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Q&A: Trump, Ukraine and the Whistleblower

Associated Press

   WASHINGTON - Very behind the scenes, a whistleblower from the
   intelligence community voiced urgent concern about a matter involving a
   conversation between Ukraine's leader and President Donald Trump. It's
   so hush-hush that even Democrats won't say all that they know, or
   suspect.
   Very much out in the open, Trump is calling for an investigation that
   involves Ukraine and could help him win re-election if it breaks his
   way.
   Trump's interest in getting dirt from abroad on prospective Democratic
   presidential rival Joe Biden has been hiding in plain sight for months.
   His fealty to standards that other presidents have either lived by or
   pretended to -- as when it comes to chats with foreign leaders, for
   example -- is thin.
   This is, after all, the man who openly encouraged Russia to snoop on
   Hillary Clinton's email and much more recently said that, sure, he'd
   listen to foreigners who come to him with dirt on an opponent. Why not?
   he wondered.
   As the contours of the episode roiling the capital begin to flesh out,
   here are some questions and answers at the intersection of Trump,
   Ukraine and the whistleblower.
   Why the whistle?

   Because someone in the government, who is under the umbrella of U.S.
   intelligence, saw or heard something that raised a credible and "urgent
   concern" about how someone else in government did or said something
   that "involves confidential and potentially privileged communications
   by persons outside the intelligence community." That's according to
   Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for intelligence.
   It's no more spelled out than that so far, because the complaint
   remains a closely held secret.

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