Alexander Vindman, whose complaint about Ukraine call led to Trump impeachment, sues Trump
WASHINGTON – Alexander Vindman, the former Army officer whose complaint about former President Donald Trump’s call to his Ukraine counterpart led to Trump’s first impeachment, filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging the former president and his allies retaliated unlawfully against him.
The 73-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington argues that Trump violated the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act by smearing Vindman with allegations against his patriotism and trying to intimidate him against testifying at a congressional hearing. The KKK act forbids conspiring to interfere with a federal officer's ability to carry out the duties of office or ability to testify.
“The targeted campaign against Lt. Col. Vindman violated federal civil rights laws that have long protected federal officials from intimidation and retaliation,” the lawsuit said. “President Trump and his aides and other close associates, including Defendants, waged a targeted campaign against Lt. Col. Vindman for upholding his oath of office and telling the truth.”
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The case also names Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and two former White House aides, Daniel Scavino, director of social media, and Julia Hahn, deputy communications director, as defendants. Giuliani worked with Trump on attacks against Trump’s perceived enemies, according to the lawsuit. Scavino managed the president’s Twitter account and drafted some of his tweets, and Hahn was a conduit to the media, according to the lawsuit.
Vindman reported Trump’s July 2019 call to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy through the National Security Council, where he worked. During the call, Trump asked for a “favor”: for Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden in exchange for military aid.
Vindman also testified at congressional hearings that led to Trump’s impeachment on House charges he abused the power of his office and obstructed Congress. The Senate acquitted Trump at both impeachments.
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Vindman alleged Trump tried to intimidate and threaten him to prevent him from testifying.
Trump called the investigation into the call a witch hunt and a hoax. He tweeted Sept. 29, 2019, the conversation was “perfect” and the whistleblower characterized it in a “totally inaccurate and fraudulent way.” Trump also said “big consequences” awaited the whistleblower for “SPYING” on the president.
The lawsuit also cites an Oct. 8, 2019, letter to Congress from White House counsel Pat Cippollone that said “President Trump and his Administration cannot participate in your partisan and unconstitutional” impeachment inquiry.
Giuliani tweeted Oct. 29, 2019, that the impeachment investigation should collapse because it relied on a government employee who was reportedly advising two governments.
Vindman was born in Ukraine, and his lawsuit said Trump and his allies used his heritage to smear him. Vindman testified anyway. But his lawsuit said the attacks prevented him from continuing to serve in the military and on the National Security Council staff.
“The offensive against Lt. Col. Vindman started with direct and public threats by President Trump followed by a campaign to smear and intimidate him, with the intended effect of ruining his career and subjecting him and his family to further threats and harassment,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages. Lawyers for Trump and Giuliani didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Vindman published an op-ed in Paste BN on Wednesday explaining his reasoning behind the lawsuit.
"I did my duty by reporting my concerns within the National Security Council, where I served as a director," Vindman said. "When later subpoenaed by Congress, I testified truthfully about what I heard. As a result, my career and personal life were forever turned upside down."
Vindman's lawsuit takes a similar approach – citing the Ku Klux Klan Act – to one filed against Trump by a dozen House Democrats over the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, which sparked Trump’s second impeachment.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has held a hearing on whether to dismiss three other civil lawsuits against Trump over the Capitol riot. The three cases allege Trump incited the riot, which his lawyers denied.