A lawyer for the Ukraine whistleblower blasted CBS’s “60 Minutes” on Sunday for “literally making stuff up” in its reporting about a letter his legal group sent regarding their client’s safety.
In its reporting on the letter, “60 Minutes” claimed the whistleblower was under federal protection, even though that was clearly not stated in the letter.
“60 Minutes” has obtained a letter that indicates the government whistleblower who set off the impeachment inquiry of President Trump is under federal protection because they fear for their safety https://t.co/UwLNvWdClT
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 29, 2019
In response, the whistleblower’s legal team published the letter and called out “60 Minutes" for their shoddy reporting.
“NEWS ALERT: 60 Minutes completely misinterpreted contents of our letter, which is now published online at https://compassrosepllc.com/intelligence-community-whistleblower-matter/ …,” attorney Mark S. Zaid tweeted. “Nor have we, as we stated earlier today, reached any agreement with Congress on contact with the whistleblower. Discussions remain ongoing.”
NEWS ALERT: 60 Minutes completely misinterpreted contents of our letter, which is now published online at https://t.co/HjmBrEQLEi. Nor have we, as we stated earlier today, reached any agreement with Congress on contact with the whistleblower. Discussions remain ongoing. https://t.co/3XSwmtuRrn
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) September 30, 2019
Rather than issuing a correction, “60 Minutes” doubled down and said it “stands by its sources and reporting on the whistleblower.”
60 Minutes stands by its sources and reporting on the whistleblower.
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 30, 2019
Zaid responded, knowing “60 Minutes” does not have outside sources on this matter and accused the program of lying.
"Is @60Minutes now asserting it has a source other than letter our legal team sent to @ODNIgov? Because if it doesn't, and I know it doesn't, then it is literally making stuff up," he said. "That helps no one, especially the #whistleblower. The media should always accurately report facts."
Is @60Minutes now asserting it has a source other than letter our legal team sent to @ODNIgov?
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) September 30, 2019
Because if it doesn't, and I know it doesn't, then it is literally making stuff up. That helps no one, especially the #whistleblower.
The media should always accurately report facts. https://t.co/aRRgzHpVAG
The letter sent by the Compass Rose Legal Group to the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, discussed the whistleblower’s safety concerns.
"The purpose of this letter is to formally notify you of serious concerns we have regarding our client's personal safety," the attorneys wrote. "We appreciate your office’s support thus far to activate appropriate resources to ensure their safety.”
The letter singles out a comment from President Trump questioning who gave the whistleblower information, "because that's close to a spy"—arguing this statement has raised the level of concern for their client's safety.
On Sunday, Trump said he deserved to meet the whistleblower.
Like every American, I deserve to meet my accuser, especially when this accuser, the so-called “Whistleblower,” represented a perfect conversation with a foreign leader in a totally inaccurate and fraudulent way. Then Schiff made up what I actually said by lying to Congress......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 29, 2019