House panel also advances release of closed-door testimony involving former intelligence watchdog.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is expected to declassify a document connected to events surrounding President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, according to a statement shared by investigative reporter Paul Sperry.
Sperry wrote in a post on X that Gabbard plans to release a document that had been stored for years in a secure facility on Capitol Hill. The message, shared publicly here, states: “I’m told Trump intel czar Tulsi Gabbard will soon declassify an explosive top-secret document former House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff locked away in a Capitol SCIF several years ago and wouldn’t let even members of Congress see … developing …”
The development comes as the House Intelligence Committee voted to release transcripts from 2019 hearings involving former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson. The committee said those hearings examined Atkinson’s role in handling a whistleblower complaint that contributed to impeachment proceedings against Trump.
In a statement accompanying the vote, Committee Chairman Rick Crawford said the decision was part of an effort to increase transparency.
“The great deal of widespread speculation about the Atkinson classified hearing transcript is indicative of the American people’s complete and warranted mistrust of the Intelligence Community,” Crawford said. “In far too many instances, the IC hides behind the veil of overclassification. Sometimes sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
He added, “As part of the Committee’s continued effort to balance the transparency the American people deserve and the need to protect sensitive national security information, we hope that the release of these transcripts allows the American people to make their own determinations. As Chairman, I remain committed to ensuring this Committee, where possible, is transparent as the IC works to rebuild trust with the American people.”
The committee’s action was also announced in a public statement shared on X, available here, noting the vote to release the 2019 testimony.
The hearings in question focused on a whistleblower complaint filed in 2019 related to a July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The complaint alleged that Trump pressured Zelensky to pursue investigations tied to political matters, an allegation that became central to impeachment proceedings later that year.
Atkinson, who served as inspector general at the time, reviewed and forwarded the complaint. According to prior statements, the complaint process included revisions to reporting standards, including allowing secondhand information to be considered.
The whistleblower complaint and related testimony were key components of the House’s impeachment inquiry in 2019.
The anticipated declassification and the release of transcripts are expected to provide additional information about the handling of the complaint and the internal processes within the intelligence community during that period.
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