Tulsi Gabbard Refers Whistleblower to DOJ Over 2019 Trump Impeachment

Tulsi Gabbard’s office has referred at least two former members of the Intelligence Community to the Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution. This action is linked to their roles in advancing the impeachment of former President Trump in 2019.

The referrals reportedly include former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who is accused of not following proper procedures before forwarding a whistleblower complaint regarding Trump’s July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Congress.

Gabbard’s office claims that Atkinson ignored evidence suggesting bias against Trump in the whistleblower's complaint. The whistleblower, who initially approached Democratic lawmakers before filing the complaint, is also included in the criminal referral.

” The referrals, which were drafted by the general counsel of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, reference “possible criminal activity” linked to Atkinson’s discussions with the House Intelligence Committee in 2019.

This development follows Gabbard's recent release of declassified documents that she claims reveal flaws in the evidence used to support the impeachment. ” She criticized Atkinson for allegedly prioritizing political motivations over the truth and accused a former CIA employee of politicizing the whistleblower process.

In contrast, some interpretations of the situation suggest that the whistleblower complaint adhered to legal procedures, highlighting oversight issues rather than indicating a deliberate conspiracy.

This perspective emphasizes the importance of whistleblower protections and the role of oversight in government accountability. Gabbard emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, stating that exposing these tactics is essential to prevent future abuses of power. The DOJ has not yet commented on the referrals made by Gabbard’s office.