LISTEN HERE:
The powerful House Judiciary and Intelligence committees have issued a stern warning to the CIA, threatening to subpoena the agency after discovering that it may have helped to gather signatures for the letter signed by 51 former national security officials that discredited the Hunter Biden laptop as Russian disinformation. The two committees are currently investigating the origins of the letter, which claimed that the laptop had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation’.
In a recent letter to CIA Director William Burns, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner warned that they would resort to compulsory processes if the agency fails to produce all requested records in an unredacted format by May 30. The records include a widespread search for all written and phone communications between the CIA and those who signed the letter. The committee chairs have demanded this information after discovering that the letter was drafted and disseminated following communications between former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell and Biden campaign advisor, now Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
The chairmen have reiterated that evidence of possible CIA involvement was received in testimony from former CIA employee David Cariens, who said he spoke with the agency’s Prepublication Classification Review Board (PCRB) about his memoir. Cariens told the committees that when the person in charge of reviewing the book called to say it was approved with no changes, he was informed about the draft letter and asked if he would be willing to sign it. He agreed to sign.
In testimony before the committees, Cariens had explicitly stated that the letter was a political operation designed to help elect Joe Biden. The letter was signed by high-profile former officials including former Obama CIA Director John Brennan, former Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and former CIA director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, among others
Jordan and Turner also revealed that the CIA had made a minimal production of documents in response to a prior request on May 9 and had admitted to not having performed a full and complete search of all agency records before that production. The two committee chairs have renewed their request for information, and the CIA has committed to cooperating in full with the committees’ oversight, including meeting their new request for documents and records.
The new request includes an agency-wide search for documents and communications with each of the names of the 51 signatories to the public statement for the period of Oct. 1 to Oct. 30, 2020. The CIA has also agreed to conduct a search for all records related to the approval of Carien’s work by the PCRB and any outgoing email responses from the PCRB to Carien.
Further to this, the agency has agreed to conduct a search of CIA phone records during October 2020 for any phone communications between CIA employees and any of the 51 signatories to the public letter. The investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax affairs began in 2018 and a federal investigation was launched after suspicious activity reports were discovered regarding funds from China and other foreign nations. This investigation is currently being headed by Trump-appointed Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss.
The letter has been a bone of contention for some time, with conservatives, in particular, questioning its origins and validity. The investigation by the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees is seen as a way to get to the bottom of the matter, with the committees demanding transparency and cooperation from the CIA.
The fact that the CIA may have had its hand in the writing and dissemination of the letter has raised a red flag, and both committees have signaled their intent to pursue the matter until all the facts are known.
As with many things in politics, there are always two sides to a story. In this instance, the conservatives believe that the letter was a political ploy designed to help Joe Biden win the presidency. With the investigation still ongoing, and the prospect of subpoenas looming, it seems that the truth will eventually come out.
The House Judiciary and Intelligence committees have made it clear that they will use every tool at their disposal to get to the bottom of this and ensure that justice is served. With such high-profile individuals potentially involved, it will be interesting to see what the investigation uncovers.
The conservatives have long felt that the media is biased against them, and stories like this only add credence to their arguments. It is essential that all aspects of the case are thoroughly investigated and that the facts are presented to the public accurately and transparently.
Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear, the investigation into the Hunter Biden laptop letter shows that the committees are committed to rooting out corruption wherever it may be found. Conservative voters will be pleased to see that their representatives are fighting for their beliefs and ensuring that justice is served.
The CIA has always been a highly regarded agency, and many people have a great deal of respect for its work. However, if it is found that the agency did have a hand in writing and disseminating the Hunter Biden letter, it could have serious ramifications for its credibility and reputation.
For the conservatives, this is just another example of the swamp that they are determined to drain. The Hunter Biden case has been mired in controversy since its inception, and it seems that there is no end in sight. For now, all we can do is wait and see what the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees uncover in their investigation.
As the investigation continues to unfold, it is crucial that all parties involved are treated fairly, and the facts are presented without bias or prejudice. Regardless of political affiliations, all Americans are entitled to the truth, and it is up to the committees to ensure that this is what they get.