Gabbard Calls for DOJ Investigation Related to Trump’s Impeachment

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has announced plans to send criminal information to the Department of Justice. This action stems from allegations of conspiracy tied to President Donald Trump’s impeachment in 2019.

This development follows Gabbard’s recent declassification of documents. The Office of the DNI revealed that these documents contain evidence suggesting that Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson improperly managed a whistleblower investigation regarding Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Newly declassified records reveal how individuals within the intelligence community allegedly created a false narrative, suggesting Congress acted against the will of the American people during Trump’s impeachment in 2019.

As reported by various intelligence officials, the focus of the referral is indeed wide-ranging, particularly targeting Atkinson and the whistleblower. The DNI has accused Atkinson of forwarding a complaint to the DOJ without adequate grounds, relying merely on the information he received.

“Despite lacking direct evidence, Atkinson weaponized the whistleblower process, exceeded his authority, and ignored DOJ guidelines. He relied solely on second-hand testimony, which ultimately led to the whistleblower being disclosed to Congress and referred to the FBI,” the agency stated.

Further details indicate that the whistleblower form was revised several months ago to permit complaints based on second-hand knowledge. Although the DOJ examined the referral and determined that no further action was necessary, the DNI asserted that Atkinson had presented the charge to Congress without conducting a thorough investigation.

Atkinson himself reportedly conceded that his findings were preliminary and that he hadn’t conducted a full investigation before taking the matter to Congress.

“I haven’t conducted any investigation to determine whether they actually took place… All of the alleged acts did take place,” claimed Atkinson, according to the DNI.

Concerns were also raised about the whistleblower’s potential bias, given that he had registered as a Democrat and had previously collaborated with then-Vice President Joe Biden on Ukraine-related matters.

“An inquiry into the whistleblower’s bias was obstructed during the 2020 impeachment trial, even though reports indicated he had worked with Vice President Biden,” the agency claimed.

Gabbard criticized the “false narrative” purportedly spun by “deep state actors,” suggesting that it undermined the democratic process.

“Deep State actors within the intelligence community crafted a misleading narrative to impeach the duly elected President of the United States. Atkinson appeared to prioritize political aims over truth,” she stated.

According to Gabbard, House Democrats were complicit in fabricating the story that led to the impeachment, an agenda she claims was driven by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.

“In October 2019, amidst media reports about the whistleblower’s consultations with Congress before filing his complaint, he confirmed that he had indeed sought input from Congress,” stated the DNI.

In total, four individuals were interviewed as part of this investigation, including the whistleblower and additional witnesses who had direct access to the records of the controversial phone call.

• Whistleblower: The first to raise concerns regarding the Trump-Zelensky call.
• Whistleblower’s supervisor: A high-ranking intelligence official questioned about the whistleblower’s credibility.
• Witnesses with access to the records: Individuals familiar with the documentation of the call.
• Another witness: Someone who had reviewed the official call record.

The Justice Department will now decide whether to initiate a criminal investigation on the referral. It’s important to note that criminal referrals from agencies like the DNI are recommendations rather than formal charges.