Former CIA official on whistleblower: ‘How could this be an intelligence matter?’

  • New York Post | by: Fred FleitzSeptember 26, 2019 | 5:36pm | Updated |
  • 09/26/2019 12:00 AM
CIA HQ by Carol M. Highsmith is licensed under Wikimedia Commons No Known License
I am troubled by the complaint and wonder how an intelligence officer could file it over something a president said to a foreign leader. How could this be an intelligence matter?

It appears likely to me that this so-called whistleblower was pursuing a political agenda. I am very familiar with transcripts of presidential phone calls since I edited and processed dozens of them when I worked for the NSC. I also know a lot about intelligence whistleblowers from my time with the CIA.

My suspicions grew this morning when I saw the declassified whistleblowing complaint. It appears to be written by a law professor and includes legal references and detailed footnotes. It also has an unusual legalistic reference on how this complaint should be classified.

From my experience, such an extremely polished whistleblowing complaint is unheard of. This document looks as if this leaker had outside help, possibly from congressional members or staff.
CIA HQ by Carol M. Highsmith is licensed under Wikimedia Commons No Known License

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