Washinton D.C. – Having reviewed President Trump’s phone call with the President of Ukraine as well as the whistleblower complaint, I entered today’s Intelligence Committee hearing looking for answers about the role that the White House, Justice Department, and President’s personal lawyer played in the President’s alleged solicitation of election interference. Unfortunately, I left the hearing with more questions than answers, muddled by murky claims involving executive privilege and shifting blame.
But let this much be clear to the American people: It goes against every notion of justice and transparency that a whistleblower complaint would be taken to the subject of that complaint, in this case the White House, for its review and approval. It is a perverse twisting of the process.
In addition, it cannot be permitted that the President’s communications are protected from Congressional oversight even if there is credible suspicion that he was engaged in criminal activity or acting in an unconstitutional way against the interest of the United States.
I remain committed to unearthing all the information and evidence surrounding the whistleblower complaints and the alleged abuse of the power of the Presidency for personal political gain.