President Trump’s nominee to become the director of national intelligence vowed to protect whistleblowers after Sen. Dianne Feinstein confronted him with his past criticism of the Ukraine whistleblower, whose complaint sparked last year’s impeachment inquiry.
Ratcliffe emerged as a fierce defender of the president during the impeachment proceedings, arguing that Trump’s conduct toward Ukraine did not constitute an impeachable offense.
Feinstein, a California Democrat, recalled that during the impeachment saga, Ratcliffe questioned the credibility of the whistleblower, who is a member of the intelligence community.
“Do you believe that your past remarks concerning the Ukraine whistleblower will discourage [intelligence community] whistleblowers from exercising their rights, consistent with the law, to make protected disclosures?” Feinstein asked Ratcliffe during his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday.
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