Attorney says whistleblower willing to answer written questions from House Republicans

An attorney for the whistleblower who filed a complaint about President Donald Trump's alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine for information he could use against political rivals said Sunday that Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee can submit written questions directly, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times.

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Mark Zaid, who leads the whistleblower's legal team, confirmed his client offer to Devin Nunes, the top-ranked Republican on the Intelligence Committee, the Post reported. Zaid said his client would answer written questions under oath and under penalty of perjury, but the queries "could not seek identifying information," the newspaper reported.

Trump and Republicans in the House have criticized the whistleblower as being politically motivated and have demanded his identity should be revealed, the Times reported.

"Being a whistleblower is not a partisan job nor is impeachment an objective," Zaid wrote on Twitter. "That is not our role.

"We stand ready to cooperate and ensure facts — rather than partisanship — dictates any process involving the #whistleblower."

That offer was not sufficient for some Republicans, the Post reported.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, said on CBS News "Face the Nation,"  the whistleblower should "come forward in an open hearing."

McCarthy also suggested the whistleblower should also reveal the White House officials who criticized Trump.

"When you're talking about the removal of the president of the United States, undoing democracy, undoing what the American people had voted for, I think that individual should come before the committee," McCarthy said. "He can come down to the basement, but he needs to answer the questions."

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Maryland, criticized McCarthy for not knowing the facts and just "pounding the table," the Post reported.

Trump targeted the whistleblower again Sunday in an exchange with reporters.

"The whistleblower should be revealed, because the whistleblower gave false stories," Trump said. "Some people would call it fraud. I won't go that far, but when I read it closely, I probably would."

Cox Media Group