Yevgeny Vindman, brother of impeachment witness, files whistleblower complaint

Military officer, whose twin testified in Trump’s trial, says he was pressured out of job in retaliation for allegations against National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien

By Marcy Oster 28 August 2020, 6:48 am

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Then National Security Council aide Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, left, walks with his twin brother, Army Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, right, after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, during a public impeachment hearing of US President Donald Trump's efforts to tie US aid for Ukraine to investigations of his political opponents, November 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

JTA — Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, whose twin brother testified in US President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, has filed a whistleblower complaint claiming that he was fired in retaliation for allegations of ethical and legal wrongdoing against Robert O’Brien, the national security adviser.

The 32-page complaint filed last week also provides new details about the year leading up to Trump’s impeachment, The New York Times reported.

Vindman, who is still an active-duty officer, was asked to leave his job as a White House lawyer in February on the same day that Trump removed his brother, Alexander, from his position as an expert on US policy in Ukraine. Both Vindmans were reassigned to the Army.

Vindman had attended the impeachment trial in support of his brother.

He reported legal and ethical concerns about O’Brien and Alex Gray, the National Security Council chief of staff, to his superiors six times between July 2019 and this February. The complaint asserts that the reports meet the criteria for protection from reprisal.

Then National Security Council aide Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, leaves after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, November 19, 2019. (Julio Cortez/AP)

Vindman also joined his brother in raising concerns to White House lawyers about Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president in which Trump pressured Volodymyr Zelensky to conduct an investigation against political rival Joe Biden.

According to the complaint, Vindman was gradually relieved of responsibilities, not invited to meetings with O’Brien and other security officials, and given a poor performance review before being removed from his White House position.

The complaint calls for an investigation of the alleged reprisal and requests a response by September 1.

Alexander Vindman retired from the US Army in July, saying he did not feel that he could advance due to political retaliation from the president and his supporters.