Gabbard Makes Criminal Referrals Linked To First Trump Impeachment - the phdailynews.org
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department related to a whistleblower complaint that helped trigger President Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment, his first, ostensibly tied to a phone call he held with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reports said this week. Advertisement The referrals also include former intelligence community inspector general Michael Atkinson, who notified Congress of the allegations.
The referral cited concerns tied to actions described in congressional briefings during the 2019 impeachment process, Fox News reported.
Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital show the referrals reference Atkinson’s briefings before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Those briefings took place during the 116th Congress as lawmakers examined the whistleblower complaint. Advertisement The referrals follow the release of newly declassified records by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Officials said the materials detail what they described as a coordinated effort within elements of the intelligence community tied to the impeachment.
“I want to refer information that may constitute possible criminal activity in violation of federal criminal law committed by one or more former employees of the intelligence community,” the agency’s general counsel wrote
An intelligence official said the referral language is broad but is focused on Atkinson and the whistleblower. The complaint centered on President Donald Trump’s July 2019 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Advertisement Gabbard pointed to the documents in a social media post when asked about the referrals. “Newly-declassified records expose how deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative,” she wrote.
Officials have not indicated whether an investigation has been opened.
The released materials include transcripts of Atkinson’s closed-door testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Those transcripts were later made public following a vote led by committee chairman Rick Crawford.
The Justice Department has not publicly responded to the referrals
During his testimony, Atkinson addressed his handling of the whistleblower complaint. He said the complaint met the legal standard required to notify Congress.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard reportedly has two of President Donald Trump's whistleblowers in her crosshairs … and she's now getting the Justice Department involved in potentially prosecuting them for alleged crimes against DJT.
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 16, 2026
Read: https://t.co/mDmKq4cuq4 pic.twitter.com/D6kvnTXiiK
“I determined that the complaint related to an urgent concern,” Atkinson said in his testimony. He said the determination was based on the information available at the time.
Atkinson acknowledged that the whistleblower did not have firsthand knowledge of the events described. He said the complaint relied on accounts from multiple U.S. officials who were deemed credible.
“I was not a direct witness to most of the events described,” the whistleblower complaint stated
Atkinson said those secondhand accounts were consistent and supported further review.
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.
“I said, ‘You’re not getting the billion,’” Biden recalled. He said the prosecutor was removed after the warning.
House Republicans raised concerns during the impeachment process about the whistleblower’s contact with congressional staff
They questioned interactions involving then-Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.
Schiff acknowledged contact but said it did not influence the handling of the complaint. He described the communication as limited in nature.
The whistleblower complaint was later declassified and released publicly. It stated that the information was based largely on secondhand accounts from multiple officials.
BREAKING TV BOMBSHELL: NBC’s Prime-Time Anchor Fired Minutes Before Airing — What Just Happened Inside the Studio?
CHAOS AT NBC: Network’s Biggest Icon Banned from the Set Just Ahead of Show Time — Panic Behind the Scenes!
NEW YORK — NBC’s flagship headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza descended into complete disarray on Tuesday evening after senior executives issued an emergency order barring the network’s highest-profile television personality from entering the studio just moments before a major live broadcast.
The dramatic intervention triggered an immediate scramble across the production wing, blindsiding showrunners, sending technical crews into high alert, and leaving control room staffers racing against the clock to keep the airwaves from going dark.
The 11th-Hour Confrontation
According to multiple studio insiders, the veteran anchor had completed wardrobe fittings and was walking down the executive hallway toward Studio 1A when they were intercepted by network leadership flanked by building security personnel.
At roughly 6:42 PM EST—less than twenty minutes before the live feed was scheduled to synchronize with national affiliates—the anchor was formally notified that their on-air privileges had been immediately suspended and their electronic access badge to the broadcast floor was revoked.
“It was total shock behind the scenes,” revealed one senior production coordinator who witnessed the encounter. “Producers were holding run-down sheets in their hands, the teleprompter was loaded, and suddenly the doors to the studio wing were closed off. Security politely but firmly escorted talent away from the stage door before they could even step onto the floor.”
Control Room Scramble and Airwave Defense
With the broadcast clock ticking down, technical directors inside Master Control initiated emergency contingency protocols. In a frantic attempt to patch the vacant anchor chair, line producers were forced to pull archival package reels and rush an unprepared secondary correspondent onto the set with only minutes of preparation.
