Oct 30, 2019

House Democrats race to finish impeachment inquiry in 2019

Alayna Treene

Photo: Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images

House Democrats hope to wrap up private impeachment depositions during a previously scheduled recess next week, then begin public hearings when they return Nov. 12.

Why it matters: House Democrats still hope to finish the impeachment process in 2019.

House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff emerged last night after Alexander Vindman's 10+ hours of testimony, and said the still-unknown whistleblower who touched off the probe has "the right to remain anonymous."

  • "They certainly should not be subject to these kind of vicious attacks and other words and actions that threaten their safety for doing their patriotic duty," Schiff said outside the SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility).
  • "The president's allies would like nothing better than to out this whistleblower. Our committee will not be a part of that. We will not stand for that."

Trump and Republican lawmakers are complaining about that approach.

  • Trump tweeted: "[T]he Whistleblower disappeared after I released the transcript of the call. Where is the Whistleblower? That is why this is now called the Impeachment Hoax!"
  • Republicans on the House Oversight Committee tweeted a sign: "78 Days Since Adam Schiff Learned the Identity of the Whistleblower."

Go deeper: The coming appearances in House Democrats' impeachment probe

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Axios

Vindman refuses to answer questions amid fear of outing whistleblower

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman faced a round of questioning from House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) over people with whom he discussed the July 25 call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Why it matters: After Vindman said he discussed the call — as a part of his position on the National Security Council — with State Department official George Kent and an unnamed intelligence official, the questioning devolved into a squabble over the impeachment inquiry's rules protecting the identity of the whistleblower.

Go deeperArrowNov 19, 2019
Zachary Basu

Whistleblower offers House Republicans chance to ask written questions

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

The intelligence community whistleblower whose allegations about President Trump's interactions with Ukraine set off the impeachment inquiry has offered to answer written questions from Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee under oath, their attorney Mark Zaid told CBS News.

Why it matters: House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) initially wanted the whistleblower to testify, but has since suggested that it may not be necessary because other witnesses in the investigation have corroborated the Ukraine allegations — setting off frustration among House Republicans. Schiff has also warned that Republicans on the committee may take steps to try to unmask the whistleblower's identity, which President Trump has repeatedly called for.

Go deeperArrowNov 3, 2019
Axios

Schiff calls whistleblower testimony "redundant and unnecessary"

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff speaks to the media in the Capitol Visitor Center last Monday. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said in a letter Saturday that the whistleblower's testimony is "redundant and unnecessary" because the impeachment inquiry has gathered evidence that "not only confirms, but far exceeds" information in the original complaint.

Why it matters: Schiff's letter to Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, comes after Nunes complained that Democrats had yet to treat President Trump with "fairness" in the impeachment process, directing witnesses not to answer questions from GOP committee members and withholding transcripts.

Go deeperArrowNov 10, 2019