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Gabbard claims ‘coordinated effort’ by intelligence community to advance narrative to impeach Trump
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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released newly declassified testimony that she alleges shows a «coordinated effort» by the intelligence community to «manufacture a conspiracy» used as the basis of President Donald Trump first impeachment.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Monday released two declassified transcripts from closed-door House Intelligence Committee hearings that Gabbard’s office says show former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson advanced as credible a whistleblower complaint based on secondhand information from an individual who had previously worked with then-Vice President Joe Biden in Ukraine. Gabbard’s office argued that, based on this and other testimony, Atkinson’s actions «weaponize[d] the whistleblower process and exceed[ed] his statutory jurisdiction.»
Atkinson’s investigation helped trigger the first impeachment of Trump by advancing what he deemed a «credible» whistleblower complaint regarding a July 2019 phone call between the president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson «did not follow standard IG procedures and relied upon politicized, manufactured narratives» while investigating the whistleblower claim that ultimately led to Trump’s 2019 impeachment, Gabbard’s office said Monday.
GABBARD UNAWARE OF FBI PROBE INTO JOE KENT BEFORE RESIGNATION, OFFICIAL SAYS
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced on Tuesday the revocation of former intelligence officials’ credentials. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Gabbard, citing previously classified House testimony by Atkinson, said the former inspector general «aggressively advanced» his preliminary probe while relying on secondhand testimony and what she described as politicized witnesses. Gabbard’s office also charged that Atkinson «never conducted a formal or complete investigation.»
«In his own words, IC IG Atkinson recognizes that his conclusions were based on a ‘preliminary investigation,’ noting that ‘I haven’t done an investigation to determine whether they actually, in fact, took place … that all of the alleged actions actually took place,’» according to the statement from Gabbard.
Under federal law, the inspector general’s preliminary role is to determine whether a whistle-blower complaint «appears credible,» rather than to fully investigate or substantiate the underlying allegations. Atkinson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The testimony reveals that Atkinson was aware that the primary whistleblower, whose identity has still not been officially disclosed, was a «registered Democrat» and had alerted staff on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence before submitting their «Disclosure of Urgent Concern» form, Gabbard’s office said.
The whistleblower also admitted having «worked closely with Vice President Biden» and «travelled with Biden to Ukraine and was part of conversations where LUTSENKO corruption was discussed,» according to the DNI release. Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraine’s prosecutor general from 2016 to 2019, was the official who inherited and closed the Burisma investigation and was subsequently courted by Hunter Biden-linked lobbyists seeking to facilitate connections between the Ukrainian government and Democratic political circles, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Gabbard also accused Atkinson of ignoring any bias, highlighting testimony in which he said, «I also want to make it clear that I never considered the whistleblower to be politically biased.»
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President Donald Trump irked Americans on both sides of the aisle on Sunday night by posting an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
The office said that on the initial form submitted by the whistleblower, they admitted, «I do not have direct knowledge of private comments or communications» by Trump. Notably, whistleblower laws do not require a whistleblower to provide first-hand information, according to the National Whistleblower Center.
Gabbard’s office said one of the «key» witnesses Atkinson relied on to corroborate the whistleblower’s report during his preliminary investigation was also a co-author of the controversial 2017 intelligence community assessment on Russian collusion that Gabbard has previously said was instigated at the direction of former President Barack Obama.
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Gabbard, herself a former Democrat, accused Atkinson of having «failed to uphold his responsibility to the American people, putting political motivations over the truth.»
From left, FBI Director Kash Patel, Defense Intelligence Agency Director James Adams, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Acting Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command William Hartman, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe are seated before the Senate Committee on Intelligence hearings to examine worldwide threats on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Washington. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
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«Deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that was used by Congress to usurp the will of the American people and impeach the duly-elected President of the United States,» said Gabbard. «And this, along with the politicization of the whistleblower process by a former CIA employee who was working hand in glove with Democrats in Congress, are egregious examples of the deep state playbook on how to weaponize the Intelligence Community.»
She added that «exposing these tactics and showing how they undermine the fabric of our democratic republic furthers the critical cause of transparency and accountability and will help prevent future abuse of power.»
Democratic lawmakers largely dismissed the disclosures from Gabbard, framing the declassification as an attempt by the DNI to win favor from Trump.
