Declassified Transcripts Reveal Whistleblower's Democratic Contacts

Newly declassified transcripts from 2019 briefings with the Intelligence Community Inspector General have revealed that the whistleblower whose complaint initiated President Donald Trump's first impeachment process had undisclosed contacts with Democratic congressional staff and acknowledged political affiliations before filing the formal allegation.

The documents, totaling more than 350 pages, were declassified late last week by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and released on Monday by House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Rick Crawford. They detail closed-door sessions with then-Inspector General Michael Atkinson regarding the August 12, 2019, complaint, which centered on Trump's July 25, 2019, phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the call, Trump requested that Zelenskyy investigate business dealings involving former Vice President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, amid U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The whistleblower alleged this amounted to seeking foreign election interference, prompting a House impeachment inquiry in September 2019, articles of impeachment in December 2019 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of...