{"id":1972810,"date":"2023-07-14T07:31:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T11:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-ethics-complaint-filed-against-congressman-who-slurred-whistleblowers\/"},"modified":"2023-07-14T07:33:26","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T11:33:26","slug":"exclusive-ethics-complaint-filed-against-congressman-who-slurred-whistleblowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-ethics-complaint-filed-against-congressman-who-slurred-whistleblowers\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethics complaint filed against congressman for slurring whistleblowers."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fexclusive-ethics-complaint-filed-against-congressman-who-slurred-whistleblowers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1972810&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2>House Democrats Launch Counteroffensive Against Whistleblowers<\/h2>\n<p>House Democrats are on a crusade to destroy the reputation of whistleblowers to save President Joe Biden and to run cover for those in the Justice Department and FBI who obstructed the investigation into the Bidens\u2019 business dealings. But Republicans are starting to fight back.<\/p>\n<p>Kash Patel, who served as chief of staff to the acting secretary of defense under President Trump and as the senior counsel for the House Intelligence Committee under then-Rep. Devin Nunes, launched the counteroffensive on Wednesday when his attorney filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., and simultaneously sent a referral to the Department of Justice.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe clear implication\u201d of Goldman\u2019s Tweet, the Patel complaint argued, was \u201cthat the witnesses lied under oath in exchange for payment by Mr. Patel.\u201d In the same tweet, which was viewed by more than 4 million users, Goldman asserted Patel was \u201cunder investigation by the DOJ for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-dakota-lowers-unemployment-to-pre-pandemic-levels-after-state-rejected-lockdowns\/\" title=\"South Dakota Lowers Unemployment to Pre-Pandemic Levels After State Rejected Lockdowns\">leaking classified information<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>By publishing lies about a private citizen on his official Twitter account, Goldman violated Rule XXIII of the House of Representatives rules, which provides that a member \u201cshall behave at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House,\u201d the ethics complaint asserted.<\/p>\n<p>The ethics complaint further suggested Goldman\u2019s lies may have constituted crimes. Here, Patel\u2019s complaint points to Section 1519 of the federal criminal code and suggests that \u201cby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sidney-powell-is-an-american-legal-giant\/\" title=\"Sidney Powell Is an American Legal Giant\">making false statements<\/a> on his official U.S. Government Twitter account, Rep. Goldman has arguably made a false entry on the record with the intent to impede or influence the investigation of the Select Subcommittee.\u201d The complaint also suggests, \u201cRep. Goldman\u2019s dishonest tweet is a corrupt attempt to obstruct, influence, or impede the investigation of the Select Subcommittee,\u201d which Patel notes is an arguable violation of Section 1512(C)(2) of the criminal code.<\/p>\n<p>While the ethics complaint notes that he \u201cis not under investigation by the DOJ for anything\u2014much less leaking classified information,\u201d Patel adds that if there were such an investigation underway, someone would have illegally leaked that fact to Goldman.<\/p>\n<p>The Federalist contacted Goldman\u2019s office to inquire whether the congressman stood by his claim that Patel was under investigation. A Goldman representative responded that Patel was reportedly under investigation and shared two articles with The Federalist, one being an April 2021 Washington Post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2021\/04\/16\/kash-patel-trump-intelligence-community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">article<\/a> authored by David Ignatius, and the second being an article citing Ignatius\u2019 piece.<\/p>\n<p>When reached for comment by The Federalist, Patel called Goldman\u2019s office\u2019s reference to the Washington Post article a \u201ccongressional cop out,\u201d and \u201cmore lies through back peddling.\u201d Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has taught America you \u201ccan find any lie in the media,\u201d Patel added, a likely reference to the many lies the then-ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee peddled about Nunes\u2019 memorandum on FISA abuse \u2014 something that transpired during Patel\u2019s time as senior counsel for the committee.