GOP To Argue Whistleblower’s Protections Voided By Consulting With Schiff Prior To Filing Complaint, Report Says

The Republican counsel for the impeachment inquiry will reportedly demand that the whistleblower offer public testimony, rather than closed-door or written testimony, pointing to the fact that he consulted with the Democrat leading the impeachment effort prior to filing the complaint that triggered the inquiry. Since the whistleblower approached House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) before he was officially protected under whistleblower status, Republicans will reportedly contend, the author of the complaint should not be afforded whistleblower protections.

The report comes from RealClearInvestigations’ Paul Sperry, who first published the alleged identity of the whistleblower. “Republican counsel for impeachment inquiry will make argument for whistleblower’s public testimony based on fact he consulted with, and provided information to, Schiff’s office BEFORE filing whistleblower complaint and BEFORE he was shielded by whistleblower protections,” Sperry tweeted Thursday.