Donald Trump Could Expose Ukraine Whistleblower, Warns Chuck Schumer
Donald Trump has continued his attacks on the whistleblower whose information helped launched the Ukraine impeachment investigation. On Monday, as The Inquisitr reported, the president claimed that the informant’s account has been “discredited” and suggested that the U.S. government shouldn’t be protecting an individual who he claims gave a false report, though there is no evidence that this is the case.
As a result of Trump’s attacks on the whistleblower, Politico reports that Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, is calling on the national intelligence community to protect the unnamed source should his identity be revealed.
Schumer asked both the acting director of national intelligence and the inspector general to specify what they’re doing to protect the informant. He said that while he has heard that the individual has received some protection, Trump’s escalated attacks on the whistleblower mean that the government needs to take additional precautions as Schumer fears that things could get worse if the person’s identity is revealed.
“In light of the President’s ill-advised statements, his lack of respect for the rule of law and his well-documented habit of condoning violence by his supporters, I am concerned that he may disclose the whistleblower’s identity or cause it to be disclosed by others in the administration,” Schumer said.
In that case, Schumer believes there should be some protections in place.
“If that were to happen, it will be your responsibility to take immediate action to protect the whistleblower from both workplace reprisal and threats to his or her personal safety.”
The whistleblower’s letter about Trump’s communication with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky touched off a chain of events last month that culminated in the House opening an impeachment inquiry into the president. Since then, Trump and his associates have attacked and questioned the informant’s identity and credibility.
Trump has repeatedly said that the whistleblower’s identity should be made public, and he accused Rep. Adam Schiff of being the informant while speaking with the House press corps for over an hour about a range of topics.
Without any evidence, Trump recklessly suggests that Adam Schiff was the whistleblower's informant. His also claims the whistleblower's complaint has been "discredited" — a statement totally at odds with the fact that it has been corroborated by the WH & congressional testimony pic.twitter.com/AXB01OfnGL
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 21, 2019
“Maybe the informant was Schiff. In my opinion, it’s possibly Schiff. Why didn’t Schiff say he and his staff, or his staff?” Trump said.
He also called on the inspector general to investigate the whistleblower.
During that same conversation, Trump also asked why the government was protecting someone who “gives a false account,” though there is no evidence that the whistleblower’s statement was inaccurate.
