Ukraine Whistleblower’s Lead Attorney Donated to Biden

The lead counsel representing the Ukraine whistleblower donated to Joe Biden's presidential campaign earlier this year, records show.

Andrew Bakaj, founder and managing partner of D.C.-based law firm Compass Rose Legal Group, is the lead counsel working on behalf of the Ukraine whistleblower. Bakaj earmarked a $100 donation on April 26 through ActBlue, a fundraising nonprofit that helps facilitate contributions for Democrats, to Biden's presidential campaign, the Federal Election Commission's website shows. Biden appears to be the only recipient of campaign cash from Bakaj this year.

The whistleblower, whose identity remains unknown, approached the intelligence community's inspector general about President Donald Trump's phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. The IG in turn approached House Democrats, who announced an impeachment inquiry. Trump acknowledged discussing Biden's potential links to corruption in Ukraine during the conversation, but denied pressuring Zelensky.

Attorney Mark Zaid is acting as co-counsel for the whistleblower. Zaid and Bakaj are both involved with Whistleblower Aid, a nonpartisan legal nonprofit launched in 2017 to help federal employees coming forward with information about wrongdoing navigate legal avenues.

John Tye, a former government whistleblower at the U.S. Department of State, co-founded Whistleblower Aid and is listed as its governor in D.C. incorporation papers. Tye previously worked at the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center, known for its "hate group" designations, and Avaaz, a liberal organization that pushes global activism on climate change.

In 2016, an unemployed John Tye donated $2,700 to Hillary for America.

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