Former Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, the whistleblower who kicked off former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, sued Trump Wednesday for waging a “targeted campaign” against him following his original complaint.
Vindman was the first to file a complaint regarding a call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Trump appeared to withhold military support to Ukraine unless Zelensky agreed to investigate President Joe Biden’s dealings there. Vindman remained a key witness throughout the impeachment proceedings and then resigned from his post in July 2020. Vindman filed a lawsuit against Trump and his associates Wednesday. (RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About Alexander Vindman, The Ukraine-Born Army Officer At The Center Of The Impeachment Probe)
“The targeted campaign against Lt. Col. Vindman violated federal civil rights laws that have long protected federal officials from intimidation and retaliation,” the lawsuit said. “President Trump and his aides and other close associates, including Defendants, waged a targeted campaign against Lt. Col. Vindman for upholding his oath of office and telling the truth.”
“This campaign of intimidation and retaliation has had severe and deeply personal ramifications for Lt. Col. Vindman. It also left a stain on our democracy,” the lawsuit continued.
FYI: Here’s the Vindman complaint. https://t.co/S9JLkutWqa
Discovery is going to be 🔥🔥 h/t @seanmdav— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) February 2, 2022
In addition to Trump, the lawsuit names former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani as well as former White House director of social media Daniel Scavino and deputy communications director Julia Hahn.
The lawsuit alleges that Scavino drafted some of Trump’s tweets and had input on the content of others, while Hahn coordinated attacks against Vindman in the media.
Vindman’s lawsuit alleges that Trump and the other defendants sought to intimidate and threaten him to prevent him from testifying against Trump. Trump himself tweeted numerous times about Vindman, saying he had mischaracterized the phone call with Zelensky and that there would be consequences for “SPYING” on the president, according to USA Today.
Specifically, Vindman’s lawsuit alleges that Trump and his three associates violated the Klu Klux Klan Act of 1871, which prevents the intimidation or threatening of government officials who are carrying out their constitutional duty.
Neither Trump nor any of the associates named in the lawsuit have made a public response.