8:18 p.m. ET, September 25, 2019
Whistleblower tentatively agrees to testify, attorneys say
From CNN's Zach Cohen and Pamela Brown
The anonymous whistleblower who filed a complaint with the intelligence community inspector general, which includes allegations about President Trump’s conduct, has tentatively agreed to meet with Congressional lawmakers, according to correspondence obtained by CNN.
The whistleblower will only meet on the condition that Joseph Maguire, the acting director of the National Intelligence, approves appropriate security clearances for the individual’s legal counsel so that they can accompany their client, the correspondence added.
House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff wrote a letter to Maguire making the request today after the whistleblower’s lawyers agreed to meet with lawmakers if that condition is met and requested assistance in expediting approval from the acting DNI.
CNN reported Tuesday that the whistleblower’s legal counsel “wrote to the Acting Director of National Intelligence to request specific guidance as to the appropriate security practices to permit a meeting, if needed, with the Members of the Intelligence Oversight Committees.”
“This is a reasonable request that the Committee strongly supports and expects your office to fulfill immediately,” Schiff wrote.
Schiff’s letter comes after the whistleblower’s legal counsel wrote to the committee today reiterating the conditions of a possible meeting between lawmakers and their client.
"I am sure you can understand that it is imperative that a whistleblower, especially one caught up in such a high profile matter involving the President, have experienced legal counsel by their side. Your cooperation in ensuring this occurs would help facilitate a future meeting or testimony,” the letter said