Senate Democrats launch new offensive against Donald Trump’s corruption
Senate Democrats have announced a new vehicle for standing up to Donald Trump’s corruption, abuses, and attacks on American democracy. Drawing inspiration from what proved fruitful in Trump’s first term, Senate Democrats just launched a whistleblower portal, aimed at offering federal employees a secure way to report any illegal and suspect actions they observe through their work in the Trump administration.
Trump’s first impeachment was made possible thanks to the bravery of whistleblowers. An intelligence official blew the whistle about Trump’s “quid pro quo” phone call in which he pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate President Joe Biden in exchange for military aid. Later, whistleblower Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified about Trump’s dangerous abuses of power.
With Trump back in the White House and teamed up with Elon Musk and his shady Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the stakes are even higher, meaning whistleblowers can play an even greater role in exposing Trump’s abuses. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Gary Peters announced this portal’s launch as a way to encourage vital, truthful reports.
In a letter to federal workers, Schumer and Peters emphasized a whistleblower’s critical role in a democracy while assuring potential portal users that the Whistleblower Protection Act shields them from retaliation. “[W]e stand ready to support you in your pursuit of truth and justice,” the letter reads, according to a report from The Hill. Once a report of wrongdoing has been made, Democrats are then committed to investigate and take further steps, such as issuing demand letters and subpoenas and filing legal action.
Whistleblowers have already helped bring the reality behind Trump’s sordid actions to light. Thanks to Senate Democrats’ new whistleblower portal, it has just become even easier for that to happen again. As the Trump administration escalates attacks on its own government agencies while trying to turn democratic norms upside-down, there is now more reason to hope that people who gain firsthand knowledge will come forward with the truth—in the name of patriotism and accountability.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month