WHO IS THE WHITE HOUSE WHISTLEBLOWER?

No name, yet, but the whistleblower apparently is a CIA agent detailed to the White House.  His name will soon be divulged because everything he has done has been documented, but more, he has agreed to testify before Congress.

Here is what CNN knows as I create this post:

What we know so far

• Whistleblower's complaint is out: In it, the whistleblower says President Trump tried to get Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election, and the White House tried to cover it up.
• 3 documents to read: The full whistleblower complaint. The Inspector General's letter on that complaint. And the White House transcript of the call between Trump and Ukraine's president. 
• A hearing: The acting director of national intelligence testified on Capitol Hill this morning. We have those key moments here.

Further from CNN:

The whistleblowers' complaint: It was released this morning. In the complaint, the whistleblower says Trump tried to get Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election, and the White House tried to cover it up.

Spy chief testimony: Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testified before Congress about the whistleblower's complaint this morning. He called the case "unique and unprecedented," said the whistleblower "acted in good faith" and admitted he doesn't know the whistleblower's identity. (You can read more highlights from the hearing here.)

The impeachment inquiry: More than half the US House of Representatives have now said they support an impeachment investigation into Trump. It's an important milestone because a majority of the House would be needed to vote to impeach the President in order to send the process to the Senate. 

How Trump is reacting: The President railed against Democrats, saying they are "making up stories" and what "doing to this country is a disgrace." Earlier today, he called the person who gave the whistleblower information “close to a spy," according to a report from The New York Times.

The above did not mention that Joseph Maguire testified twice this morning, the second a closed House hearing.

The reaction from President Donald Trump?

Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump

Liddle’ Adam Schiff, who has worked unsuccessfully for 3 years to hurt the Republican Party and President, has just said that the Whistleblower, even though he or she only had second hand information, “is credible.” How can that be with zero info and a known bias. Democrat Scam!

8:13 AM - Sep 26, 2019

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CNN panels of course reinforced all the above.  I thought I'd watch the Fox New Channel, expecting just the opposite.  Initially, there was nothing about the Maguire hearing, focusing ONLY on the fact that Joe Biden and his son should be investigated by the U.S. Senate.  Then, after a commercial, there was a panel of three, what appeared to be a moderator (I didn't get her name),  Greg Gutfeld of the Trump re-election committee, and co-host Juan Williams, a Fox political analyst for 22 years.  A journalist, he also has had a long history with the Washington Post, and has won an Emmy for television documentary writing.

While the other two panelists followed the conservative, pro-Trump line, I was stunned about Williams' reaction.  It was like he crystallized the essence of CNN and calmly provided counterpoints.  I was impressed.  He has been with Fox for 22 years.

Here is just one interchange:

“I think, just listening here, I think boy those talking points, they’ve made the rounds,” Williams told the panel before co-host Greg Gutfeld angrily interjected. 

“What does that mean? Are you saying that I got talking points, Juan?” Gutfeld questioned Williams. “You’ve got to answer to the accusation.” 

“Asking a foreign government to investigate a political rival is illegal. It's illegal. It’s a violation of the constitutional oath,” Williams said, prompting Gutfeld to interject, “Unbelievable.”

Apparently what happened, and hard to believe this is true, there was a reason House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went ahead with her impeachment decision before reading any official document.  She was reacting to these talking points about Ukraine, which were ACCIDENTALLY emailed to her.

Here is what I think:

• The whistle blower got his information second-hand, which means there are others in the White House who were also involved.  These are the ones Trump says are spies.  He does not run the White House like a democracy.  He is the Mob Boss.  Anyone who, even for the good of the Nation does something right, is a rat.  

• This whistleblower incident seems oh so similar to the Watergate hearing when White House Deputy Assistant Alexander Butterfield mentioned on television that the White House taped discussions.  President Richard Nixon refused to release those tapes, which led to initiation of an impeachment process.  However, he resigned from office before they proceeded.

• Why were these documents released?  Some say there was some Republican pressure, but I suspect what happened was that Donald Trump actually felt he was not doing anything immoral or illegal.  Refer back to Mafia connection.  He has totally different standards of right and wrong, legal and illegal, moral and immoral.
• As in the Nixon resignation, it was not the crime itself that was pivotal.  It was the cover-up process.  The Trump White House is again covering up.  Worse, this incident is one of many that will be exhumed when the "other" classified calls with other world leaders are made public.  And if Trump refuses to release them....that was the incident that led to Nixon's resignation.

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