Criminal Referrals in Trump’s Impeachment Case

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, led by Tulsi Gabbard, has referred at least two former intelligence officials to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution related to their involvement in advocating for President Trump’s impeachment in 2019.

One of the individuals under scrutiny is former intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson. Gabbard’s office determined that Trump did not adhere to the correct protocols when he sent a whistleblower complaint to Congress concerning his controversial July 2019 conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to reports.

It appears the whistleblower reached out to Democratic lawmakers regarding Trump’s phone call prior to filing the formal complaint, which has now been earmarked for potential indictment.

A spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence confirmed to media outlets that a criminal referral has indeed been submitted to the Justice Department “in connection with one or more former intelligence community employees and their role in the 2019 impeachment of President Trump.”

The inquiry, prepared by the legal team at ODNI, highlights “possible criminal conduct” involving Atkinson’s communications and justifications given at the House Intelligence Committee in 2019.

This news follows Gabbard’s recent release of several newly declassified documents that reveal what she describes as weak evidence and a lack of firsthand testimony that Atkinson relied upon to support the case for Trump’s impeachment.

Included in these documents is a transcript of a private testimony from the former inspector general before the House Intelligence Committee, which had not previously been made accessible to those overseeing the impeachment proceedings.

Gabbard stated, “Deep State actors within the intelligence community created a false narrative that Congress exploited to override the wishes of the American people and impeach the duly elected President.” She expressed that Atkinson prioritized political agendas over factual truth and failed to fulfill his duties to the public, calling it a troubling illustration of how the intelligence community can be misused.

She added, “Revealing these strategies and how they threaten our democratic system is essential for promoting transparency and accountability, and for preventing future power abuses.”

The Justice Department has not yet responded to requests for comments related to this matter.