CAME PREPARED

Impeachment Hearings: Vindman Shuts Down GOP Rep. Jim Jordan’s Attack on Him

“Alex is a top 1% military officer and the best Army officer I have worked with in my 15 years of government service,” Vindman read from his own employment evaluation.

National Security Council official Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman brought his receipts to Tuesday’s impeachment hearings when Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) attempted to question Vindman’s judgment, reading aloud a recent employment evaluation describing him as “brilliant.”

Referencing the previous testimony of NSC official Tim Morrison, Jordan noted that Morrison claimed he and others raised concerns about Vindman’s judgment and believed he may have leaked info to the press.

“Your former boss, Dr. [Fiona] Hill, had concerns about your judgment,” Jordan added. “Your colleagues had concerns about your judgment and your colleagues felt that there were times when you leaked information. Any idea why they have those impressions, Colonel Vindman?”

Vindman, meanwhile, pulled out the last performance evaluation that Hill had given him, dated this past July.

“Alex is a top 1% military officer and the best Army officer I have worked with in my 15 years of government service,” Vindman read from the document. “‘He is brilliant, unflappable, and exercises excellent judgment’—I’m sorry—‘Was exemplary during numerous visits,’ so forth and so on. I think you get the idea.”

As for Morrison’s remarks, Vindman stated that they had only recently started working together and that Morrison hadn’t been there very long and it could have been a clash of cultures. 

Jordan, seemingly a bit shaken, quickly moved on to asking Vindman if he ever leaked information, something the veteran denied.

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Justin BaragonaSenior Media Reporter

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