«This is a nothingburger — just another sad attempt by Tulsi Gabbard to get in Donald Trump’s good graces,» Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the ranking member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Politico’s NatSec Daily newsletter.
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also criticized the declassification on X.
«Everyone can read the transcript of Trump’s phone call to extort President Zelenskyy for dirt on Biden. That was an impeachable offense, and no amount of dust kicking and sycophancy can obscure it,» Himes wrote. «Had Joe Biden made that call, Republicans would have burned the place down.»
Fox News Digital reached out to House and Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats for additional comment.
congress, cia, investigations, trump impeachment inquiry, tulsi gabbard
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Un experimento con gusanos busca pistas para proteger la salud de astronautas en futuras misiones a la Luna
Un equipo de científicos del Reino Unido envió gusanos microscópicos a la Estación Espacial Internacional para investigar cómo los organismos vivos responden a la hostilidad del espacio.
El experimento, desarrollado por la Universidad Exeter, busca identificar mecanismos biológicos que permitan proteger la salud humana en misiones de larga duración a la Luna y más allá.
La misión partió desde el Centro Espacial Kennedy como parte del lanzamiento de la Northrop Grumman CRS-24 de la NASA.
El experimento viaja encapsulado en el laboratorio miniaturizado Petri Pod, con un tamaño de apenas 10 x 10 x 30 centímetros y un peso de 3 kilogramos.
Según los responsables del proyecto, este sistema mantiene temperatura, presión y una atmósfera respirable para sus habitantes, incluso durante la exposición al vacío y a la radiación espacial en el exterior de la Estación Espacial Internacional (EEI, por sus siglas en inglés ISS) por hasta 15 semanas.
Los investigadores en tierra controlan de forma remota el dispositivo, que alberga docenas de nematodos C. elegans de un milímetro.
Ampliaron la escala de los experimentos biológicos complejos viables en el espacio con costos significativamente más bajos.
La misión es coordinada por la Universidad Leicester en colaboración con la empresa aeroespacial británica Voyager Space Technologies.
Liz Lloyd, ministra del Espacio del Reino Unido, sostuvo en diálogo con la agencia AP: “Estos diminutos gusanos podrían desempeñar un papel muy relevante en el futuro de los vuelos espaciales humanos”.
Esta misión -agregó- “demuestra la creatividad y el empuje de la ciencia espacial británica, que apuesta por un pequeño experimento para abordar uno de los desafíos más complejos: proteger la salud humana en vuelos de larga duración”.
Durante la fase operativa, los científicos monitorizarán el bienestar de los organismos empleando señales fluorescentes y ópticas captadas en video y fotografías de alta resolución.
Los sensores del sistema documentarán temperatura, presión y radiación, transmitiendo los datos a los laboratorios en el Reino Unido.
El ensayo representa el primer gran proyecto de ciencias biológicas de microgravedad liderado por Leicester, según explicó el profesor Mark Sims.
“El proyecto ha sido interesante y difícil de desarrollar y construir. Esperamos que los primeros resultados ayuden a comprender mejor el entorno de microgravedad y permitan continuar con la evolución del instrumento”, opinó.
Por qué estudiar nematodos en el espacio
El doctor Tim Etheridge, experto en fisiología en Exeter, contextualizó la importancia del estudio en los planes de la NASA para instalar una base en la Luna.
“El programa Artemis abre una nueva etapa de exploración. Los astronautas vivirán y trabajarán en la Luna durante periodos prolongados”, señaló.
Para lograrlo con seguridad, es imprescindible conocer cómo responde el cuerpo humano a las condiciones extremas del espacio profundo.
“Estudiar cómo estos gusanos sobreviven y se adaptan en órbita permitirá identificar mecanismos que acaben protegiendo a los humanos en viajes largos y nos acerca un paso más a la vida lunar”, resaltó.
El experimento Petri Pod alberga 12 cámaras separadas, cuatro de ellas preparadas para registrar imágenes luminosas y fluorescentes en tiempo real.
Cada cámara ofrece un microsistema de soporte vital con alimento, agua y aire suficiente, facilitando la supervivencia incluso ante el vacío exterior.
Construido sobre el diseño previo de un laboratorio espacial miniaturizado, el dispositivo permite realizar estudios biológicos avanzados en módulos pequeños y accesibles financieramente.
