Former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) on Tuesday questioned the patriotism of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and said the decorated Army officer has “an affinity” for Ukraine while Vindman testified as part of the impeachment inquiry.
“It seems very clear that he is incredibly concerned about Ukrainian defense,” Duffy, who was recently hired as a CNN contributor, said.
{mosads}“I don’t know that he’s concerned about American policy … We all have an affinity to our homeland, where we came from … he has an affinity for the Ukraine,” he continued.
Vindman and his family fled Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, in 1979 when he was three years old.
The Wisconsin Republican’s comments come in the wake of Vindman‘s opening statement being released on Monday evening. In it, he says he twice voiced concerns over President Trump’s conversation with Ukraine’s president during which Trump requested an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
Duffy’s criticisms echoed Trump’s swipe at Vindman on Twitter Tuesday morning. The president alleged the witness is a partisan looking to smear the administration.
“Supposedly, according to the Corrupt Media, the Ukraine call ‘concerned’ today’s Never Trumper witness. Was he on the same call that I was? Can’t be possible! Please ask him to read the Transcript of the call. Witch Hunt!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (Wyo.) blasted attacks on Vindman Tuesday, telling reporters she believes it’s “shameful” to question a decorated military official’s allegiance to the U.S.
“It really is shameful what the Democrats have been doing in terms of attempting to try to impeach a sitting president in the basement of the Capitol,” she said at a press conference. “Now, I also want to say a word about something else that’s been going on over the course of the last several hours and last night, which I think is also shameful.”
“And that is questioning the patriotism, questioning the dedication to country of people like Mr. Vindman, Lt. Col. Vindman, who will be coming today, and others who have testified. I think that we need to show that we are better than that as a nation,” Cheney added.