ADAM B. SCHIFF. CALIFORNIA
CHAIRMAN

ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

 

 

NUNES, CALIFORNIA
STAFF DmEcron RANKING MEMBER
[2021 225?7550



 

ALLEN Scum. MINOFIITY STAFF DIHECTDH

 

iBermanent ?veIett 

an intelligence

311%). 1901151: of iRept'esentatibes
November 9, 2019

The Honorable Devin Nunes

Ranking Member

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC. 20515-6415

Dear Ranking Member Nunes:

The Committee is in receipt of your letter, dated today, proposing witnesses for the
impeachment inquiry?s open hearings. The Committee is carefully evaluating the witness list you
provided, along with the written justi?cations you included.

Consistent with H. Res. 660 and as noted in my November 6, 2019 letter, the Committee
will give due consideration to witnesses within the scope of the impeachment inquiry.l

In doing so, the Committee is mindful that this inquiry is a solemn undertaking, enshrined
by the Founders in the Constitution, to determine whether the President of the United States
warrants impeachment by the House of Representatives.

As we move to open hearings, it is important to underscore that the impeachment inquiry,
and the Committee, will not serve as vehicles for any Member to carry out the same sham
investigations into the Bidens or debunked conspiracies about 2016 U.S. election interference
that President Trump pressed Ukraine to conduct for his personal political bene?t.

The Committee also will not facilitate efforts by President Trump and his allies in
Congress to threaten, intimidate, and retaliate against the whistleblower who courageously raised
the initial alarm. It remains the duty of the Intelligence Committee to protect whistleblowers, and
until recently, this was a bipartisan priority.2 The whistleblower has a right under laws
championed by this Committee to remain anonymous and to be protected from harm.

 

See generally 11. Res. 660 (Oct. 31, 2019) (3). See also H. Rept. 116?266 (Oct. 30, 2019) at 2;
Letter from Chairman Adam B. Schiff to Ranking Member Devin Nunes, November 6, 2019.

3 See rag. Press Conference, Chairman Devin Nunes, March 24, 2017. (?As you know, and I've said this
several times, we don't talk about sources at this committee. We want more people to come forward. The good thing

1

The impeachment inquiry, moreover, has gathered an ever-growing body of evidence?
from witnesses and documents, including the President?s own words in his July 25 call record?
that not only con?rms, but far exceeds, the initial information in the whistleblower?s complaint.
The whistleblower?s testimony is therefore redundant and unnecessary. In light of the President?s
threats, the individual?s appearance before us would only place their personal safety at grave
risk.

Sincerely,

a

Adam B. Schif
Chairman

 

is, is that we have continued to have people come forward, voluntarily, to this committee and we want to continue
that and 1 will tell you that that will not happen if we tell you who our sources are and people that come come to
the committee?) [Online at: