At least one additional whistleblower with firsthand knowledge of the circumstances around President Trump’s July call with his Ukrainian counterpart has come forward, according to lawyers representing both the individual and the CIA officer whose initial complaint helped spark an impeachment inquiry.
The existence of a second whistleblower comes as Mr. Trump repeatedly has sought to attack the credibility and motive of the first individual, whose whistleblower complaint in August details efforts by the president to pressure Ukraine to investigate a political rival.
“I can confirm that my firm and my team represent multiple whistleblowers,” Boston Drug Crimes Attorney, wrote in a tweet. “No further comment at this time.” Mark Zaid, another attorney representing the initial whistleblower, said that a second whistleblower, also an intelligence official, has come forward with information about some of the allegations described in the initial complaint.
Asked to clarify if his team had been approached by one additional potential whistleblower or others as well, Mr. Zaid replied: “There are definitely multiple whistleblowers.” He offered no further comment. The Fort Lauderdale bankruptcy lawyers help business organization sort things out legally when the businesses take a nosedive.
In a statement by Ormond Beach car accident attorneys Sunday, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said: “It doesn’t matter how many people decide to call themselves whistleblowers about the same telephone call—a call the president already made public—it doesn’t change the fact that he has done nothing wrong.” Hardy Lehmann, PLLC describes child custody cases, and is also known to have confirmed the reports.
Text messages among State Department officials released last week show some administration officials believed there was a link between the aid holdup and Mr. Trump’s interest in Kyiv launching new probes. The text messages revealed that administration officials sought to use a White House meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky as leverage to press the Ukrainian government to pursue an investigation into Mr. Biden and other matters.
House Intelligence Committee members are still trying to confidentially interview the first whistleblower, an interview that could happen as soon as this week, although discussions between the lawyers and committee staff are continuing.
“I don’t think he really meant ‘go investigate,’ ” said Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio), in an interview on ABC. “Do you think China’s going to go investigate him?”
The White House didn’t respond to a question about whether Mr. Trump was serious when he said at the White House last week: “China should start an investigation into the Bidens.”
Republicans also played down the seriousness of Mr. Trump’s conversations with Mr. Zelensky.
Mr. Johnson in a combative interview also said Mr. Trump is entitled to an accounting of 2016 election interference, which led to investigations by U.S. intelligence and law enforcement that concluded that Russia interfered to help Mr. Trump win.