FBI sought interview with whistleblower at heart of impeachment probe

The FBI reportedly sought an interview with the CIA whistleblower who filed a complaint over President Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Yahoo News first reported that an FBI agent in the Washington field office reached out to one of the attorneys representing the whistleblower in October. An interview has reportedly not taken place or been scheduled, and the interview’s parameters were not clear, according to the outlet.

Mark Zaid, an attorney for the whistleblower, declined to comment to Yahoo News. The FBI also declined to comment to the outlet.

NBC News, citing a law enforcement source, reported the FBI wanted to talk to the whistleblower but was not investigating the person whose complaint launched the House impeachment inquiry.

{mosads}The FBI request to interview the whistleblower came after the Justice Department decided not to pursue a campaign finance investigation based on the call between Trump and the Ukrainian leader after receiving the whistleblower complaint.

The Justice Department decision upset some at the FBI, according to Yahoo News, though others within the bureau were wary of getting involved.

The Justice Department decision not to pursue an investigation after the whistleblower complaint was limited to the question of campaign finance laws and not other potential issues raised in the complaint, according to Yahoo News.

The complaint, filed with the intelligence community’s inspector general, alleged that the president pressured Ukraine into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, among other assertions.

Trump and many of his GOP allies have called for the name of the whistleblower to be revealed, though House Democrats have sought to protect their identity.

The FBI declined to comment to The Hill.