House Democrats are coming up with ways to keep the identity of the whistleblower in their impeachment inquiry a secret from their GOP colleagues, fearing that President Donald Trump’s congressional allies will expose him or her.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) on Monday confirmed CNN and the Washington Post reports on Monday revealing that Democrats involved in the inquiry are considering measures as extreme as having the whistleblower testify remotely in front of Congress’ two intelligence committees using voice and appearance-altering technology.
Democrats have also contemplated keeping the whistleblower hidden behind a partition if he or she testifies in person, according to the Post.
Krishnamoorthi, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN host Wolf Blitzer that such steps are necessary to protect the whistleblower from Trump, who has been attacking him or her for weeks.
“He wants to know the identity of the whistleblower,” Krishnamoorthi said. “And so this extremely unusual situation, unfortunately, demands extreme measures in terms of protecting the security of the whistleblower.”
“We cannot allow the President to somehow get to the whistleblower or threaten him or discourage him or her from telling their side of the story and us learning what exactly is the extent of the alleged scheme displayed in his complaint,” he continued.
Blitzer asked the congressman if he trusts Republicans in Congress to protect the whistleblower’s identity.
“I’d like to trust the secrecy of our identities of whistleblowers and other important facts to all members of our committee,” Krishnamoorthi replied. “However, the fact of the matter is that we can’t guarantee 100% assurance or safety for this whistleblower in the current situation using normal methods or measures. And so that’s why we have to resort to these extreme measures which you described.”
Watch Krishnamoorthi below:
House Intelligence Dem explains why Dems are taking "extreme measures" to disguise whistleblower's identity pic.twitter.com/CvPT0pq39h
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) October 7, 2019
How sad of a statement is this…Democrats are basically saying that they can’t trust the Republicans to uphold the law and protect the whistleblower’s identity so they aren’t retaliated against by the president. Even sadder, they are right to think that, because some of the Republicans in question have already proven that they are willing to go to the White House and share information. It really makes you question if they even understand what this nation was founded on, what it stands for, and if they have really given every bit of that up to follow Trump and his hate and white supremacy, no matter the consequences, as long as they keep a little bit of power for a while longer.
A college friend of mine earned money dancing in a Chippendale’s kind of revue. He was a great dancer, nice body. But, he wasn’t the best looking guy. So, he was introduced as the Unknown Stripper and went on stage with a paper bag over his head. Just sayin’.
They know that there is a statistically-significant chance that one of the #kompromat GOP will leak the name of the whistleblower to the gangster-/tyrant-wannabe in the West Wing, in full knowledge that he in turn will run a Jamal Kashoggi.
In short: they believe that a significant percentage of their colleagues would wittingly conspire to commit 1st-degree murder.
e/t/a:
But Republicans cannot be trusted any longer. None of them.
They’re fine with Trump’s submissiveness to Russia, handing over the people of Ukraine to a greedy thug. They’re fine with letting our Kurdish freedom fighters get massacred. They’re fine with China killing the people of Hong Kong. They’re fine with North Korea taking over Japan. They have no problem with the deaths of thousands in hurricanes.
A truth teller? Heck, they’re fine leaving him or her to some alt-right freak to handle.
Republicans reject any right to life, liberty or happiness.
Unless Schiff excludes Devin “Squealer” Nunes from that hearing – along with the rest of those GOP cutthroats on the committee – that whistelblower’s gonna wash up on Sheepshead Bay in short order.