Alleged whistleblower, John Elias tried to be evasive in front of questioning by Rep Doug Collins. Collins asked Elias if he considered himself nonpartisan to which he replied that as a career bureaucrat, he had to be nonpartisan.
That’s when Collins lowered the boom and asked him if it was true that he tried to get the Democrats to add him to the impeachment team. Elias was in a stsate of shock. He apparently thought no one knew. He finally, grudgingly admitted that he had asked for the job.
Elias claims that AG Barr illicitly ordered an investigation into the merger of 10 small cannabis firms. But now, Collins has blown a hole in Elias as a witness or even a whistleblower after he was forced admit he tried for a very partisan job. He was blown totally out of the water.
New York Rep. Jerry Nadler tried to rehabilitate his witness by saying:
“Mr. Elias’s political inclinations and job prospects obviously have absolutely no bearing on whether the serious allegations that he is making about the attorney general are true.”
“Did you ever attempt to get detailed to this committee’s majority staff?” Collins asked.
Elias appeared unprepared for the question, replying after a brief pause: “I, like people, over time have explored various career options.”
Elias initially told Collins that he wanted to work on antitrust policy. But after a follow-up question, he said that he might have also asked to work on oversight matters during the impeachment probe.
“Did you not ask to be detailed to the committee’s work on oversight during impeachment, is that not correct? Refresh your memory,” Collins said.
“I may have also asked for oversight at one point,” Elias answered.
Elias then said that he sought the position in early 2019.
