President dismissive of written testimony

Whistleblower’s offer to answer GOP questions ‘not acceptable,’ he says.

WASHINGTON — The whistleblower who raised alarms about President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine and touched off the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry is willing to answer written questions submitted by House Republicans, the person’s lawyer says.

But Trump, weighing in on Twitter Monday morning, said the person should appear publicly.

“He must be brought forward to testify. Written answers not acceptable!” Trump wrote, slamming the entire process as a “Con!”

The testimony offer, made over the weekend to Rep. Devin Nunes, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, followed escalating attacks by Trump and his GOP allies who are demanding the whistleblower’s identity be revealed.

It would allow Republicans to ask questions of the whistleblower without having to go through the committee’s chairman, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.

Attorney Mark Zaid said the whistleblower would answer questions directly from Republican members “in writing, under oath & penalty of perjury.” Only queries seeking the person’s identity won’t be answered, he said.

Trump has denied he did anything wrong in his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The whistleblower’s secondhand account of the phone call has been providing a road map for House Democrats investigating whether the president and others in his orbit pressured Ukraine to probe political opponents, including former Vice President Joe Biden.

ANNA MONEYMAKER / NYT President Donald Trump has denied he did anything wrong in his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.