Ukraine was focus of Trump 'promise' in whistleblower complaint

How 'high crimes and misdemeanors' can it get?

On Wednesday, we learned that "president" Donald Trump's 'promise' to an unidentified foreign leader was part of what sparked a very serious whistleblower complaint.

On Thursday, we're learning Trump's 'promise' involved Ukraine.

From the Washington Post, which cites two people familiar with the matter now setting off a power struggle between Congress and the executive branch:

The complaint involved communications with a foreign leader and a "promise" that Trump made, which was so alarming that a U.S. intelligence official who had worked at the White House went to the inspector general of the intelligence community, two former U.S. officials said.

Two and a half weeks before the complaint was filed, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian and political newcomer who was elected in a landslide in May.

That call is already under investigation by House Democrats who are examining whether Trump and his attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani sought to manipulate the Ukrainian government into helping Trump's reelection campaign. Lawmakers have demanded a full transcript and a list of participants on the call.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

The Democrats' investigation was launched earlier this month, before revelations that a U.S. intelligence official, who previously worked in the White House, had lodged a complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community. The Washington Post first reported on Wednesday that the complaint had to do with a "promise" that Trump made when communicating with a foreign leader.

One big question:

Did the whistleblower actually listen to the call, witness it live, or see something on a readout sheet?

It remains unclear how the whistleblower gained access to details of the president's calls — whether through so-called "readouts" generated by White House aides, or other means.

Read the rest:
Whistleblower complaint about President Trump involves Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter [Washington Post, reporting by Ellen Nakashima, Shane Harris, Greg Miller, Carol D. Leonnig]

Observations from Twitter below.