Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire said Thursday he would not have taken the job had he known about an explosive whistleblower complaint about a July 25 phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president.
Mr. Maguire became the acting DNI roughly a week after the unknown whistleblower submitted the complaint to Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the intelligence community.
He also said he did not believe his predecessor Dan Coats nor former deputy Sue Gordon were even aware a complaint had been filed with Mr. Atkinson.
“To the best of my ability, I do not think either Director Coats or our principal deputy Sue Gordon have any sense at all about this whistleblower complaint or that Michael Atkinson had it,” Mr. Maguire told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Mr. Maguire’s comments came when Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois Democrat, questioned him on whether he discussed the complaint with his predecessor.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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