Impeachment witness Alexander Vindman sued Trump Jr., Giuliani, alleging a “campaign of intimidation and revenge”

[ad_1]

Washington – Retired Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a key figure in the first impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump, has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and two other former White House aides, alleging they conducted coordinated campaign to intimidate. and retaliated against him after he testified before Chamber investigators.

Filed in federal district court in Washington, Vindman said he was the target of a “dangerous witness intimidation campaign” that sought to punish him for his role in the impeachment investigation and prevent other potential witnesses from speaking out. against Trump.

The suit named Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, Giuliani, his personal attorney, and White House aides Dan Scavino and Julia Hahn. Vindman and his lawmakers argue the group conspired with each other “with the sole purpose of preventing, by force, intimidation, or intimidation, Lt. Col. Vindman from holding and fulfilling the duties of his office ”in violation of federal civil rights law.

“Regardless of what one thinks of the merits of the underlying impeachment, intentionally attacking witnesses for participation in an official trial and telling the truth cannot be dismissed as political as usual and cannot be tolerated in a country built on the rule of law, ”Vindman’s lawyers wrote. in their complaint. “However toxic our politics have become, this kind of illegal behavior should not be accepted as ‘normal’ in any healthy democracy.”

Vindman was among officials who listened to a phone call by Trump in July 2019 to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which he repeatedly urged his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate then presidential hopeful Joe Biden and the his son Hunter Biden in exchange for a visit to the White House and military assistance.

Vindman, then Ukraine’s leading expert on the National Security Council (NSC), expressed concerns about the call to the NSC lawyer, and was then subpoenaed to testify before lawmakers after the Chamber opened a impeachment investigation against Trump. In his public testimony, Vindman said he reported his concerns on the call as “out of a sense of duty” and said Trump’s proposal to investigate Mr. Zelenskyy was “inappropriate” and “incorrect.” Biden.

While the House impeached Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the Senate voted to acquit him on two charges. Following the Senate vote, Vindman was ousted from his seat in the White House. He retired from the U.S. Army in 2020.

In his lawsuit against Trump Jr., Giuliani and White House aides, Vindman said the group held meetings to coordinate the approach regarding impeachment witnesses and make conversation points to push the “false narratives” about Vindman’s loyalty to the United States. He accused the group of also spreading false claims that he was a spy for Ukraine, leaking classified information to expand their “false disloyalty narrative” and attempting to derail Vindman’s promotion to full-fledged colonel. , among other actions.

Vindman also claims that the Trump White House worked to coordinate a false narrative with Fox News, similar to host Laura Ingraham, and other allies to discredit her.

“The offensive against Lt. Col. Vindman began with direct and public threats by President Trump followed by a campaign to discredit and intimidate him, with the intent of ruining his career and subjecting him and his family to more threats and harassment, ”he argues the lawyers. “The campaign was conducted on social media and in allied media outlets such as President Trump’s Fox News, members of his administration including Defendants Scavino and Hahn, allies outside the White House including Defendants Donald Trump, Jr. and Rudy Giuliani (who makes Trump as well as himself), Laura Ingraham and others on Fox News, and ultimately, even some members of Congress. “

Vindman is seeking damages of an unspecified amount. He claims the former president and allies worked together to help him “block a constitutional trial by intimidation and retaliation against a key witness.”

Trending News

Download our Free App

For Breaking News & Analysis Download the Free CBS News app

[ad_2]