Concerned That CIA Was Not Taking Allegations Seriously, Whistleblower Filed IG Complaint

The seal of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
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The intelligence community whistleblower, identified as a CIA officer by the New York Times, initially took his allegations to the agency’s general counsel, only deciding to lodge his now-famous complaint when he realized that the general counsel had alerted the White House.

According to the Times, when the CIA officer went to general counsel Courtney Elwood shortly after President Donald Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, she looped in officials at the White House and and Department of Justice (including Attorney General William Barr).

Though Elwood’s actions are in keeping with policy, they underscore how exposed the CIA officer was without whistleblower protections and a White House at the very least aware of his allegations, if not his identity.

The CIA officer grew concerned that his allegations were not being taken seriously, so he lodged a formal complaint with the IG as well, becoming a full-blown whistleblower.

That complaint touched off a maelstrom of scandal, leading to revelations that Trump strong-armed Zelensky into manufacturing dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden and his son and a resulting impeachment inquiry.

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Notable Replies

  1. Corruption invites corruption, inaction brings inaction. It’s contagious.

  2. Avatar for jmacaz jmacaz says:

    Do we really need any more proof that the entire GOP is now corrupted and must be crushed?

  3. Sooooo turns out the CIA counsel was mote like a CYA counsel

  4. The number of Trump administration officials who acted illegally or unethically may number in the hundreds, just in this one case.

  5. Avatar for nemo nemo says:

    It’s exceedingly important to get more than one iconic whistleblower to stand up. It’s clear that we’re looking at a systemic ethical and legal collapse in the White House (including the Situation Room staff), the DOJ, the State Department, and the intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Scores of people were involved in this thing, and only one person has stood up so far. That’s bad in itself, but it’s also bad in the sense that the case can be made to appear to hinge on one particular person’s view of things. We need a bunch of people to resign and/or come forward. Democrats should consider exerting pressure of their own, either by offering inducements or by stating the obvious: that once they are in power, they will fully investigate the actions taken by DOJ and intelligence staff. Anyone found to have participated or knowingly enabled the criminal actions of the president or the attorney-general will meet with an appropriate fate, including criminal investigation and loss of licenses to practice law.

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