There's A Big Difference Between The First & Second Whistleblower Complaints
It feels just like yesterday when reports first surfaced about the original whistleblower complaint against Donald Trump (it was actually Sept. 18). Well, gear up, everyone, because a second complaint has arrived, and the president isn't pleased about it. What is the second whistleblower complaint, you may ask? Apparently, the second person has an inside scoop.
On Sunday, Oct. 6, a second anonymous whistleblower came forward with more information concerning President Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which the two leaders discussed Trump's potential 2020 presidential rival, Vice President Joe Biden. The main difference between the first whistleblower complaint and the second one is that this new whistleblower reportedly "has firsthand knowledge" of events involving the phone call, according to the whistleblower's attorney, Mark Zaid. NBC News reports that the first whistleblower had not directly listened in on Trump and Zelensky's call, but spoke to people who had. President Trump and his administration have continuously denied any wrongdoing involving the phone call with Zelensky. However, Trump has faced criticism after the White House released a non-verbatim transcript of the conversation, which confirmed he asked Zelensky for a "favor," that included investigating Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham responded to reports of a second whistleblower by reiterating that the president hasn't done anything wrong in an Oct. 7 statement shared with Elite Daily. Grisham said,
It doesn’t matter how many people decide to call themselves whistleblowers about the same telephone call — a call the President already made public — it doesn’t change the fact that he has done nothing wrong.
So far, no transcript has been released of the second whistleblower's complaint, and there's no word as of yet if the House Intelligence Committee will be calling anyone forward to testify. However, NBC News reports that the second whistleblower is still entitled to legal protection despite not filing a separate formal complaint.
Reports of Trump asking Zelensky to investigate Biden spurred House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to open an official impeachment inquiry against President Trump on Sept. 24. "Today, I'm announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry," Pelosi announced. "I'm directing our six committees to proceed with their investigations under that umbrella of impeachment inquiry." President Trump responded to the impeachment inquiry announcement by claiming it's "presidential harassment" in a tweet, and Grisham told Elite Daily in an emailed statement that the move was Democrats' way to "weaponize politics" and was "nothing new."
Despite the controversy Trump is facing, he has spoken publicly about Ukraine investigating the Biden family, and on Oct. 3 Trump told reporters that China should also investigate the family. According to The Guardian, Trump is likely referring to a trip Biden and Hunter took to China in 2013 on Biden's official plane. At the time, Hunter was setting up a private equity fund that involved Chinese investors. Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager and communications director, responded to Trump's Oct. 3 comment in an emailed statement to Elite Daily by calling it "a grotesque choice of words." Bedingfield stated Trump's ongoing attack against the Biden family represents "an ongoing abuse of power."
Now that a second whistleblower has come forward, there's no telling how the House Intelligence Committee with respond. Even though the White House may not appear worried, this new complaint could spell bad news for the administration.