When the show went live at 7:00 PM EST, home viewers noticed immediate visual irregularities: opening graphics were abruptly cut short, audio levels briefly faltered, and a visibly unsettled substitute host delivered the top news stories from an auxiliary newsroom desk rather than the main anchor stage.
Network Silence and Mounting Fallout
While insiders speculate that the sudden ban stems from a fierce eleventh-hour contract standoff coupled with an internal standards dispute, NBC Universal executives have maintained a tight lid on the situation, offering only a brief internal memo later in the evening:
“We maintain rigorous standards for all production environments across our network. Tonight’s programming adjustments were made in accordance with internal operational procedures. Further updates will be handled internally.”
The high-stakes standoff with the network's most bankable icon now leaves upcoming prime-time schedules in jeopardy and threatens to shake viewer ratings as rival networks closely monitor the escalating internal battle.
Craig Melvin Rips Off Mic, Storms Off Live ‘TODAY’ Show After Intense Showdown With Savannah Guthrie
Craig Melvin Rips Off Mic, Storms Off Live ‘TODAY’ Show After Intense Showdown With Savannah Guthrie
NEW YORK — Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center was thrown into historic operational disarray on Friday morning after a bitter ideological and editorial standoff between marquee co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin exploded live on national television. The confrontation culminated in Melvin violently tearing off his broadcast microphone, issuing a blistering on-air rebuke, and walking off the set during the flagship 8:00 AM broadcast hour.
The unscripted walkout played out in real time before millions of morning viewers nationwide, instantly plunging Master Control into crisis protocols and forcing panicked showrunners to drop the satellite link to contain the fallout.
The Anatomy of an On-Air Rupture
The incident occurred at the top of the pivotal 8:00 AM hour as the co-hosts introduced a high-stakes national news block. While TODAY has anchored its multi-billion-dollar brand equity on smooth handoffs and polished on-air camaraderie, the dynamic between Guthrie and Melvin turned openly hostile within seconds of the opening cue.
Production sources confirm that simmering friction over editorial pacing, segment phrasing, and narrative framing reached an immediate boiling point when Melvin sought to provide additional context counter to Guthrie’s framing:
The Desk Standoff: As Melvin laid out his analysis, Guthrie repeatedly spoke over his delivery, gesturing toward the teleprompter copy to force the broadcast back into the scripted rundown.
The Escalation: The sharp cross-talk blew past standard broadcast sparring, transforming into an unmistakable, frosty standoff at the center desk.
The Parting Rebuke: When Guthrie signaled floor managers to wrap the block early, Melvin refused to capitulate on live air.
"If we cannot have an honest conversation on this desk without you dictating the narrative, then you can finish this hour alone," Melvin said directly into his live microphone.
Before Guthrie, stage directors, or fellow co-hosts could intervene, Melvin ripped out his IFB earpiece, slammed his lapel microphone onto the glass desk, shoved his chair back, and walked off the soundstage directly into the production corridors.
Control Room Panic and Emergency Transmission Blackout
Inside Master Control, the sudden exit ignited immediate pandemonium. Comms channels erupted with frantic cross-talk as executive producers ordered engineers to drop the live satellite transmission before Melvin even reached the soundstage exits.
Viewers across the country saw a frozen frame of Guthrie sitting alone at the expansive desk before screens abruptly cut to a network technical placeholder, followed by an extended block of local affiliate commercials.
When the live transmission was finally restored several minutes later, the broadcast was visibly rattled:
The Empty Chair: Melvin’s seat remained conspicuously vacant throughout the rest of the three-hour broadcast.
The On-Air Pivot: A visibly flustered Guthrie attempted to steady the program, clumsily maneuvering through cooking and consumer segments without offering any explanation for her co-host's absence.
Studio Perimeter Cleared: Senior network executives arrived on the floor within minutes, ordering all non-essential staff to clear the studio perimeter to prevent internal leaks.
Digital Firestorm and Executive Reckoning
Within moments of the blackout, unedited screen captures and audio rips of the argument flooded social media platforms. The footage generated tens of millions of views across X, TikTok, and YouTube, catapulting #TodayShowDrama and #CraigMelvin to the top of national trending algorithms.
Media analysts noted that the unprecedented on-air walkout lays bare the acute friction between rigid corporate editorial control and anchor independence within legacy morning television.
While NBCUniversal corporate communications has declined to issue an on-the-record disciplinary statement, sources inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza confirm that emergency leadership summits were convened on the executive floors to review raw studio tapes, examine talent contract stipulations, and determine the upcoming anchor rotation.
This is a developing media story. Further updates will follow as formal network statements and talent representatives respond.
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