Why Is Whistleblower Being Silenced?

[metis]

From Politifact:

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on Thursday threatened legal action against the Trump administration over its refusal to turn over a whistleblower complaint that reportedly involves President Donald Trump’s interactions with a foreign leader.

The intelligence community’s top watchdog refused on Thursday to share details with the panel about the whistleblower complaint, according to multiple lawmakers who attended the classified briefing, which the director of national intelligence has been withholding from Congress...

“Someone is trying to manipulate the system,” Schiff told reporters after the briefing, adding that the Justice Department is not providing an explanation about why it recommended withholding the whistleblower complaint from lawmakers. “There is no privilege that covers whether the White House is involved in trying to stifle a whistleblower complaint.”...

Atkinson may be prohibited by law from sharing details of the complaint with the committee, because Maguire has thus far refused to turn it over. Maguire is required by law to transmit whistleblower complaints to the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed the reports, writing on Twitter: “Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself. No problem!” He called the issue “another Fake News story.”... -- Schiff threatens to sue Trump administration over whistleblower complaint

Let me add a point not mentioned in the article, with one of them being that both men said that congressional dealing with this is "urgent" because of national security.

If Trump did nothing wrong, then why is he and his team not cooperating? If I'm innocent, I want all pertinent information to come out, and in this case it appears to involve national security.

 

[fantome profane]

I find some comfort in the idea that eventually everything is going to come out.

 

[sun rise]

When someone builds a house of cards on lying, the truth, being stronger, is perceived as an existential threat which it is. I can't wait for the American version of "I was only following orders" after next year.

 

[metis]

I find some comfort in the idea that eventually everything is going to come out.

Especially if is indeed is something that important.

But one thing that needs to be noticed and noticed again, and that simply is the Trump administration's continuous violations of the law, including the Constitution itself. Sorry to say, but I think we're heading towards a serious constitutional crisis, especially since the "rule of law" seems so unimportant to Trump, the Congressional Republicans, and the Trump supporters.

 

[Stanyon]

We don't know what happened or what the claim is but let's assume Trump did something wrong in the meantime. After the failed Russia collusion claim and the impeachment fail the U.S. needs something else to latch onto for the moment to satisfy the pitchfork armed mob's bloodlust. Keep them torches lit, it will happen someday
Or not.

 

[dianaiad]

From Politifact:

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on Thursday threatened legal action against the Trump administration over its refusal to turn over a whistleblower complaint that reportedly involves President Donald Trump’s interactions with a foreign leader.

The intelligence community’s top watchdog refused on Thursday to share details with the panel about the whistleblower complaint, according to multiple lawmakers who attended the classified briefing, which the director of national intelligence has been withholding from Congress...

“Someone is trying to manipulate the system,” Schiff told reporters after the briefing, adding that the Justice Department is not providing an explanation about why it recommended withholding the whistleblower complaint from lawmakers. “There is no privilege that covers whether the White House is involved in trying to stifle a whistleblower complaint.”...

Atkinson may be prohibited by law from sharing details of the complaint with the committee, because Maguire has thus far refused to turn it over. Maguire is required by law to transmit whistleblower complaints to the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed the reports, writing on Twitter: “Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself. No problem!” He called the issue “another Fake News story.”... -- Schiff threatens to sue Trump administration over whistleblower complaint

Let me add a point not mentioned in the article, with one of them being that both men said that congressional dealing with this is "urgent" because of national security.

If Trump did nothing wrong, then why is he and his team not cooperating? If I'm innocent, I want all pertinent information to come out, and in this case it appears to involve national security.

Oh, the old 'if you have nothing to hide.....' argument. I always see giant red flags whenever I see that.

 

[Twilight Hue]

From Politifact:

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on Thursday threatened legal action against the Trump administration over its refusal to turn over a whistleblower complaint that reportedly involves President Donald Trump’s interactions with a foreign leader.

The intelligence community’s top watchdog refused on Thursday to share details with the panel about the whistleblower complaint, according to multiple lawmakers who attended the classified briefing, which the director of national intelligence has been withholding from Congress...

“Someone is trying to manipulate the system,” Schiff told reporters after the briefing, adding that the Justice Department is not providing an explanation about why it recommended withholding the whistleblower complaint from lawmakers. “There is no privilege that covers whether the White House is involved in trying to stifle a whistleblower complaint.”...

