The Daily

The Whistle-Blower’s Complaint

Sep 27, 2019

Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Congressional editor for The New York Times, breaks down the explosive whistleblower complaint that has rocked Washington. She reveals how President Trump allegedly pressured Ukraine for political gain and the White House's drastic efforts to cover up the call details. Davis explains the legal complexities surrounding the complaint and the intense scrutiny faced by officials in this turbulent political climate. Hear her insights into the implications this has for accountability and the future of presidential power.

26:08

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Episode guests

Julie Hirschfeld Davis

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Episode notes

Intro

5min

The Whistleblower's Claims

9min

Intense Revelations from the Intelligence Committee Hearing

4min

Navigating Whistleblower Complaints and Executive Privilege

2min

Navigating Scrutiny: Whistleblower Fallout

9min

The whistle-blower complaint at the center of the impeachment inquiry was released on Thursday as the Trump administration official who had declined to turn it over — Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence — testified before Congress. Here’s the latest from Capitol Hill. Guest: Julie Hirschfeld Davis, the congressional editor for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Background reading:

The complaint accused President Trump of pressuring Ukraine’s leader to investigate a political rival and alleged that the White House tried to “lock down” the transcript of the call.
Here’s what we’ve learned about the whistle-blower.
Read a declassified version of the complaint, with annotations, and eight takeaways from the document.

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