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Top GOP senator implicates impeachment witness in possible whistleblower conspiracy as Dems wrap up third day of Trump trial
As the third day of President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial wrapped up Thursday, most of the drama was elsewhere -- with one witness for the Democrats accusing a Republican senator of "defamation" and "slander" after she questioned his patriotism and implicated him in a scheme to take down Trump from inside the White House.
As the third day of President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial wrapped up Thursday, most of the drama was elsewhere -- with one witness for the Democrats accusing a Republican senator of "defamation" and "slander" after she questioned his patriotism and implicated him in a scheme to take down Trump from inside the White House.
The spat began Thursday evening on Twitter, when U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., quoted the commanding officer of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman as saying that Vindman was a "political activist in uniform." Vindman, a National Security Council official, testified during House Democrats' impeachment inquiry last year that Trump's Ukraine dealings left him in a state of "shock." Democrats quoted from Vindman's remarks during the Senate trial on Thursday.
Vindman has denied knowing the identity of the whistleblower who flagged Trump's fateful July 25 phone call with Ukraine's president. Republicans have questioned that claim because under cross-examination, Vindman apparently admitted to leaking the contents of Trump's call to the whistleblower.
As U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who presided over House Democrats' impeachment inquiry and is the leading impeachment manager at the Senate trial, spoke Thursday and made references Vindman, Blackburn fired off a series of tweets.
"It makes sense that Alexander Vindman leaked the July 25th phone call to his friend (aka the 'whistleblower')," Blackburn tweeted. "They both have lots in common: —Held the same NSC job —Liberals who worked under Obama —Wanted to take out Trump."
Vindman's legal team responded within hours, accusing Blackburn of slandering him with "defamatory tweets." Speaking to "The Ingraham Angle" late Thursday, Blackburn doubled down. Click for more on our top story.
Other developments in Trump's Senate impeachment trial:
- Democrats charge that Trump's conduct was worse than Nixon's
- Reporter's Notebook: Trump's Senate impeachment trial could boil down to one word – 'pettifogging'
- GOP leadership tries to avoid defections on possible witness vote
- Sen. Joni Ernst calls out Democrats for ‘hypocrisy’ on U.S. aid to Ukraine
- Democrats charge that Trump's conduct was worse than Nixon's
- Reporter's Notebook: Trump's Senate impeachment trial could boil down to one word – 'pettifogging'
- GOP leadership tries to avoid defections on possible witness vote
- Sen. Joni Ernst calls out Democrats for ‘hypocrisy’ on U.S. aid to Ukraine
TUNE IN: Don't miss an exclusive interview with President Trump tonight on "The Ingraham Angle" at 10 ET!
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