Donald Trump has been retaliating left and right. He sharpened his ax of vindictiveness and went after the Democrats, the media, and heroic government employees. These non-appointed employees honored their subpoenas from the House committees and testified against the revenger-in-chief. Still, the Democrats have been busy.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has sent out letters that requested each of the 74 inspectors general investigate the president’s vindictive moves against the whistleblowers. They were the first ones who noticed something going seriously awry with the president’s conduct and courageously spoke out against it. Their identitiy was supposed to be protected.
POTUS fired one of the witnesses Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified before the House, on Friday. The career employee was removed from his important position on the National Security Council (NSC) by the police who escorted them out of the White House. Trump also fired Vindman’s twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, an ethics lawyer also at the NSC for good measure. The twins serve as active-duty Army officers and were reassigned to the Pentagon.
Then, the president called in Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland. He gave one million dollars to the Trump campaign, which earned him this ambassadorship. He also testified begrudgingly against the commander-in-chief.
Schumer wrote about the NSC firings in his letter to Acting Inspector General Glenn Fine, who works at the Defense Department according to The POLITICO:
‘[The firings were] part of a dangerous, growing pattern of retaliation against those who report wrongdoing only to find themselves targeted by the President and subject to his wrath and vindictiveness.’
In addition, Schumer asked Fine to investigate all acts of retaliation against those who reported presidential misconduct, He requested that the acting inspector general report the last time that personnel at the Defense Department were informed of their rights as whistleblowers. The minority leader also asked that Fine assure Congress in writing that the Pentagon’s general counsel would not allow Trump to retaliate against:
‘anyone who has, or in the future makes, protected disclosures of presidential misconduct to Congress or Inspectors General.’
It only took the president 48 hours after Majority Leader “Moscow Mitch” McConnell (R-KY)’s Senate acquitted Trump to start what one member of the White House described as “a bloodbath.”
The president faced charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Only one Republican had the courage to fulfill his oath. Mitt Romney (R-UT) voted Trump guilty of abuse of power. POTUS kept $391 million in military aid from Ukraine unless its new President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he was investigating Trump’s political opponent. The commander-in-chief had former Vice President Joe Biden in his sites.
The soldier who earned a Purple Heart, Vindman, testified to the House committee that Donald Trump “undermined national security” and whose actions were “inappropriate:”.
Vindictiveness was not enough for Trump. He tried to grind the witnesses into dust:
‘[Vindman was] very insubordinate, reported contents of my “perfect’ calls incorrectly, & … was given a horrendous report by his superior, the man he reported to.’
In the minority leader’s letter, he indicated:
‘Without the courage of whistleblowers and the role of Inspectors General, the American people may never have known how the President abused his power in the Ukraine scandal. It is incumbent on you that whistleblowers … are protected for doing what we hope and expect those who serve our country will do when called: tell the truth.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
