“Ukraine Whistle-Blower Neared Decision About Raising Concerns About Trump” by Eric Lichtblau and Adam Goldman
tag: breaking-news, politics, trump-administration, ukraine-politics
Eric Lichtblau and Adam Goldman, in a February 19, 2021 report for the New York Times, share new details regarding the whistleblower who first raised concerns about President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. The anonymous individual, who has remained confidential since stepping forward in 2019, is said to be considering making his or her identity public. While the whistleblower’s current status is unclear, his or her report helped trigger an impeachment inquiry that ultimately led to Trump’s first impeachment in the US House of Representatives.
The whistleblower had previously shared with US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that he or she may disclose his or her identity. Representative Mike Turner, R-Ohio, chair of the House’s Intelligence Subcommittee on Counterintelligence, explained that his committee is not contemplating any new investigations into the whistleblower. According to Turner’s comments, the report is eight months old and the committee’s focus is now instead on national security threats.
Nonetheless, the whistleblower has piqued the interest of Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill, as he or she became a focus of the president’s feverish attempt to overturn election results. Since the initial report, House Republicans have spent considerable time and resources investigating the whistleblower’s background and motivations. However, Trump’s allies on Capitol Hill can be expected to consider the current politics if the whistleblower discloses his or her identity. Given that President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated in just one week’s time, a high priority will be rebuilding Republican unity and preparing for the future legislative fight.
In light of the current politics, the potential disclosure may benefit the Democratic party, which could make an issue of the whistleblower’s potential retaliation and provide the Biden administration with an opportunity to highlight its adherence to whistleblower protections. Yet, there’s also the possibility that if the whistleblower discloses his or her identity, his or her credibility could instead be put into question.
Whatever the outcome, the fact that the whistleblower is now considering revealing his or her identity is significant, as he or she became a focus of the president’s feverish attempt to overturn election results. Given that President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated in just one week’s time, a high priority will be rebuilding Republican unity and preparing for the future legislative fight. With these dynamics at play, this issue is likely to generate significant media coverage and scrutiny, especially given the ongoing political battles between the House and Senate on issues such as funding for vaccine distribution and the impending second impeachment of President Trump.
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