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Intelligence Committee Convenes to Hear From Intelligence Chief: Live Updates Intelligence Committee Questions the Acting Intelligence Chief: Live Updates
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A whistle-blower in the intelligence community accused President Trump of using his office to try to get Ukraine’s government to help him in the 2020 presidential election, according to a complaint released Thursday by the House Intelligence Committee.A whistle-blower in the intelligence community accused President Trump of using his office to try to get Ukraine’s government to help him in the 2020 presidential election, according to a complaint released Thursday by the House Intelligence Committee.
“In the course of my duties, I have received information from multiple U.S. government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”“In the course of my duties, I have received information from multiple U.S. government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”
The complaint goes on to say the president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani is “a central figure in this effort,” but that Attorney General William P. Barr “appears to be involved as well.”The complaint goes on to say the president’s personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani is “a central figure in this effort,” but that Attorney General William P. Barr “appears to be involved as well.”
The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam B. Schiff of California, vowed to protect the whistle-blower, an intelligence officer, from reprisal as he released the complaint.The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam B. Schiff of California, vowed to protect the whistle-blower, an intelligence officer, from reprisal as he released the complaint.
White House officials dismissed the significance of the document. “Nothing has changed with the release of this complaint, which is nothing more than a collection of thirdhand accounts of events and cobbled-together press clippings — all of which shows nothing improper,” the press secretary Stephanie Grisham said. She added, “The White House will continue to push back on the hysteria and false narratives being peddled by Democrats and many in the main stream media.”
With the whistle-blower report now public, Congress and the public will increasingly want to hear from the person who filed the report.With the whistle-blower report now public, Congress and the public will increasingly want to hear from the person who filed the report.
Under the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act, the whistle-blower is not permitted to make public statements on the substance of the disclosure, or even to testify to the intelligence committees without proper authorization from senior intelligence community officials, including the inspector general.Under the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act, the whistle-blower is not permitted to make public statements on the substance of the disclosure, or even to testify to the intelligence committees without proper authorization from senior intelligence community officials, including the inspector general.
In this case, officials including Mr. Maguire would need to let the whistle-blower know how to contact the congressional intelligence committees in accordance with appropriate security practices. Mr. Maguire has not yet advised on the situation, and lawmakers could ask his whether he will allow the whistle-blower to speak to Congress. In this case, officials including Mr. Maguire would need to let the whistle-blower know how to contact the congressional intelligence committees in accordance with appropriate security practices. Mr. Maguire has not yet advised on the situation, and lawmakers could ask him whether he will allow the whistle-blower to speak to Congress.
Mr. Maguire, the intelligence chief at the center of the fight over a whistle-blower complaint about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, is making a much-anticipated appearance before the House Intelligence Committee.Mr. Maguire, the intelligence chief at the center of the fight over a whistle-blower complaint about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, is making a much-anticipated appearance before the House Intelligence Committee.
It is unclear how much Mr. Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, will be able to disclose about the whistle-blower’s complaint, much of which remains classified. He is also expected to avoid revealing any details of the whistle-blower’s identity, which could be a violation of the law. In his opening remarks, Mr. Schiff said he expected Mr. Maguire to explain “why you stood silent when an intelligence professional under your care and protection was ridiculed by the president, was accused of potentially betraying his or her country, when that whistle-blower, by their very act of coming forward, has shown more dedication to country, more of an understanding of the president’s oath of office than the president has ever demonstrated.”
It is unclear how much Mr. Maguire will be able to disclose about the classified portions of the whistle-blower’s complaint. He is also expected to avoid revealing any details of the whistle-blower’s identity, which could be a violation of the law.
Mr. Maguire will be able to discuss why he and his general counsel disagreed with the inspector general for the intelligence agencies that the complaint needed to be handed over to the congressional intelligence panels.Mr. Maguire will be able to discuss why he and his general counsel disagreed with the inspector general for the intelligence agencies that the complaint needed to be handed over to the congressional intelligence panels.
