Attorney Mark Zaid, who represents both whistleblowers, first told ABC News that the second individual is - like the first whistleblower - an intelligence official, and has firsthand knowledge of certain allegations contained in the first whistleblower complaint, which was not based on any firsthand knowledge. Andrew Bakaj, managing partner of the firm handling the case, verified the existence of the new whistleblower Sunday morning.
"I can confirm that my firm and my team represent multiple whistleblowers in connection to the underlying August 12, 2019, disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General," Bakaj said, retweeting the news from ABC's George Stephanopoulos.
© MSNBCAttorney Mark Zaid
The first whistleblower was subjected to criticism from President Trump and his supporters based on the lack of direct knowledge of the president's conversation with Zelensky, as well as what Trump has called an inaccurate description of the call. That complaint alleged that Trump pressured the Ukrainian leader into investigating former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter's involvement with Ukrainian energy company Burisma Holdings, as well as Joe Biden's involvement in the termination of the prosecutor who was investigating the firm. Both Trump and Zelensky claim that no such pressuring took place.
"The first so-called second hand information 'Whistleblower' got my phone conversation almost completely wrong," Trump tweeted Saturday night.
After the New York Times reported about the existence of a second whistleblower, Trump leveled similar criticism at them, saying, "so now word is they are going to the bench and another 'Whistleblower' is coming in from the Deep State, also with second hand info."
Zaid told ABC that he does not know if the whistleblower mentioned by the Times is the same new whistleblower he is representing. He did tell the outlet that both of the individuals he represents are protected by the whistleblower law aimed at preventing retaliation for providing information.
The first complaint, which was filed August 12, led to increased support from Democrats for an impeachment inquiry into the president, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressing support for the effort, after long resisting a push for impeachment from others within her party.
Ronn Blitzer is a Politics reporter for FoxNews.com.
Comment: Biden's got to be praying the WhistleGate impeachment circus is enough to distract from his clearly corrupt dealings in Ukraine and China. Good luck with that.