Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman to be removed from National Security Council

[CousinIT]

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who testified on October 29 concerning his reaction to Donald Trump’s phone call to Ukrainian President Zelensky, was removed from the National Security Council on Sunday. In an interview on CBS’ Face the Nation, national security advisor Robert O’Brien, who replaced John Bolton in that position in September, said that Vindman would be leaving his position along with several others as part of a “streamlining” of the National Security Council.

O’Brien noted that Vindman, who is an active officer in the Army, serves on the NSC through the Department of Defense. “Everyone who’s detailed at the NSC ... people are going to start going back to their own departments and we’ll bring in new folks,” said O’Brien. New folks who, presumably, Trump believes he can control and prevent from reporting issues or supplying testimony in a matter with deep national security implications.

O’Brien was asked if Vindman was being removed because he was “scheduled to rotate out” or whether there was “any retaliation against him.” In reply, O’Brien said, “I never retaliate against anyone myself.” Asked again whether Vindman had been scheduled to leave, O’Brien replied “there will be a time for everyone who is detailed there.” The evasion in both of those answers is clear.

In previous statements, Trump has referred to Vindman as a “Never Trumper,” part of a group he described as “human scum.” Now Trump’s Veteran’s Day gift for Vindman is removing him from his position for doing his job.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/11/10/1898525/-Lt-Col-Alexander-Vindman-to-be-removed-from-National-Security-Council

[atreides1]

1. Translation

We are bringing in people loyal to the President, not to the United States of America and especially not to the Constitution of the United States!!!

[Sherman A1]

11. Precisely

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. I was reading somebody who tweeted about this earlier

It sounds more like he is being sidelined (i.e. not allowed to listen in on calls), although, at the end of the day, it's pretty much the same difference.

[2naSalit]

3. That's two witnesses extricated

shortly after testifying... if they can't be stopped from testifying, they'll be punished with reassignment or termination.

Time to clean out the WH.

[5X]

4. so people are stil being punished for testifying

during the impeachment.

and this is ok?

[Ilsa]

5. If he was being sidelined and not allowed to listen to calls,

Then removing him from his post makes the retaliation public.

[Perseus]

18. I think we all know what it is, not even sense in discussing, its retaliation and nothing else

What a bunch of tools in this administration, no one seems to have the balls to say no to the con.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

23. This. ☝🏾

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. Not surprising, I guess.

The optics stink to high heaven. Taylor and Vindman deserve promotions, not this. Yes, I realize that Taylor came out of retirement to do a job for which he is getting no thanks.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. are there no consequences for such reprisals?

[ancianita]

24. Maybe the House can add retaliation toward fact witnesses as another count under the Abuse of

Power Article.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

25. I want Traitor Trump out of office and charged with all the crimes...

Gather up his enablers and coattail riders, too.

[ancianita]

26. Definitely. The charges are adding up. We just have to make sure he and Pence lose pardoning power.

[magicarpet]

8. Like a Mafia thug,...

You take any actions against trDump and not display 100% loyalty,... you get the kiss of death on each cheek.

[orangecrush]

9. He got the kick of impeachment

On both ass cheeks.

[turbinetree]

10. There are laws for this kind of retaliations and make no mistake this is retaliatory

and Congress needs to bring everyone in and ask them .................under oath.................especially this O'Brien character........................... Fuck him and the horse he rides on also........named Traitor trump...............what a spineless lackey.............

November 3, 2020 cannot get here fast enough................

[SayItLoud]

12. Acting this acting that...

Never have there been so many unconfirmed department and agency heads. These toads are all tRUMP flunkies never having to appear and be confirmed. Sure, they don't get some intel (but you can be assured they DO get it via back channels). This infestation of tRUMP loyalists without an iota of care for America or the Constitution is a serious disease and must be cut out. Just sayin...

[spanone]

13. dictators remove those who don't praise the dictators

[iluvtennis]

14. +++ agree. this is such disgusting behavior from the "leader" of the US. nt

[keithbvadu2]

15. What took them so long?

[Poiuyt]

16. That cartoon says it all.

[renate]

20. This cartoon is perfect!

It’s so sad but it’s absolutely accurate.

[dalton99a]

21. +1

[ffr]

17. Direct retribution, the way of the mobster rePutican party.

Disgraceful!

[pwb]

19. Predictable from trump . Vindman is a patriot.

Vindman knew this would happen he probably didn't like working there anyway.

[BSdetect]

22. How will they spin it as non-retaliation? So predictable.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

27. "never retaliate myself" means his boss (tRump) ordered a retaliation & O'Brien knows it. . . . nt

[lunatica]

28. No fucking surprise there.

I hope there’s a charge of abuse of power here. And I hope Vindman gets vindicated very quickly.

They’re sending messages so let’s send some of our own back.

[James48]

29. New Article of impeachment now justified.

Employee Witness retaliation - It's a TEN YEAR FELONY

18 U.S. Code § 1513.Retaliating against a witness

(e) Whoever knowingly, with the intent to retaliate, takes any action harmful to any person, including interference with the lawful employment or livelihood of any person, for providing to a law enforcement officer any truthful information relating to the commission or possible commission of any Federal offense, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

(f)Whoever conspires to commit any offense under this section shall be subject to the same penalties as those prescribed for the offense the commission of which was the object of the conspiracy.

(g)A prosecution under this section may be brought in the district in which the official proceeding (whether pending, about to be instituted, or completed) was intended to be affected, or in which the conduct constituting the alleged offense occurred.


From the Justice Department website at : https://www.justice.gov/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1733-scope-18-usc-1513

"1733. SCOPE OF 18 U.S.C. 1513
Section 1513 of Title 18 embraces two types of conduct heretofore beyond the purview of Federal law. First, the statute reaches threats of retaliation. Second, it reaches attempts to retaliate. Section 1513 complements 18 U.S.C. § 1512 by proscribing conduct amounting to retaliation for participation in Federal legislative, administrative, or judicial proceedings or for the communication of information to Federal law enforcement officers. With the exception of the omnibus clauses of §§ 1503 and 1505, the express prohibitions against retaliating against witnesses, parties, and informants contained in former 18 U.S.C. §§ 1503, 1505, and 1510 are now in 18 U.S.C. § 1513(a) and (b).

The structure of 18 U.S.C. § 1513 is similar to that of 18 U.S.C. § 1512. Section 1513, like § 1512, eliminates ambiguity about the class of people protected. Although the former law protected witnesses and parties, it was unclear whether that law reached retaliation against third parties (for example, the spouse of a witness) in response to the participation of the principal party in a Federal proceeding. Section 1513 plainly covers such conduct even though the caption of the provision may indicate otherwise. See 128 Cong. Rec. H8204 (daily ed. Sept. 30, 1982). Section 1513, like 18 U.S.C. § 1512, expands the class of informants protected by Federal law. It also confers extraterritorial Federal jurisdiction over the offenses cited in the provision. See 18 U.S.C. § 1512(g).

[cited in JM 9-69.100]

[pandr32]

30. Thank you for posting this information

[mahina]

31. Thank you

[Faux pas]

32. Kickin' with disgust!

Universe forbid that any honest and true patriots be allowed to be honest patriots.

[onenote]

33. This is a seven week old story. Has there been any update since then?

At the time it was reported that no specific timeline had been given for Vindman to leave his position with the NSC.

[TeamPooka]

34. ""streamlining" of the National Security Council." means Trump needs to get rid of all the patriots

keeping their eye on him.

[Grokenstein]

35. Toadyism "trumps" competence in this, um, administration?

I have a hard time calling this collection of criminals and mooks on kneepads an "administration."

In reply, O’Brien said, “I never retaliate against anyone myself.”

Krusty the Clown: "Don't look at me! IIIIIIII didn't do it!!"

[UTUSN]

36. The ever growing list of *retaliations*