The lawyer for the whistleblower whose report sparked the impeachment inquiry into President Trump accused Republicans of hypocrisy in a tweet Wednesday.
Mark Zaid commented on the first public impeachment hearing by saying he heard GOP lawmakers “criticize & belittle” the “significance of hearsay info.” He said that conflicted with their interest in hearing the whistleblower testify based on secondhand information.
{mosads}“I watched today’s hearing & repeatedly heard Members criticize & belittle significance of hearsay info. Yet same Members pushed to subpoena #whistleblower who they complain only has second hand info. #hypocrisy,” he tweeted.
“Only reason is to intimidate & harm,” he added. “#ProtectTheWhistleblower.”
Republican House members questioned diplomats William Taylor and George Kent during their public testimony Wednesday, casting doubt on Taylor’s testimony, which is based on secondhand knowledge, and saying there is no evidence that Trump committed an impeachable offense.
The House kicked off the impeachment inquiry in September after a complaint from a whistleblower came to light saying that Trump asked the Ukrainian president to look into former Vice President Joe Biden days after withholding military aid from the country.
Republicans have since called on the whistleblower to testify, despite House Democrats saying the whistleblower’s account has been substantiated by other current and former Trump officials more familiar with the White House-Ukraine relationship.