WASHINGTON —
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sent at least one criminal referral to the Justice Department seeking investigations of a whistleblower complaint and its handling by the intelligence community watchdog that led to the 2019 impeachment of President Donald Trump, a spokesperson for Gabbard’s office confirmed Wednesday.
To bolster the referral, Gabbard this week released documents that she said exposed a “conspiracy used by Congress to impeach President Trump.”
Video above: Tulsi Gabbard on Operation Epic Fury
Gabbard’s office said the released documents show the then intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson did not follow policy in the handling of the whistleblower complaint.
The documents include transcripts of Atkinson’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in 2019 and notes from interviews with the whistleblower.
CNN has requested comment from Atkinson. The referral was first reported by Fox News.
Atkinson spent 15 years at the Justice Department before serving as inspector general of the intelligence community from 2018 to 2020. Atkinson’s reputation as a straight shooter prompted some lawmakers who were otherwise skeptical of the whistleblower complaint to take the document seriously, CNN previously reported.
Trump fired Atkinson in April 2020, raising concerns that the president was meddling in the work of what are supposed to be independent watchdogs.
Gabbard has used her tenure leading the intelligence...
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