Whistleblower Outing Accusation From ‘View’ Co-Host Bounces Off Trump Jr., Lands On Schiff

[rangerrebew]

 Whistleblower Outing Accusation From ‘View’ Co-Host Bounces Off Trump Jr., Lands On Schiff

A look into the allegations that Donald Trump Jr. broke the law retweeting the name of the purported whistleblower raises additional questions about legal liability for Adam Schiff’s own conduct.
 
By Matt Beebe
November 8, 2019

On yesterday’s episode of “The View,” co-host and ABC senior legal analyst Sunny Hostin combatively accused Donald Trump Jr., saying “It is a federal crime [for him] to out a whistleblower.” After a swift rebuttal by Trump Jr., a back and forth ensued, with Hostin finally claiming that under 18 USC § 1505 “it is a crime,” dramatically flashing her legal credentials by saying, “My law degree says it is.” Oh?

It’s easy to believe there could be a federal law against such a thing, given that our government seems to have criminalized nearly everything, but what does that statute actually say?

18 U.S. Code § 1505 relates to “Obstruction of proceedings before departments, agencies, and committees.” A variety of conduct is outlawed in the section, all geared toward ensuring the integrity of government processes and proceedings. Presumably, her linking this statute to the alleged “outing” of the purported whistleblower is based on the legal theory that the outing is tantamount to intimidation of a witness that would “corruptly influence a pending proceeding.”

https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/08/whistleblower-outing-accusation-from-view-co-host-bounces-off-trump-jr-lands-on-schiff/

[PeteS in CA]

Schiffty doesn't even want to have the leakblower testify, so how is the mention of Ciaramella's name - in circulation weeks before Trump Jr. mentioned it - obstructing anything?