort against the president," Nunes said sarcastically.

 

Saying more than six White House officials had made contact about Trump's communication with Ukraine, the report cited concerns that efforts to put pressure on Ukraine "pose risks to U.S. national security," undermining efforts "to deter and counter foreign interference in U.S. elections."

 

The whistleblower complaint cited two instances that might have a connection with "the overall effort to pressure Ukrainian leadership." The complaint stated that Trump instructed Vice President Mike Pence to cancel his trip to Ukraine to attend Zelenskiy's inauguration in May, sending a lower-level Cabinet member instead.

 

The officials told the whistleblower it was "made clear" Trump did not want to meet with Zelenskiy until he saw how he "chose to act." The complaint also noted that Trump earlier that month ordered suspension of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine.

 

Schiff also said the committee expected to hear from the whistleblower and Atkinson. Maguire and Atkinson met behind closed doors with the Senate Intelligence Committee later on Thursday.

 

Maguire said the greatest U.S. intelligence challenge is protecting the integrity of elections, federal, state and local. He said it would be "unwelcome" to have outside interference in a U.S. election, adding, "No person in the country is beyond the reach of the law."

 

Under the U.S. Constitution, the House has the power to impeach a president for "high crimes and misdemeanours." No president has ever been removed through impeachment. Democrats control the House and Republicans control the Senate.

 

The United States has been giving military aid to Ukraine since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. The $391.5 million in aid at issue in the current controversy was approved by Congress to help Ukraine deal with an insurgency by Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country.

 

The call to Zelenskiy occurred after Trump ordered a freeze of the military aid. The whistleblower report said an official from the White House informed departments and agencies on July 18 that Trump had issued instructions to suspend all security assistance to Ukraine. Neither the White House budget office or National Security Council staff "knew why this instruction had been issued," the report said.

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, David Morgan, Mark Hosenball, Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu; additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Susan Heavey, Lisa Lambert and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Will Dunham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-27

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[Samui Bodoh]

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

"Instead the transcript was loaded into a separate electronic system that is otherwise used to store and handle classified information of an especially sensitive nature," the report said. "One White House official described this act as an abuse of this electronic system because the call did not contain anything remotely sensitive from a national security perspective."

And there it is... 

 

There is a crime, but it is always the cover-up that is the problem and what leads to a fall. 

 

"...Trump has repeatedly suggested wrongdoing by Biden and his son Hunter but has offered no evidence. There has been no evidence that Biden used his position to help his son, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine..."

 

And, there is Trump's standard "defense". Say nothing to the facts, but slur and slander another person and claim 'whataboutism'.

 

The sooner that Trump is tossed out on his ass, the better the off the US will be.

 

I have said it before and will say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

Let this nightmare end...

 

Edited September 26, 2019 by Samui Bodoh

[pegman]

Looks like Donnie really did himself in this time

[TopDeadSenter]

I watched this hearing live on Bloomberg. It was truly disturbing right from the get go. Chairman Schiff knew it was all a nothing-burger so fabricated a terrible mafia style conversation to grab headlines. Of course it was completely made up! Not sure these are the headlines he was intending to generate.

 

“I have a favor I want from you,” Schiff said while appearing to read from a paper. “And I’m going to say this only seven times, so you better listen good. I want you to make up dirt on my political opponent, understand? Lots of it, on this and on that.”

https://www.foxnews.com/media/schiff-parody

 

Pathetic, dishonest, and embarrassing. Typical behavior from team democrat since the humiliating electoral upset 3 years ago. 

[Jingthing]

Well, coverup attempt or not, an awful lot has been uncovered already. Emphasis on awful. 

 

The impeachment process is on, for better or worse. It's happening. It can't be stopped. Here we go.

 

 

[Tippaporn]

Something to chew on:

 

 

Keep this in mind:

 

 

[Tippaporn]

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well, coverup attempt or not, an awful lot has been uncovered already. Emphasis on awful. 

 

The impeachment process is on, for better or worse. It's happening. It can't be stopped. Here we go.

 

 

Don't jump the gun just yet, Jingthing.  All the details are not in and there's much more info to come.  LOL

Edited September 26, 2019 by Tippaporn

[Tug]

that was an earfull today took the time to watch the whole thing looks like a lot more info hidden what a nasty human Donald is doesent deserve to be president and it’s showing loud and clear kick the bum out!

[Tippaporn]

2 minutes ago, Tug said:

that was an earfull today took the time to watch the whole thing looks like a lot more info hidden what a nasty human Donald is doesent deserve to be president and it’s showing loud and clear kick the bum out!

