Schiff And NYT Do Damage Control Over Sneak Peek At CIA Whistleblower Complaint; Trump Says He Wrote It

While President Trump is now accusing Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) of ‘helping to write’ a CIA whistleblower’s complaint at the heart of impeachment proceedings, the New York Times is out with a Wednesday article designed to put distance between the House Intelligence Committee Chairman by suggesting Schiff had no more than a vague sneak peek. 

Trump claims Adam Schiff wrote the whistleblower complaint. pic.twitter.com/jSv6pe9lcT

— Jason Easley (@PoliticusJason) October 2, 2019

As The Times reports, “The Democratic head of the House Intelligence Committee, Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, learned about the outlines of a C.I.A. officer’s concerns that President Trump had abused his power days before the officer filed a whistle-blower complaint,” adding “the original accusation was vague,” and “The aide did not share the whistle-blower’s identity with Mr. Schiff or anyone else.” 

So – according to the Times, Schiff kinda sorta knew what the whistleblower said, and a House Intel Committee aide told him (or her) to get an attorney, who happens to be Andrew Bakaj – who “interned for Schumer in the spring of 2001 and for Clinton in the fall of the same year,” per The Federalist. 

GOP spokeswoman Elizabeth Harrington has called it ‘COLLUSION’ and a ‘CON JOB’ in a Wednesday afternoon tweet.

“The whistle-blower’s decision to offer what amounted to an early warning to the intelligence committee’s Democrats is also sure to thrust Mr. Schiff even more forcefully into the center of the controversy.”

Ya think?!

Yes, people should take CIA coup attempts very seriously!

— Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) October 2, 2019