The differences of opinion between Mr. Maguire and Michael Atkinson, the inspector general, will be at the heart of many questions from House Democrats, who objected angrily to Mr. Maguire’s refusal to share the material with Congress, which they said was required by law. The Democrats will also hammer away at the consultations between Mr. Maguire’s office, the Justice Department and the White House, seeking to find out whether the administration influenced Mr. Maguire’s decision. They plan to seek assurances that the whistle-blower will be protected.The differences of opinion between Mr. Maguire and Michael Atkinson, the inspector general, will be at the heart of many questions from House Democrats, who objected angrily to Mr. Maguire’s refusal to share the material with Congress, which they said was required by law. The Democrats will also hammer away at the consultations between Mr. Maguire’s office, the Justice Department and the White House, seeking to find out whether the administration influenced Mr. Maguire’s decision. They plan to seek assurances that the whistle-blower will be protected.
Mr. Maguire is expected to argue that his own lawyers reached the same conclusions as the Justice Department’s, and he will have a chance to defend his reputation. The dispute has put Mr. Maguire, a former Navy SEAL and three-star admiral, in a bind, caught between a duty to inform Congress and legal advice that said the complaint could not be handed over.Mr. Maguire is expected to argue that his own lawyers reached the same conclusions as the Justice Department’s, and he will have a chance to defend his reputation. The dispute has put Mr. Maguire, a former Navy SEAL and three-star admiral, in a bind, caught between a duty to inform Congress and legal advice that said the complaint could not be handed over.
Representative Devin Nunes of California, the top Republican on the intelligence panel, has been one of Mr. Trump’s most steadfast allies on Capitol Hill and Thursday morning, he showed he was unmoved by the whistle-blower’s allegations.
Level-toned but brimming with disgust, Mr. Nunes pointedly accused Democrats of launching another “information warfare operation against the president,” just like they fanned the flames of unsubstantiated “Russia hoax.” He ticked through some of the greatest hits of Republican’s unsubstantiated theories about the Democrats’ “mania to overturn the 2016 election.”
They pursued “nude pictures of Trump,” he said. They sought “dirt” on Trump officials from Ukraine. Mr. Biden “bragged that he extorted the Ukrainians into firing a prosecutor who happened to be investigating Biden’s own son.”
He even worked in a reference to Nellie Ohr, the wife of a Justice Department official, an employee of Fusion GPS, and a favorite target of Republicans, as he argued that the Russia investigation was cooked up by Democrats and the F.B.I. to take down Mr. Trump.
“They don’t want answers,” Mr. Nunes said. “They want a public spectacle.”
House Democrats passed a significant milestone late Wednesday: 218 lawmakers, a majority of the House, are now on the record supporting an impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump’s behavior.House Democrats passed a significant milestone late Wednesday: 218 lawmakers, a majority of the House, are now on the record supporting an impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump’s behavior.
Though the number is not exactly predictive of how lawmakers might vote on actual articles of impeachment, it spoke to the growing consensus among Democrats that emerging details about Mr. Trump’s attempts to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to help tarnish a leading Democratic rival may reshape Mr. Trump’s presidency and the 116th Congress.Though the number is not exactly predictive of how lawmakers might vote on actual articles of impeachment, it spoke to the growing consensus among Democrats that emerging details about Mr. Trump’s attempts to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to help tarnish a leading Democratic rival may reshape Mr. Trump’s presidency and the 116th Congress.
Democrats pledged to maintain their legislative work independent of the inquiry, but any cooperation with the White House could soon collapse as the specter of impeachment clouds out other topics.Democrats pledged to maintain their legislative work independent of the inquiry, but any cooperation with the White House could soon collapse as the specter of impeachment clouds out other topics.
Republicans have made clear that they believe Democrats are rushing prematurely into a grave proceeding, but several members of the president’s party who saw the classified complaint on Wednesday either called for its public release or said they were troubled by what they saw.Republicans have made clear that they believe Democrats are rushing prematurely into a grave proceeding, but several members of the president’s party who saw the classified complaint on Wednesday either called for its public release or said they were troubled by what they saw.
Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, emerged from reading the whistle-blower complaint on Wednesday evening and urged both parties not to rush to “partisan tribalism.” Republicans he said, “ought not be rushing to circle the wagons and say there’s no there there, when there’s obviously a lot that is troubling there.”Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, emerged from reading the whistle-blower complaint on Wednesday evening and urged both parties not to rush to “partisan tribalism.” Republicans he said, “ought not be rushing to circle the wagons and say there’s no there there, when there’s obviously a lot that is troubling there.”
The speaker is scheduled to step before the cameras at 10:45 a.m. for her weekly news conference, and rarely has there been one of such interest.The speaker is scheduled to step before the cameras at 10:45 a.m. for her weekly news conference, and rarely has there been one of such interest.