<\/p>\n<p>FBI whistleblower Steve Friend, who was one of the three whistleblowers Goldman accused of being \u201cbought and paid for\u201d by Patel, told The Federalist the Democrat\u2019s accusations were absurd. Friend explained that Patel\u2019s charitable organization contacted him in November of 2022 after he had been indefinitely suspended without pay for two months. \u201cThe organization generously furnished me a $5,000 donation so I could provide for my family during the Christmas holiday,\u201d Friend said, stressing they told him \u201cthey did not want any public recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny insinuation that I sacrificed my career for a $5,000 payoff is patently ridiculous and defamatory,\u201d Friend countered, adding that his family is grateful \u201cto live in a country where men like Kash Patel can establish charitable organizations to assist those in need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Goldman\u2019s office disagreed that there was an implication of an illicit payout for the whistleblowers\u2019 testimony, telling The Federalist the New York congressman\u2019s \u201cbought and paid for\u201d Tweet merely referred to the whistleblowers\u2019 testimony from the linked video.<\/p>\n<h2>Referral to DOJ<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to the ethics complaint filed in the House, Patel\u2019s lawyer also sent a criminal referral to Attorney General Merrick Garland. It seems unlikely the Department of Justice will enter the fray. However, given the growing number of unjust attacks on whistleblowers, the House Ethics Committee may well reprimand Goldman for his tweet.<\/p>\n<p>The increased targeting of whistleblowers was on full display on Wednesday when House Democrats wage a similar attack against whistleblowers during FBI Director Christopher Wray\u2019s testimony before the Judiciary Committee. Goldman\u2019s fellow New York Democrat, Rep. Jerry Nadler, carried the defamation baton into that hearing, falsely <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JsnFostr\/status\/1679147659913723904\">accusing<\/a> whistleblower Marcus Allen of receiving a $250,000 payout. Nadler\u2019s representation was false and \u201cfar from profiting, he\u2019s had to deplete his family\u2019s retirement savings to survive,\u201d Marcus\u2019 attorney Jason Foster countered.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, would later attempt to discredit the whistleblowers with the same tripe, although she couldn\u2019t keep her villains straight, confusing money raised for the whistleblowers through a GoFundMe account organized by former FBI Agent Kyle Seraphin and the donations made by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nonprofits-backed-by-swiss-billionaire-steer-funds-into-democrat-causes\/\" title=\"Nonprofits Backed by Swiss Billionaire Steer Funds Into Democrat Causes\">charitable foundation established<\/a> by Patel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey can\u2019t even keep their smears straight,\u201d Foster scoffed in an interview with The Federalist.<\/p>\n<p>Patel put it more bluntly, saying those attacking the brave whistleblowers who are exposing FBI corruption are \u201cmasquerading behind a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-rogan-praises-kayleigh-mcenany-as-best-ever-white-house-press-secretary-that-lady-was-a-fing-assassin\/\" title=\"Joe Rogan Praises Kayleigh McEnany As \u201cBest Ever\u201d White House Press Secretary: \u201cThat Lady Was A F***ing Assassin\u201d\">baseless personal attack<\/a>, knowing the media will carry their disinformation campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The legacy press is doing just that and will likely continue to do so, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-ethics-complaint-filed-against-congressman-who-slurred-whistleblowers\/\" title=\"Ethics complaint filed against congressman for slurring whistleblowers.\">handing politicians free rein<\/a> to defame the whistleblowers. The question, then, is whether the House Ethics Committee will curb Goldman to send a message that whistleblowers aren\u2019t political pawns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>House Republicans, is leading the charge against House Democrats&#8217; attempts to tarnish whistleblowers&#8217; credibility. Their motive seems to protect President Biden and shield Justice Department and FBI officials who impeded the Bidens&#8217; business probe. However, Republicans, led by Kash Patel, are now mounting a resistance. Patel, former chief of staff to House Republicans, is spearheading the counteroffensive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":499,"featured_media":1972811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1972810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/499"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1972810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972810\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1972811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1972810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1972810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1972810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}