Declassified Emails Show James Clapper's Dismissive Response to Intel Community Concerns Over Russia Election Interference Report
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper's response to concerns raised by top intelligence officials about the Obama administration's report on Russia's interference in the 2016 election has been declassified, revealing a dismissive tone from Clapper and a significant shift in priorities within the intelligence community.
A "Team Sport" That Requires Compromise
According to a Dec. 22, 2016, email sent by former National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers to Clapper, Brennan, and Comey, Rogers expressed concerns about the rush to produce an assessment on Russia's election interference. He noted that his team had not had sufficient access to underlying intelligence and time to review it thoroughly.
"I know that this activity is on a fast-track and that folks have been working very hard to put together a product that can be provided to the President," Rogers wrote. "However, I wanted to reach out to you directly to let you know of some concerns I have with what I am hearing from my folks."
Clapper's response was swift and dismissive, urging the NSA to fall in line with his vision for the report. "Understand your concern," he wrote. "It is essential that we (CIA/NSA/FBI/ODNI) be on the same page. and are all supportive of the report — in the highest tradition of 'that's OUR story, and we're stickin' to it.'"
A Shift in Priorities
Clapper's email reflects a significant shift in priorities within the intelligence community, as evident from his emphasis on "compromising standards" and "doing this on such a compressed schedule." This approach has been criticized for its potential impact on the credibility of the report.
A Concerning Lack of Transparency
Rogers' concerns about the lack of transparency in the assessment process are also noteworthy. He expressed unease about signing off on the report without having access to all relevant intelligence, warning that this could lead to hesitation and doubt in the future.
"I'm concerned we are not there yet," Rogers said. "I know that you agree that this is something we need to be 100% comfortable with before we present it to the President – we have one chance to get this right, and it is critical that we do so."
A Deliberate Attempt to Compromise Standards
Gabbard, who has been critical of the actors behind the Trump-Russia collusion narrative, has accused Clapper's administration of deliberately compromising standards and violating protocols in the creation of the report. According to Gabbard, "the decision to compromise standards and violate protocols in the creation of the 2017 manufactured intelligence assessment was deliberate and came from the very top."
"Clapper's own words confirm that complying with the order to manufacture intelligence was a 'team sport,'" she added. "This reinforces what we already exposed – that the Obama administration deliberately compromised standards to fit their narrative on Russia's interference in the 2016 election."