from? >> if i could interject here, we don't want to use these proceedings -- >> it's our time. >> we need to protect the whistle-blower. please stop. i want to make sure that there's no effort to out the whistle-blower through the use of these proceedings. if the witness has a good faith belief that this may reveal the identity of the whistle-blower, that is not the purpose that we are here for and i want to advise the witness accordingly. >> mr. vindman, you testified in your deposition that you did not know the whistle-blower. >> ranking member, it's lieutenant colonel vindman, please. >> lieutenant colonel vindman, you testified in the deposition that you did not know who the whistle-blower was or is? >> i do not know who the whistle-blower is, that is correct. >> how is it possible for you to name these people and then out