Your Opinion: Vindman paid the price for serving his country

Harry Trickey

Jefferson City

Dear Editor:

A friend of mine suggested sending a thank you card to Col. Alexander Vindman to recognize and thank him for testifying in Congress before the House of Representative's impeachment inquiry.

President Trump "had announced that it (the White House) would not cooperate with the investigation" stating unequivocally "that President Trump and his Administration cannot participate in your partisan and unconstitutional inquiry."

This assertion challenged the historically accepted authority of the "House of Representatives in oversight of the Executive Branch that includes the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities and policy implementation."

Given President Trump's orders, Col. Vindman, in making his decision to recognize the authority of the legislative branch of government, clearly put his career in jeopardy.

Consequently, on Feb. 7, President Trump removed Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman from the National Security Council staff.

Col. Vindman had had the temerity to object to Trump's "perfect" phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and then committed the unforgivable sin of telling the truth about the matter when the House impeachment investigation sought his testimony.

The move came after Trump's triumphant State of the Union address, his speech at the annual Prayer Breakfast and a subsequent press briefing. When he was asked about his press secretary's comments that his opponents should pay a price, "Well, you'll see," the president told reporters."

Vindman "paid a price" for his service to our country. Won't you join me? The name and address of his attorney is below.

To: Col. Vindman (care of) David Pressman

Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

55 Hudson Yards

20th Floor

New York, NY 10001