Lieutenant Colonel Brigadier in the Army. General Alexander Vindman is suing former President Donald Trump's son and close aides for "unlawful intimidation and retaliation" during his testimony in Trump's impeachment proceedings in late 2019 and early 2020.
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, seeks "long-overdue accountability for unlawful actions committed by Trump aides and aides" in order to obstruct a constitutional proceeding by "intimidating and retaliating against a key witness" to the former president. " It names defendant Donald Trump Jr., Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani and former White House communications officials Dan Scavino and Julia Hahn.
Before testifying at the first impeachment hearing, Vindman claimed that Trump Jr., Giuliani and others tried to intimidate him. According to the lawsuit, those summoned by the January 6 committee had a message at the time to "cooperate and tell the truth at your own risk", and it continues to be sent today.
Vindman fled with his family to the United States. According to the trial, Trump's aides and conspirators attacked him for his testimony he had received as a child when he fled the Soviet Union. Defendants tried to prevent Vindman from being promoted to colonel, fired him, and accused him of spying, treason, forging an alliance with Ukraine, being unfaithful to the United States, lying to the FBI, and leaking classified information. Charged. According to the lawsuit, as a result, he decided to retire, was unable to pursue a career in which he was skilled, found it difficult to find work outside the military, and was physically afraid for the safety of his family.
The lawsuit claims that his twin brother, Yevgeny, a National Security Council lawyer, was also fired and kicked out of the White House.
alexander vindman, lawsuit, trump associates, intimidation, retaliation
Vindman worked for the National Security Council and was in charge of Eastern European, Caucasus and Russian affairs. According to the lawsuit, while in office, Vindman overheard a phone call between Trump and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, on July 19, 2019, in which Trump persuaded Zelensky to open an investigation into President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. tried to do. , In return, there will be an official White House visit to Ukraine, as well as the release of significant security aid funds directed to Ukraine by Congress.
According to the lawsuit, he reported the call and was forced to testify before Congress, both privately and publicly.
Vindman wrote in a USA Today op-ed that he brought the lawsuit because he believes "all citizens should take an active role in maintaining our democracy."
"I hope this trial will bring more light to the abuses that are destroying our democracy," Vindman wrote in the op-ed.