Trump Blasts Whistleblower Attorney Mark Zaid: ‘Should be Sued, Maybe for Treason’
President Donald Trump suggested that the lawyer representing whistleblower whose complaint lays at the center at the impeachment inquiry threatening his administration should be “sued, maybe for treason.” While Trump was likely using his trademark hyperbole, treason is a grave crime against the United States which is punished by the death penalty according to federal law.
During a press spray on the White House lawn, President Trump hit the same notes of hoax and lies that he has consistently related in other press gaggles and on Twitter. He also turned to Mark Zaid, the attorney for the whistleblower, whose tweets from two years ago have recently painted him in a remarkably unfavorable light for those seeking fair justice..
According to Fox News:
Mark Zaid, the attorney for the Ukraine call whistleblower, on Thursday defended a series of tweets from 2017 in which he predicted a “coup” against President Trump and promised to “get rid of him” — saying in a statement the tweets referred to “a completely lawful process.”
Shortly after the publication of a Fox News article Wednesday highlighting the stream of anti-Trump tweets, Trump himself lambasted Zaid during a rally in Louisiana, calling the attorney “disgraceful.”
After tweeting lightheartedly about the controversy Wednesday night, Zaid sent Fox News a formal statement Thursday in which he said the social media posts were written with the belief that Trump would likely be “stepping over the line” at some point during his presidency.
“So the whistle-blower is a disgrace to our country” Trump noted, adding “And the whistle-blower, because of that, should be revealed. And his lawyer who said the word things possibly two years ago, he should be sued and maybe for treason. Maybe for treason, but he should be sued. His lawyer is a disgrace.”
“Treason” is a suggestion that should strike fear into anyone, as that specific crime is not just punishable by death, but also gravely endangers the individual who filed the complaint and has remained anonymous despite public calls for his outing from Trump and his political surrogates and media allies.
Trump has long been loose with the “treason” allegation, most recently claiming former President Barack Obama was also guilty of treason.
Watch above via CNN.
