Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is going after President Donald Trump and his attacks on Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman and the anonymous whistleblower who exposed the president’s extortion of Ukraine.
The New York Democrat says retaliation against whistleblowers is “illegal,” and is calling on all 74 Inspectors General within the federal government to investigate any and all acts of retribution.
“Not only is retaliation against LTC Vindman, the anonymous whistleblower, and others like them shameful—it is also illegal. I’m calling on every single federal Inspector General to investigate any and all retaliation against whistleblowers who disclose presidential misconduct,” Schumer said on Twitter, attaching his letter to the Inspector General.
Related: Experts Says Trump Firing of 3 Officials Including Sondland and Vindman Is ‘Criminal’ Offense
“Our founders, having seen and studied societies governed by the iron fist of tyrants and the claimed divine right of kings, believed that truth was fundamental to the survival of our republic,” Schumer wrote. “Without the courage of whistleblowers and the role of inspectors general, the American people may never have known how the president abused his power in the Ukraine scandal.”
On Friday, just 48 hours after the Republican-majority Senate voted to acquit him, Trump fired both Vindman, who testified before Congress on Trump’s illegal activities, and Vindman’s brother, LTC Yevgeny Vindman, who did not. Both worked for the National Security Council. Both were escorted out of the White House Friday night like criminals, despite having done nothing wrong.