Don't jump the gun just yet, Jingthing Tug.  All the details are not in and there's much more info to come.  LOL

[bendejo]

I don't care much for Pelosi, but if her stalling was part of a "give him enough rope" strategy it paid off.

And in Nixon fashion it has grown a dimension: the act itself and the subsequent coverup, which is still in play.

But let's not forget that calls like the one in question DT himself has said there is nothing wrong with, see the Stephanopoulos interview of last June.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stephanopoulos+trump

 

His remarks about how someone within the ranks could be charged with treason does not help, sounds like a counter-suit strategy.  Has anyone else noticed he seems sort of sedated the past few days?  I suspect he's medicated, anyone know what?

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

59 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

https://www.foxnews.com/media/schiff-parody

 

Pathetic, dishonest, and embarrassing

 

That's a good description for fox "news". Thanks.

[OneMoreFarang]

There was a time when a president like that would have resigned.

And there was a time when he own party would have thrown him out.

But those times are obviously over. Amazing USA. RIP

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

Don't jump the gun just yet, Jingthing.  All the details are not in and there's much more info to come.  LOL

Amongst the details yet to ‘come in’ are those within the testimony of the whistleblower himself.

 

The NYT is reporting he’s a CIA officer, so presumably aware of what is and is not a threat to the security of the US.

 

First question, is the whistleblower  report released by the Administration the entirety of the report you yourself submitted an If not what’s missing?

Edited September 27, 2019 by Chomper Higgot

[DoctorG]

Stop calling this person a whistleblower. He/she/Zer/Zim has no first person information and therefore does not even have a whistle to blow.

[Chomper Higgot]

The report that the transcript files were loaded to another computer server is good news for Pelosi.

 

It reveals intent to hide a crime and, because Trump is computer illiterate, it reveals others where involved in hiding the evidence, perhaps in making the suggestion where to hide the files.

 

These ‘others’ now have a clear choice to make. Save their own skin.

[DoctorG]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Before the call, Ukraine's government was told that interaction between Zelenskiy and Trump depended on whether the Ukrainian leader would "play ball," the whistleblower said.

This is from an ABC report that has been retracted. More fake news. MSNBC also did their usual misinformation in slicing and dicing the transcript.

[Tippaporn]

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Amongst the details yet to ‘come in’ are those within the testimony of the whistleblower himself.

 

The NYT is reporting he’s a CIA officer, so presumably aware of what is and is not a threat to the security of the US.

 

First question, is the whistleblower  report released by the Administration the entirety of the report you yourself submitted an If not what’s missing?

Chomper, I'd be the first to want to hear the whistle blower's testimony.  I'd also be the first to want to know more about who the whistle blower is, and what ties they have.

 

As you mentioned, it's reported that the whistle blower is CIA.  Now it should be well understood that the CIA is one of the most disreputable, and perhaps one of the most appalling as well, alphabet agencies ever created.  That the whistle blower is CIA does that not raise a red flag with you?  Or are you simply hoping that it's all legit because you hate Trump and this "matter" appears to fit in with the outcome you sooooooo desire?  Let's be honest for a change.

 

Quite possibly the administration is withholding information.  But again, let's not jump the gun and draw absolute conclusions when there are so many facts yet to be unearthed.  Fair enough?

Edited September 27, 2019 by Tippaporn

[Chomper Higgot]

11 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Stop calling this person a whistleblower. He/she/Zer/Zim has no first person information and therefore does not even have a whistle to blow.

And you have first-person knowledge that they do not.

 

The Director of National Intelligence referred to the individual as a ‘whistleblower’ and stated under oath that he believed the whistleblower acted in good faith and within the law.

 

 

Edited September 27, 2019 by Chomper Higgot

[DoctorG]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And you have first-person knowledge that the do not.

 

The Director of National Intelligence referred to the individuals dual as a ‘whistleblower’ and stated under oath that he believed the whistleblower blower acted in good faith and within the law.

 

 

Still doesn't alter the fact that he operated on hearsay and from media reports. I did not say that he operated in bad faith though. Zealots and patriots are overly ready to believe what they want to believe. 

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Chomper, I'd be the first to want to hear the whistle blower's testimony.  I'd also be the first to want to know more about who the whistle blower is, and what ties they have.

 

As you mentioned, it's reported that the whistle blower is CIA.  Now it should be well understood that the CIA is one of the most disreputable, and perhaps one of the most appalling as well, alphabet agencies ever created.  That the whistle blower is CIA does that not raise a red flag with you?  Or are you simply hoping that it's all legit because you hate Trump and this "matter" appears to fit in with the outcome you sooooooo desire?  Let's be honest for a change.

