A second whistleblower has come forward with “firsthand knowledge” in the current Trump–Ukraine situation.
What We Know:
- The attorney representing Mark Zaid, the first whistleblower who released information on President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine which triggered an impeachment, is now representing a second whistleblower.
- Trump has repeated that the original complaint, released on September 26, was “totally inaccurate”. The original seven-page complaint alleged that Trump pushed a foreign power to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, and Biden’s son, Hunter. It also stated that an unnamed senior White House official then tried to “lockdown” all records of the phone call.
- The second person, who is being described as an intelligence official, is reported to have first-hand knowledge of some of the allegations outlined in the original complaint and has been interviewed by the head of the intelligence community’s internal watchdog office known as IG. According to the first whistleblower, more than half a dozen U.S. officials have information relevant to the investigation.
- Both whistleblowers have the full protection of the law which protects whistleblowers from being fired in retaliation. While this second official has spoken with the IG, this person has not communicated yet with the congressional committees conducting the investigation.
- The co-counsel to Zaid, Andrew Bakaj, confirmed that the firm is representing “multiple whistleblowers”. Zaid later confirmed in a tweet that it was true.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham released this statement following the news: “It doesn’t matter how many people decide to call themselves whistleblowers about the same telephone call — a call the president already made public — it doesn’t change the fact that he’s has done nothing wrong.”
NEWS UPDATE: I can confirm this report of a second #whistleblower being represented by our legal team. They also made a protected disclosure under the law and cannot be retaliated against. This WBer has first hand knowledge. https://t.co/zYkUYgJ0mE
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) October 6, 2019
