Eugene Vindman

Rachel, thanks for having me. I call this a Dear Eugene letter, and I hope you have me on. Doesn't mean you're going to be the next recipient.

Rachel, thanks for having me. I call this a Dear Eugene letter, and I hope you have me on. Doesn't mean you're going to be the next recipient.

Well, Rachel, when I first got the letter, I thought some unhinged individual got a hold of the letterhead and was just sending out a letter riddled with falsehoods and and legally nonsensical things to me. I didn't realize it was serious until we had phone calls from the office. And I mean, it's. It seems like they've hired a bunch of chuckleheads.

Well, Rachel, when I first got the letter, I thought some unhinged individual got a hold of the letterhead and was just sending out a letter riddled with falsehoods and and legally nonsensical things to me. I didn't realize it was serious until we had phone calls from the office. And I mean, it's. It seems like they've hired a bunch of chuckleheads.

But what they're trying to do is they're trying to weaponize government. We've seen this in the intimidation firings of other civil servants, folks that live in my district, like FBI agents and DOJ agents. It's filled with lies. And the bottom line is it's an attempt to silence intimidate. And it's just not going to work. It didn't work in 2019. It's not going to work now.

But what they're trying to do is they're trying to weaponize government. We've seen this in the intimidation firings of other civil servants, folks that live in my district, like FBI agents and DOJ agents. It's filled with lies. And the bottom line is it's an attempt to silence intimidate. And it's just not going to work. It didn't work in 2019. It's not going to work now.

Well, one of the minions in that office called several times and was very insistent that this is a top priority for DOJ. We said, okay, hold your horses, buddy. We'll respond to you in due course. I was frankly busy with the activities of a representative and sitting in hearings and things like that. And we did respond because...

Well, one of the minions in that office called several times and was very insistent that this is a top priority for DOJ. We said, okay, hold your horses, buddy. We'll respond to you in due course. I was frankly busy with the activities of a representative and sitting in hearings and things like that. And we did respond because...

Ultimately, I take this seriously not in that it has anything substantive in it, but it's actually an attempt to weaponize government. And that I have a major problem with. And as a member of Congress, and very much in line with what my colleague Jamie Raskin did, we have an oversight role. And so we cannot allow...

Ultimately, I take this seriously not in that it has anything substantive in it, but it's actually an attempt to weaponize government. And that I have a major problem with. And as a member of Congress, and very much in line with what my colleague Jamie Raskin did, we have an oversight role. And so we cannot allow...

this administration to intimidate and try to silence critics, to silence FBI agents and law enforcement. And we must be forcefully pushing back against it.

this administration to intimidate and try to silence critics, to silence FBI agents and law enforcement. And we must be forcefully pushing back against it.

Well, 100 percent. I mean, we we obviously have an oversight role in our committees. And so we asked tough questions for folks that appear from the administration about why they're doing things. I've asked those very same tough questions of the Department of Defense.

Well, 100 percent. I mean, we we obviously have an oversight role in our committees. And so we asked tough questions for folks that appear from the administration about why they're doing things. I've asked those very same tough questions of the Department of Defense.

I sit on the House Armed Services Committee about why they fired the chairman, several senior flag and general officers and all the uniformed lawyers. So Mr. Raskin is asking those same questions in the judiciary about folks that work in the justice sector. can't do is we can't sit back. We can't let them, you know, have have the space and intimidate and silence hardworking civil servants.

I sit on the House Armed Services Committee about why they fired the chairman, several senior flag and general officers and all the uniformed lawyers. So Mr. Raskin is asking those same questions in the judiciary about folks that work in the justice sector. can't do is we can't sit back. We can't let them, you know, have have the space and intimidate and silence hardworking civil servants.

I spoke to an attorney that is working in civil society and she was she responded very vigorously to white supremacists and and

I spoke to an attorney that is working in civil society and she was she responded very vigorously to white supremacists and and

And if we're going to have attorneys, a black woman in civil society that stand firm against skinheads and neo-Nazis, then it's incumbent on those of us that have sworn an oath to the Constitution to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign, domestic, to do at least that.

And if we're going to have attorneys, a black woman in civil society that stand firm against skinheads and neo-Nazis, then it's incumbent on those of us that have sworn an oath to the Constitution to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign, domestic, to do at least that.

Thank you, Rachel.

Thank you, Rachel.