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.
If he was promising U.S. government action in exchange for a foreign government targeting a political appointment, that is about as high a crime and misdemeanor as one can imagine. https://t.co/bfkMOihjz1
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) September 20, 2019
Now that whistle blower complaint involves Ukraine, important to revisit Pence's very odd response to question of quid pro quo and Giuliani asked by AP reporter (@colvinj) on Sept 2.
Eagle eye @violagienger spotted and analyzed VP Pence's reply here:https://t.co/fPZCjdQXMA
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) September 20, 2019
BREAKING: Giuliani flew to Madrid in recent weeks and secretly met with Ukrainian President Zelensky's top aide. Giuliani told the aide ramp up investigations into Biden and the Ukraine-DNC collusion theory. https://t.co/uAXv0vQVuo
— Scott Stedman (@ScottMStedman) August 21, 2019
NEW: At least part of the allegation deals with Ukraine. https://t.co/ZPN1FnYIYd @npfandos @julianbarnes @AllMattNYT
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) September 20, 2019
A president promising a foreign power something in exchange for dirt on a political rival is the sort of thing that might convince even a political appointee of that president to raise the alarm.
— Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) September 20, 2019
