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Trump fires Michael Atkinson, fraud intelligence IG who told Congress about Ukraine phone call: report
 [FoxNews] President Trump has reportedly fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community who alerted Congress to concerns about a Trump phone call with the president of Ukraine – a matter that led to the president’s impeachment last year.Trump formally notified the intelligence committees of both the Senate and House in a letter dated Friday that was obtained by Politico. "This is to advise that I am exercising my power as President to remove from office the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, effective 30 days from today," the president wrote. In January, Fox News reported that Atkinson was being investigated by Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee for his handling of the Ukraine matter, which began with a complaint filed by an unidentified "whistleblower." Last August, Atkinson received a complaint from someone who raised concerns about Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which Trump sought a Ukraine-led investigation into the past business dealings in the country of former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Democrats argued that the president had tied the investigation request to the withholding of U.S. military aid from Ukraine, in what they described as a "quid pro quo" arrangement. But Trump denied any wrongdoing in connection with Ukraine. The House ultimately impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- but the Senate acquitted Trump of the charges in February. In a statement, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, one of the Democrats' leaders of the impeachment efffort, called the firing of Atkinson an act of "retribution" by President Trump.
Atkinson, a Trump appointee, had determined that a whistleblower's report was credible in alleging Trump abused his office in attempting to solicit Ukraine’s interference in the 2020 U.S. election for his political benefit. Related: Michael Atkinson: 2020-02-11 Trump Is Discussing Firing Corrupt Squirrel Boy ICIG Michael Atkinson Michael Atkinson: 2020-01-07 Devin Nunes Tells Sara Carter: "ICIG Michael Atkinson is Under Active Investigation" Michael Atkinson: 2019-10-22 Trump might expose whistleblower, Schumer tells Intel officials Posted by: Woodrow 2020-04-04 |
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