Brother of impeachment figure claims White House retaliation

WASHINGTON — The twin brother of a key witness in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump has filed a federal complaint alleging retaliation by the White House and possible ethical violations and sexist behavior by top officials, including Robert O’Brien, now national security adviser.

In the August complaint, Lt. Col Yevgeny Vindman alleges he faced retaliation from Trump and White House officials after raising concerns about the president’s pressure on Ukrainian officials to investigate Democrat Joe Biden’s family — the heart of the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry.

Vindman also said he reported “multiple allegations” that O’Brien and another official misused government resources, excluded women from meetings and made sexist and demeaning remarks. The White House is strongly denying those claims, calling them “ridiculous

and false.”

The complaint was first revealed by House Democrats, who on Wednesday pressed the Pentagon’s inspector general, Sean O’Donnell, to investigate what they called a “concerted effort” by the Trump administration to retaliate against Vindman and his brother, retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman.

The development is the latest twist in the fallout from impeachment. Administration officials who testified against Trump have been fired, demoted or reassigned while those who refused to participate have faced little consequence. Democrats have pushed back on the seeming retaliation, pledging to protect whistleblowers who cooperated with the impeachment inquiry and those who want to talk to Congress in the future.

Both Vindmans worked for the National Security Council in the White House and were reassigned to the Army after the Senate voted to acquit Trump in his impeachment trial.