Gabbard Makes Criminal Referrals Linked To First Trump Impeachment

Atkinson also said the whistleblower showed potential signs of political bias. Despite that, he said the law did not require him to dismiss the complaint on that basis.

The complaint, filed in August 2019, raised concerns about Trump’s call with Zelenskyy. It included allegations that Trump encouraged investigations involving former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

Democrats argued the request amounted to a quid pro quo tied to U.S. military aid. Trump and his allies rejected that characterization and said the call was appropriate.

Biden has said his actions regarding Ukraine were part of official U.S. policy at the time. He described pressuring Ukraine to remove a prosecutor during a 2018 event.