 

Quite possibly the administration is withholding information.  But again, let's not jump the gun and draw absolute conclusions when there are so many facts yet to be unearthed.  Fair enough?

1. You will get to hear from the whistleblower.

 

2. We don’t need to jump to conclusions, Trump’s impeachment is underway, facts are being revealed in real time.

[Tippaporn]

7 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And you have first-person knowledge that the do not.

 

The Director of National Intelligence referred to the individuals dual as a ‘whistleblower’ and stated under oath that he believed the whistleblower blower acted in good faith and within the law.

 

 

But none of that information amounts to diddly squat at this point, Chomper.  Why are you concluding conclusively that the appearances we've been given so far tell the whole story and are thus far completely truthful?  As I said, let's me honest about this.  Let's analyze it fairly and objectively.  Put aside your feelings for Trump with only one goal in mind: the actual truth no matter and regardless of who then will be in harm's way.

Edited September 27, 2019 by Tippaporn

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Still doesn't alter the fact that he operated on hearsay and from media reports. I did not say that he operated in bad faith though. Zealots and patriots are overly ready to believe what they want to believe. 

Where is your evidence that the whistleblower acted on hearsay.

 

I’d be carful with the terms ‘zealots’ and ‘Patriots’, you might confuse yourself.

[Forethat]

Shouldn't this guy be called a trumpeter instead of whistleblower?

[Tippaporn]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

1. You will get to hear from the whistleblower.

 

2. We don’t need to jump to conclusions, Trump’s impeachment is underway, facts are being revealed in real time.

Chomper, please, tell me that you haven't jumped to conclusions.  Your previous posts here and elsewhere would answer that.  Again, let's just be honest, shall we?

 

Edit:  As far as Trump's impeachment being underway please don't discount the possibility that if it turns out that this is just another Dem hoax the impeachment proceedings will simply vanish due to the underlying basis for it being completely destroyed.  Stranger things have happened, such as the Russiagate outcome.

Edited September 27, 2019 by Tippaporn

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

But none of that information amounts to diddly squat at this point, Chomper.  Why are you concluding conclusively that the appearances we've been given so far tell the whole story and are thus far completely truthful?  As I said, let's me honest about this.  Let's analyze it fairly and objectively.  Put aside your feelings for Trump with only one goal in mind: the actual truth no matter and regardless of who then will be in harm's way.

I have not concluded that what has been revealed so far is the whole story, not by a long way.

 

Your argument that there is more to come is completely logical, the problem you and trump supporters have is the more we hear, the worse it gets.

 

[anicon]

37 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

The mislabeled Russiagate, which should accurately be described as spygate.  2+ years and nothing to show.  The spygate scandal is yet to be concluded.  Wait for it.

well don't hold your breath because that's going no where, the FBI were already aware of the Russian hacking into servers and were investigating Russian interference..

[Tippaporn]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I have not concluded that what has been revealed so far is the whole story, not by a long way.

 

Your argument that there is more to come is completely logical, the problem you and trump supporters have is the more we hear, the worse it gets.

 

I have not asserted that you have concluded that the whole story is not in, Chomper, and I think you know that.  My assertion is that you've already concluded that Trump is guilty.  Am I wrong?

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Chomper, please, tell me that you haven't jumped to conclusions.  Your previous posts here and elsewhere would answer that.  Again, let's just be honest, shall we?

Dr G made some unsubstantiated statements above, conclusions for which he has no evidence.

 

You had nothing to say on the matter.

 

Perhaps your own conclusions exclude acceptance of those that disagree with you, while obscuring from you the unfounded conclusions of those who share your blind faith to Trump.

[spidermike007]

Trump is demonstrating every day why he is the wrong man for the job. The larger crime may not have been the call, but the attempt to cover up the call, once his staffers realized what he had done and how illegal and beyond the pale, the conversation was.

 

No doubt Trump is in it now. Classic gangland behavior. Busted the first time for Russia, and he gets away with it. Engages in illegal interference again, immediately afterwards.  I am above the law. I am untouchable. I have been getting away with crime my whole life. Let them catch me. I dare them. 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, Tippaporn said:

I have not asserted that you have concluded that the whole story is not in, Chomper, and I think you know that.  My assertion is that you've already concluded that Trump is guilty.  Am I wrong?

You are wrong.

 

I have concluded that Trump and his administration are hiding something and that the whistleblower report is the cause of them doing the hiding.

 

I am skeptical of everything Trump, his administration and his supporters have to say on the matter, up to and including the completeness of any documents they release.

 

I like you absolutely believe there is much more evidence to come out.

 

I very much look forward to seeing it.