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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 4 noveMber 2019
Lawyer: Whistleblower willing to take written GOP questions

By HOPE YEN accounting of events is in-
Associated Press correct. The whistleblower's
WASHINGTON (AP) — A complaint has been cor-
lawyer for the whistleblow- roborated by people with
er who raised alarms about firsthand knowledge of
President Donald Trump's the events who have ap-
dealings with Ukraine said peared on Capitol Hill.
Sunday his client is willing "They know who it is. You
to answer written ques- know who it is. You just
tions submitted by House don't want to report it,"
Republicans. The surprise Trump told reporters at
offer, made to Rep. Devin the White House. "And you
Nunes, the top Republican know you'd be doing the
on the House Intelligence public a service if you did."
Committee, would allow U.S. whistleblower laws ex-
Republicans to ask ques- ist to protect the identity
tions of the whistleblower, and careers of people who
who spurred the Demo- bring forward accusations
cratic-led impeachment of wrongdoing by govern-
inquiry, without having to ment officials. Lawmakers
go through the commit- in both parties have histori-
tee's chairman, Rep. Adam cally backed those protec-
Schiff, D-Calif. tions. The Associated Press
Attorney Mark Zaid tweet- House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., is seen before former typically does not reveal
U.S. Ambassador William Taylor arrives for a closed door meeting to testify as part of the House
ed that the whistleblower impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. the identity of whistleblow-
would answer questions 22, 2019. ers. The whistleblower has
directly from Republican Associated Press become a central fixa-
members "in writing, under tisan job nor is impeach- has been highly critical of chestrating it," Jordan said. tion for Republicans, and
oath & penalty of perjury," ment an objective. That is the impeachment process, "We have serious questions in particular the president.
part of a bid to stem esca- not our role," Zaid tweeted. said in a statement that about this individual's politi- Republicans view a politi-
lating efforts by Trump and "So we have offered to @ written answers wouldn't cal bias and partisan moti- cal opportunity in unmask-
his GOP allies to unmask DevinNunes." Nunes' office be sufficient to probe and vations and it seems Mark ing the CIA official, whom
the person's identity. Only did not have immediate cross-examine the whistle- Zaid and Adam Schiff are the intelligence commu-
queries seeking the per- comment. Rep. Jim Jor- blower. "You don't get to attempting to hide these nity's inspector general said
son's identity won't be an- dan, an Ohio Republican ignite an impeachment ef- facts from public scru- could have "arguable po-
swered, he said. "Being a and member of the House fort and never account for tiny. Last week's testimony litical bias." The inspector
whistleblower is not a par- Judiciary Committee who your actions and role in or- raised even more concerns general nevertheless found
about the anonymous whis- the whistleblower's com-
tleblower and our need to plaint to be "credible."
hear from them, in person." The president believes that
The offer comes as Trump if he can expose bias in the
has repeatedly demanded initial allegations against
the release of the whistle- him, he can paint the en-
blower's identity, tweeting tire impeachment inquiry it
Sunday that the person launched as a partisan, po-
"must come forward." The litical probe. To this point,
whistleblower raised con- Republicans have largely
cerns about Trump's July fought the impeachment
25 call with Ukrainian Presi- inquiry on process, not sub-
dent Volodymyr Zelenskiy, stance, believing it was
in which he pressed Zelen- tainted because interviews
skiy to investigate Trump's were conducted in closed
political rivals. That call be- sessions — ignoring that
came the catalyst for the GOP lawmakers were in
impeachment inquiry. attendance — and com-
The whistleblower's second- plaining that House Speak-
hand account of the call er Nancy Pelosi had not
has been providing a road called a vote to launch the
map for House Democrats matter. But Pelosi called
investigating whether the such a vote last week and
president and others in his the inquiry may soon shift
orbit pressured Ukraine to into open hearings. Now,
probe political opponents, Trump is demanding that
including former Vice Presi- his allies defend his ac-
dent Joe Biden. "Reveal tions, insisting that he did
the Whistleblower and end nothing wrong while argu-
the Impeachment Hoax!" ing that quid pro quos like
Trump tweeted. the one allegedly offered
Trump later Sunday pushed Ukraine are common oc-
the news media to divulge currences while leveraging
the whistleblower's identity, power in conducting for-
asserting that the person's eign policy.q