Lawyer: House GOP impeachment efforts could "unmask" whistleblower identity
Reporting by Margaret Brennan.
House Republicans have asked for their own impeachment witnesses Saturday and submitted a list that includes the anonymous whistleblower who filed the complaint that has triggered an impeachment inquiry into President Trump over his July 25th call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Among those requested to be witnesses for public hearings as part of the GOP-led effort included former Vice President Joe Biden's son last week that he contacted Nunes to say his client is willing to answer Republicans' questions under oath and penalty of perjury if lawmakers submitted written questions to the whistleblower's legal team. The inspector general of the intelligence community, an appointee of Mr. Trump, could verify the whistleblower's identity to satisfy the committee's minority members while protecting the individual's anonymity.
Whistleblower’s counsel tells @CBSNews @margbrennan Republicans never responded to their offer to have whistleblower provide written responses “under oath, and under penalty of perjury to Republican questions.” Their Oct 6 letter to Ranking Member Nunes here — pic.twitter.com/lXaTM3NMul
— Olivia Gazis (@Olivia_Gazis) November 9, 2019
Previously, the whistleblower had offered to answer questions under oath and in writing if submitted by the House Intelligence Committee as a whole. Zaid's offer would be a direct channel of communication with the Republicans who are in the minority on that committee. Republican leadership has complained that the process is unfair and overly restrictive on their ability to question witnesses.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told "Face the Nation" last month the whistleblower's testimony may no longer be needed.
"Given that we already have the call record, we don't need the whistleblower, who wasn't on the call, to tell us what took place during the call," Schiff said October 13, referring to the July 25 call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president. "We have the best evidence of that."
Mr. Trump said Saturday that a transcript of another call he had with the president of Ukraine will "probably" be released on Tuesday. The call took place in April after Zelensky was elected.
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