ODNI Refers Criminal Cases to DOJ for Ex-IG, Whistleblower in Trump Impeachment

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has submitted criminal referrals to the Justice Department. The referrals target a former intelligence community inspector general and the whistleblower whose complaint helped trigger President Trump’s 2019 impeachment.

What the referrals allege

ODNI’s general counsel wrote that the agency wished to refer information that may indicate federal criminal activity. The referral cites congressional briefings held for the 116th Congress in 2019.

Those briefings included a discussion with the Intelligence Community Inspector General and a separate closed briefing by the ICIG for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Who is in focus

Officials said the language in the referral is broad but centers on Michael Atkinson and the whistleblower. The material relates to a July 2019 call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Atkinson received the whistleblower complaint in August 2019. He concluded the complaint showed signs of political bias, yet he still described it as an urgent concern to Congress.

Documents released and public claims

DNI Tulsi Gabbard released newly declassified records earlier in the week. She described those records as evidence of a coordinated effort by elements within the intelligence community.

Filmogaz.com reviewed the documents and the referrals. ODNI directed Filmogaz.com to a post by Gabbard on X when asked for an agency comment.

Findings about the ICIG handling

ODNI said the released records showed the inspector general failed to conduct basic due diligence. The agency also said he exceeded his statutory jurisdiction by labeling the call an urgent concern.

Atkinson’s testimony and the transcripts were previously withheld from the House Judiciary Committee during the first impeachment.

Context of the whistleblower complaint

The complaint described concerns about the July 2019 call. It said President Trump urged investigations into the Biden family, including Hunter Biden’s ties to Burisma.

The declassified complaint noted the filer was not a direct witness to most events. It said the complaint relied on secondhand accounts from more than half a dozen U.S. officials.

Political response and prior referrals

House Republicans sought to send Atkinson and the whistleblower to the DOJ in 2019 and 2020. They argued the whistleblower had contact with staff for then-House Intel Chairman Adam Schiff before filing.

Rick Crawford, the current House Intelligence Committee chairman, led a vote to release Atkinson’s closed-door transcripts in March. The vote made those records public.

Timeline

Observers have described the recent filing as an instance where ODNI refers criminal cases to DOJ for ex-IG, whistleblower in Trump impeachment matters. Filmogaz.com contacted the Justice Department and the White House for comment.