Just like any good prosecutor, Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff started off today's hearings by defining the game and the players. The whistleblower is NOT a "political hack," despite the propaganda lies from Trump and Fox. And DNI Maguire won't directly contradict the so-called president, but he's forced by this line of questioning to admit that the whistleblower is acting "in good faith" and did everything by the book.
DNI JOSEPH MAGUIRE: I believe as I said before, Mr. Chairman, I believe the whistleblower is operating in good faith and followed the law.
SCHIFF: They couldn't be in good faith if they were acting as a political hack, could they?
MAGUIRE: Mr. Chairman, my job is to support and lead the entire intelligence community. That individual works for me. Therefore it is my job to make sure that I support and defend that person.
SCHIFF: You don't have any reason to accuse them of disloyalty to our country or suggest they're beholden to some other country?
MAGUIRE: Sir, absolutely not. I believe that the whistleblower followed the steps every step of the way, however, the statute was one in this situation, involving the president of the united states who is not in the intelligence community or matters underneath my supervisor, did not meet the criteria for urgent concern.
SCHIFF: I'm asking about the whistleblower right now.
MAGUIRE: I think the whistleblower did the right thing. I think he followed the law every step of the way and we just got stuck with it --
SCHIFF: Why, director, when the president called the whistleblower a political hack and suggested he or she might be disloyal to the country why did you remain silent?
MAGUIRE: I did not remain silent, Mr. Chairman. I issued a statement to my workforce telling my commitment to the whistleblower protection an ensure that I would provide protection to anybody within the intelligence community who comes forward. The way this thing was blowing out, I didn't think it was appropriate for me to be making a press statement so that we counter each other every step of the way.
SCHIFF: I think it was not only appropriate, but there's nothing that would have given more confidence to the workforce than hearing you publicly say, no one should be calling this professional, who did the right thing, a hack or a traitor or anything else. I think that would have meant a great deal to the workforce.
