John Ratcliffe’s letter: New scandal stirs political storm in Washington
Washington: US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) has declassified information from a Russian Intelligence Analysis in a letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Here is what he wrote:
UNCLASSIFIED
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE WASHINGTON. DC
SEP 2 9 2121
The Honorable Lindsey Graham Chairman. Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate 290 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510.
Chairman Graham.
In response to your request for Intelligence Community BC) information related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Crossfire Hurricane Investigation, I have declassified the following: • In late July 2016, U.S, intelligence agencies obtained insight into Russian intelligence analysis alleging that U.S. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had approved a campaign plan to stir up a scandal against U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump by tying him to Putin and the Russians hacking of the Democratic National Committee. The IC does not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication. • According to his handwritten notes. former Central Intelligence Agency Director Brennan subsequently briefed President Obama and other senior national security officials on the intelligence, including the “alleged approval by Hillary Clinton on July 26.2016 of a proposal from one of her foreign policy advisors to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by Russian security services.” • On 07 September 2016, U.S. intelligence officials forwarded an investigative referral to FBI Director James Convey and Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Stank regarding -U.S. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s approval of a plan concerning U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump and Russian hackers hampering U.S. elections as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private mail server.” As referenced in his 24 September 2020 letter to your Committee, Attorney General Barr has advised the’ the disclosure of this information will not Interfere with ongoing Department of Justice investigations. Additional declassification and public disclosure of related intelligence remains tinder consideration; however, the IC welcomes the opportunity to provide a classified briefing with further detail at your convenience.
John Ratcliffe
