Pelosi: 'I’m very worried' about whistleblower's safety

WESTON, Fla. — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday she is “worried” about the safety of the whistleblower who first reported that President Donald Trump tried to pressure Ukraine into investigating one of his Democratic rivals, Joe Biden.

Pelosi made the comments, echoing concerns from the whistleblower’s attorney, hours after Trump said he wanted both Ukraine as well as China to investigate the business dealings of Biden’s son Hunter.

“What happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine,” Trump said.

Pelosi said Trump essentially admitted to an impeachable crime.

“The president has confessed to his violation of his oath of office,” Pelosi told reporters when asked about Trump’s suggestion that China also investigate the Bidens.

“Our founders were very suspicious of foreign interference in our government,” Pelosi said, “and to ask a foreign government to assist in our election undermines the president’s oath of office and threatens the integrity of our electoral system, and it is wrong.”

Pelosi, who was in Florida to speak at the Bonaventure Town Center Club about the political crisis in Venezuela, said the House committee process would determine what articles of impeachment to draft, if any. But in mentioning the whistleblower’s safety, Pelosi telegraphed the possibility of a charge of obstruction or witness tampering.

“I’m very worried about the security of the whistleblower,” she said. “And I’m very ashamed of the president’s words, threatening whistleblowers or anyone who gives that information.”

“For 25 years, I’ve been in intelligence,” Pelosi said. “I was there to write the rules for whistleblowers and to protect them. Intelligence depends on whistleblowers being protected. So the president doing what he’s doing is undermining our national security as well as endangering people who speak truth to power.”