La salud de los astronautas enfrenta múltiples desafíos durante las misiones espaciales. La exposición prolongada a la microgravedad causa pérdida de masa ósea y muscular, ya que la ausencia de gravedad disminuye la carga sobre huesos y músculos.
Además, la microgravedad altera la distribución de los fluidos corporales y puede provocar problemas en la visión. La radiación espacial incrementa el riesgo de daños en el ADN y el desarrollo de cáncer.
El envío de C. elegans busca acelerar la obtención de datos precisos sobre estos fenómenos, anticipando posibles soluciones para la vida humana fuera de la Tierra.
international space station (iss),northern cascades national park,partial solar eclipse,places,ross lake,sun,transit,washington
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Embattled Rep Tony Gonzales announces plans to resign amid sexual misconduct allegations
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Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, abruptly announced his decision to resign from Congress Monday evening amid calls for him to step aside after admitting to sexual misconduct with a staffer earlier this year.
The embattled lawmaker is facing an anticipated expulsion vote that could occur as early as this week.
«There is a season for everything and God has a plan for us all. When Congress returns tomorrow, I will file my retirement from office,» Gonzales wrote on social media. «It has been my privilege to serve the great people of Texas.»
It is currently unclear when Gonzales will formally resign. A spokesperson for Gonzales did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, is seen in the U.S. Capitol before the House voted to keep the government funded into March, on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
SWALWELL ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION FROM CONGRESS AFTER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS TORPEDOED GUBERNATORIAL BID
Gonzales has come under bipartisan pressure to immediately step aside or face expulsion following his acknowledgment of an affair with his former staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who later died by setting herself on fire.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., has vowed to move forward with her expulsion resolution if Gonzales does not quickly resign.
«He has until 2PM tomorrow—when we will file his expulsion. He better write that resignation «effective immediately,» Leger Fernandez wrote on social media.
He first admitted to an affair with Santos-Aviles during a radio interview in March after repeatedly denying the existence of a sexual relationship.
«I made a mistake, and I had a lapse in judgment, and there was a lack of faith, and I take full responsibility for those actions,» Gonzales told conservative radio host Joe Pags during the interview. «Since then, I’ve reconciled with my wife, Angel. I’ve asked God to forgive me, which he has, and my faith is as strong as ever.»
Gonzales, who is married and has six children, has not acknowledged a second accusation of sexual misconduct with a former aide reported by The San Antonio-Express News.
Lawmakers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with staffers, per House rules.
His announcement came just an hour after Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said he planned to resign from the lower chamber amid serious allegations of sexual misconduct and rape. The California Democrat has not specified the particular day he plans to leave office.
REP TONY GONZALES ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION AMID HOUSE ETHICS INVESTIGATION INTO AFFAIR
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D- CA), left, listens to former Special Counsel Jack Smith testifies during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on January 22, 2026. Former special counsel Jack Smith defended his prosecution of Donald Trump accusing him of engaging in a «criminal scheme» to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Swalwell, too, was facing a potential expulsion vote that Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., was pressuring House GOP leadership to bring to the floor by Wednesday.
«The actions of these two Members reflect poorly on every single one of us,» Luna wrote in a letter to colleagues on Monday that was reviewed by Fox News Digital. «We as Members of Congress need to stand together in publicly condemning this behavior and restore the trust we have lost with the American people.
«We are the company we keep,» she added.
It takes a two-thirds majority to expel a lawmaker from Congress.
Gonzales, a three-term lawmaker, suspended his reelection campaign in March after House GOP leadership called on him to exit the race.
President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., then switched their endorsements to conservative activist Brandon Herrera, who was competing in a run-off against Gonzales for the GOP nomination.
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President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Both Gonzales and Swalwell were under investigation by the House Ethics Committee. However, the committee is expected to suspend its investigation into both members when they officially step aside.
Johnson had urged lawmakers to allow the ethics panel’s investigation into Gonzales to be completed before the consideration of drastic measures, such as expulsion.
The dual resignation announcements could impact House Republicans’ razor-thin majority. If the lawmakers both officially resign tomorrow, then each party will have one fewer lawmaker.
However, Congressman-elect Clay Fuller, R-Ga., who won a special election last week to fill former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat, R-Ga., is expected to be sworn in on Tuesday.
eric swalwell, republicans, sex crimes, house of representatives politics
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