A day after throwing her support behind an inquiry, Ms. Pelosi spent Wednesday locked in strategy meetings with her leadership team, top aides and the leaders of six committees investigating Mr. Trump. The objective: Sketch out a path for an investigation that could lead to articles of impeachment that would formally charge Mr. Trump with high crimes and misdemeanors.A day after throwing her support behind an inquiry, Ms. Pelosi spent Wednesday locked in strategy meetings with her leadership team, top aides and the leaders of six committees investigating Mr. Trump. The objective: Sketch out a path for an investigation that could lead to articles of impeachment that would formally charge Mr. Trump with high crimes and misdemeanors.
Many questions remain unanswered about how quickly the House may move to assemble potential articles and on what topics.Many questions remain unanswered about how quickly the House may move to assemble potential articles and on what topics.
Democrats are not yet ready to limit their inquiry to just the Ukraine episode. They plan to continue investigating other, unrelated matters as possible impeachable offenses, including the findings of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, who investigated Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections and Mr. Trump’s attempts to derail that inquiry. Those topics could help populate impeachment articles.Democrats are not yet ready to limit their inquiry to just the Ukraine episode. They plan to continue investigating other, unrelated matters as possible impeachable offenses, including the findings of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, who investigated Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections and Mr. Trump’s attempts to derail that inquiry. Those topics could help populate impeachment articles.
But during a meeting with members of her leadership team, the speaker initiated a discussion about whether Democrats should limit their case strictly to the Ukraine matter and attempts by Mr. Trump and his administration to keep it from Congress, people familiar with the conversation said. An aide to Ms. Pelosi cautioned that no final decisions had been made.But during a meeting with members of her leadership team, the speaker initiated a discussion about whether Democrats should limit their case strictly to the Ukraine matter and attempts by Mr. Trump and his administration to keep it from Congress, people familiar with the conversation said. An aide to Ms. Pelosi cautioned that no final decisions had been made.
In a positive sign for the speaker, the House’s inquiry is already getting results, at least in the form of documentary evidence. Mr. Trump spent the morning re-tweeting supporters, White House and campaign aides and family members, who echoed the talking points that his White House blasted out Wednesday to friends and foes alike — the real scandal is with Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and the Democrats, the whistle-blower is politically biased, the news is all fake, perpetuated by a corrupt Washington.
First on Wednesday, the White House released a reconstruction of a call between Mr. Trump and the Ukrainian leader that showed the American president pressing his counterpart to work with Attorney General William P. Barr and Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, to investigate Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democrats. But with the whistle-blower’s complaint public and his acting director of national intelligence testifying, the president grew more emphatic.
Later in the day, Mr. Maguire’s office shared a copy of the whistle-blower complaint with the intelligence panels for the first time. Mr. Biden has been more restrained in addressing impeachment than many of his Democratic rivals, indicating earlier this week that he would support impeachment if Mr. Trump refused to cooperate with congressional investigations, but keeping the focus primarily on Congress’s pursuit of information in subsequent remarks.
Mr. Trump spent the morning re-tweeting supporters, White House and campaign aides and family members, who echoed the talking points that his White House blasted out Wednesday to friends and foes alike — the real scandal is with Mr. Biden Jr. and the Democrats, the whistle-blower is politically biased, the news is all fake, perpetuated by a corrupt Washington. But in an appearance on the late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Wednesday, Mr. Biden appeared to move closer to supporting impeachment, saying that “based on the material that they acknowledged today, it seems to me it’s awful hard to avoid the conclusion that it is an impeachable offense and a violation of constitutional responsibility.”
Mr. Trump may have an opportunity to speak with reporters before the fund-raiser, which begins at 10 a.m., an hour after the start of the congressional hearing. As news swirled on Wednesday about Mr. Trump’s discussion with Ukraine’s president about Mr. Biden and his son, Mr. Biden spoke at a fund-raiser in California about the challenges of exposing his family to a presidential campaign. “I was worried because I knew what was going to happen if I ran,” he said, but added that his five grandchildren were supportive.
The president is slated to leave for Washington just before noon. If he chooses to, he can watch the congressional hearing on TVs on Air Force One. Katie Benner contributed reporting from Washington and Katie Glueck from New York.
But either way, Mr. Trump will be back by midafternoon — plenty of time for tweeting.