The whistleblower whose complaint kicked off the House impeachment inquiry offered to answer Republicans’ questions under oath on Saturday night, according to the whistleblower’s attorney.
“Our legal team offered GOP direct opportunity to ask written questions of #whistleblower,” lawyer Mark Zaid wrote in a Twitter thread on Sunday morning (CBS’ Margaret Brennan reported the offer was submitted the night before).
Zaid went on to slam President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans, who have “sought to expose our client’s identity which could jeopardize their safety, as well as that of their family.”
The lawyer said the whistleblower’s legal team has offered the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate Intelligence committees to have the whistleblower answer their questions “in writing, under oath & penalty of perjury.”
“Being a whistleblower is not a partisan job nor is impeachment an objective,” Zaid wrote. “That is not our role.”
Therefore, the lawyer said, the whistleblower has offered ranking House Intelligence Committee member Devin Nunes (R-CA) an opportunity to ask the whistleblower questions on the Republicans’ behalf.
Read Zaid’s statement below:
WBer NEWS ALERT:
1/Our legal team offered GOP direct opportunity to ask written questions of #whistleblower.
Recent GOP messaging, led by President Trump (incl this morning), has been to highlight original #WBer & demand disclosure of identity.
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) November 3, 2019
Nunes won’t be able to do it. He will violate the letter and spirit of the proposed agreement.
I wonder how long it will take GOP lawmakers to huddle and agree on their talking points for this new development? No way any of them speak with their own voice.
The LAST thing the GOP wants is answers.
They can’t handle truthiness…
Here is a preliminary list of questions from Republican committee members: