Senate Intelligence Committee acting Chairman Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioLincoln Project offers list of GOP senators who ‘protect’ Trump in new ad GOP Miami mayor does not commit to voting for Trump The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Trump wants schools to reopen, challenged on ‘harmless’ COVID-19 remark MORE (R-Fla.) and Sen. Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerSenators press IRS chief on stimulus check pitfalls Hillicon Valley: Facebook takes down ‘boogaloo’ network after pressure | Election security measure pulled from Senate bill | FCC officially designating Huawei, ZTE as threats Overnight Defense: Democrats blast Trump handling of Russian bounty intel | Pentagon leaders set for House hearing July 9 | Trump moves forward with plan for Germany drawdown MORE (Va.), the top Democrat on the panel, are vowing to protect whistleblowers in the intelligence community from retaliation.

The senators issued their statement on Friday, a day after the lawyer for Lt. Col. Alexander VindmanAlexander VindmanMarie Yovanovitch on Vindman retirement: He ‘deserved better than this. Our country deserved better than this’ Schiff to Vindman: ‘Right does not matter to Trump. But it matters to you’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Trump takes on CDC over schools MORE said his client would retire after 21 years of service in the Army because of “bullying, intimidation and retaliation.” Vindman’s congressional testimony last year contributed to the impeachment of President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump on Kanye West’s presidential run: ‘He is always going to be for us’ Marie Yovanovitch on Vindman retirement: He ‘deserved better than this. Our country deserved better than this’ Trump says Biden has been ‘brainwashed’: ‘He’s been taken over by the radical left’ MORE.

Rubio and Warner on Friday said the Senate Intelligence Committee would continue to uphold the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act, which prohibits reprisals against employees who make lawful disclosures of fraud, waste or abuse.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Consistent with its mandate to oversee the activities and programs of the Intelligence Community, the Committee takes seriously all complaints it receives pursuant to the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act (ICWPA),” Rubio and Warner said in a joint statement.

The senators praised the whistleblower protection law as “an essential channel for ensuring evidence of wrongdoing rising to the level of an urgent concern is brought” to Congress’s attention.

“Without commenting on the specifics of any single instance, the American public can be assured that this Committee’s approach to ICWPA complaints is, and will remain, one defined by vigorous oversight, adherence to the law, and recognition of Congress’ Constitutional obligations,” the senators added.

Their statement came after Vindman announced his retirement and cited concern that his career in the military would “forever be limited” because of retaliation from Trump or his allies in the administration.

A career official and the National Security Council’s top expert on Ukraine, Vindman testified last year that he was so concerned about Trump’s 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he reported it to the White House lawyer.

ADVERTISEMENT

The president fired Vindman from the National Security Council in February, months before he was scheduled to leave. That same month Trump also fired U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon SondlandGordon SondlandTop Democrat slams Trump’s new EU envoy: Not ‘a political donor’s part-time job’ Trump names new EU envoy, filling post left vacant by impeachment witness Sondland Ocasio-Cortez: Republicans are prioritizing big chains in coronavirus relief  MORE, another key impeachment witness.

At the same time, Trump fired Vindman’s twin brother, Yevgeny Vindman, from the National Security Council.

Politico reported Thursday that Russell Travers, the former head of the National Counterterrorism Center, was fired without explanation in March after reporting concerns to the intelligence community’s inspector general that intelligence agencies were falling behind in handling intelligence related to terrorist threats.

Click Here: State of Origin Jerseys