It’s being reported that Chief Justice John Roberts has made it clear that he will not allow the whistleblower’s name to be identified on the Senate floor and has even blocked a question by Rand Paul which mentioned it:
POLITICO – Chief Justice John Roberts has communicated to senators that he will not read aloud the alleged Ukraine whistleblower’s name or otherwise publicly relay questions that might out the official, a move that’s effectively blocked Sen. Rand Paul from asking a question.
In a behind-the-scenes fight, Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has composed questions that violate Roberts’s edict, according to several Republicans familiar with the dynamics. It’s a vintage Rand Paul effort that’s annoying fellow Republicans and could come to a head on Thursday.
Paul — who has strongly opposed the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump — has been floating the alleged whistleblower’s name in media interviews for months.
But Roberts signaled to GOP senators on Tuesday that he wouldn’t allow the whistleblower’s name to be mentioned during the question-and-answer session that started the next day, the sources. Roberts was allowed to screen senators’ questions before they were submitted for reading on the Senate floor, the sources noted.
McConnell reportedly agrees…
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other top Republicans are also discouraging disclosure of the whistleblower’s identity as well. Paul has submitted at least one question with the name of a person believed to be the whistleblower, although it was rejected. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) composed and asked a question regarding the whistleblower earlier Wednesday that tiptoed around identifying the source who essentially sparked the House impeachment drive.
“We’ve got members who, as you have already determined I think, have an interest in questions related to the whistleblower,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) said. “But I suspect that won’t happen. I don’t think that happens. And I guess I would hope it doesn’t.”
Paul has complained that he is being preventing from asking a question about the origin of the Ukraine investigation, although he didn’t get into specifics with reporters on Wednesday evening.
“It’s still an ongoing process, it may happen tomorrow,” Paul told reporters.
If the Senate votes to call witnesses, it will be unavoidable at that point in time. But until then it looks like Roberts is going along with the ridiculous protection the partisan whistleblower is getting.