Atkinson may be prohibited by law from sharing details of the complaint with the committee, because Maguire has thus far refused to turn it over. Maguire is required by law to transmit whistleblower complaints to the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed the reports, writing on Twitter: “Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself. No problem!” He called the issue “another Fake News story.”... -- Schiff threatens to sue Trump administration over whistleblower complaint

Let me add a point not mentioned in the article, with one of them being that both men said that congressional dealing with this is "urgent" because of national security.

If Trump did nothing wrong, then why is he and his team not cooperating? If I'm innocent, I want all pertinent information to come out, and in this case it appears to involve national security.

Well duh.

If it's National Security , of course your not going to say anything.

Of course Lefty-fact like usual will blow it all out of proportion and pretend that they're in the know.

 

[Sunstone]

From Politifact:

The Politifact story fails to emphasize the most important thing known about the whistleblower's complaint. Next time, read the New York Times.

At least two sources confirm the whistleblower was alarmed by the nature of a commitment somehow involving the Ukraine that Trump made to a foreign leader.

For those who don't yet fully grasp the situation (and who does?), at the very least, Trump seems to have made an alarming, very likely unprecedented promise to a foreign leader of such a nature that someone has decided to all but throw away their income and career in order to report the promise to Congress and thus alert the nation (so to speak) to some kind of concerning situation.

That is the gist of it, the essential nature of it, not the murky details. In detail, there were multiple contacts, some might or might not have involved the President, etc. etc. etc.

That assumes the whistleblower is actually speaking the truth. Of course the possibility exists that he or she is insane and wishes to throw away their job, their income, and their career for the sheer bliss of screwing up their life. Technically whistleblowers are protected -- in reality, they are easy targets for reprisals. Federal whistleblowers almost never get off free of consequences.

At least that is what I make of all this. I could be very wrong. This story is still very much unfolding. Proceed with caution.


Whistle-Blower Complaint Sets Off a Battle Involving Trump

 

[PureX]

The sausage-makers REALLY don't want us to know what's in the sausages they make. Because if we knew that, we might refuse to eat what they're feeding us.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

When someone builds a house of cards on lying, the truth, being stronger, is perceived as an existential threat which it is. I can't wait for the American version of "I was only following orders" after next year.

I believe the best chances of that happening is for Trump to win but the Dems winning congress, and keep the pressure on Trump once they are in control.

 

[fantome profane]

I believe the best chances of that happening is for Trump to win but the Dems winning congress, and keep the pressure on Trump once they are in control.

Not worth it.

 

[Sunstone]

"According to the Post, White House records during the five weeks leading up to the August complaint show Trump interacted with at least five foreign leaders. Trump met with the leaders of Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Qatar at the White House during that time; received correspondence from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un; and, more notably, initiated a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 31, less than two weeks before the complaint was filed." [Source]

Of course, everyone and their dogs think Trump's promise was made in a phone call to Putin and somehow concerns the Ukraine.

Naturally, this story is still on shifting, sandy ground. Be careful what you believe (or disbelieve) at this point.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Not worth it.

It would be more than worth it, because if dems control congress they can still not only steer the ship as far as that goes, they'll get to redristrict which is the big prize this election.

 

[metis]

The Politifact story fails to emphasize the most important thing known about the whistleblower's complaint. Next time, read the New York Times.

At least two sources confirm the whistleblower was alarmed by the nature of a commitment somehow involving the Ukraine that Trump made to a foreign leader.

For those who don't yet fully grasp the situation (and who does?), at the very least, Trump seems to have made an alarming, very likely unprecedented promise to a foreign leader of such a nature that someone has decided to all but throw away their income and career in order to report the promise to Congress and thus alert the nation (so to speak) to some kind of concerning situation.

That is the gist of it, the essential nature of it, not the murky details. In detail, there were multiple contacts, some might or might not have involved the President, etc. etc. etc.

That assumes the whistleblower is actually speaking the truth. Of course the possibility exists that he or she is insane and wishes to throw away their job, their income, and their career for the sheer bliss of screwing up their life. Technically whistleblowers are protected -- in reality, they are easy targets for reprisals. Federal whistleblowers almost never get off free of consequences.

At least that is what I make of all this. I could be very wrong. This story is still very much unfolding. Proceed with caution.


Whistle-Blower Complaint Sets Off a Battle Involving Trump

Yes, Rachel Maddow covered this last night and NBC ran the story this morning. Thanks for the heads-up.