Lawyer: 2nd Trump Whistleblower Spoke to Inspector General
President Donald Trump talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
WASHINGTON (AP) — A second whistleblower has spoken to the intelligence community’s internal watchdog and has information that backs the original whistleblower’s complaint about President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, according to the lawyer for the two.
Attorney Mark Zaid told The Associated Press in a text message Sunday that the second whistleblower, who also works in intelligence, hasn’t filed a complaint with the inspector general but does have “firsthand knowledge that supported” the original whistleblower.
The original whistleblower, a CIA officer, filed a formal complaint with the inspector general on Aug. 12 that triggered the impeachment inquiry being led by House Democrats. The complaint alleged Trump was “using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country” in the 2020 election.
The disclosure of a second whistleblower threatens to undermine arguments made by Trump and his allies against the first whistleblower: that the complaint was improperly filed because it was based on secondhand or thirdhand information.
More: Lawyer: 2nd Trump whistleblower spoke to inspector general