During the confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence nominee John Ratcliffe Tuesday morning, Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mark Warner attacked Acting DNI Richard Grenell for firing bad, politically motivated actors inside the intelligence services.
"What we've seen over the last year has been especially dangerous," Warner claimed. "The systematic firing of anyone at the ODNI who has the temerity to speak truth to power."
"These firings and forced departures from the leadership from the intelligence community have left the ODNI without a single, Senate-confirmed leader at the helm. Instead, an Acting DNI with no experience in intelligence but with plenty of political loyalty to the president has been appointed to oversee America's intelligence enterprise. As Acting DNI, this individual promptly instituted a hiring freeze and a reorganization whose purpose has not been communicated to the intelligence oversight committees," he continued.
But Grenell has made efforts to communicate his work to Capitol Hill. In fact, Grenell reached out to Warner ahead of today's hearing and offered to brief him on the implementation of badly needed reforms. Warner refused the meeting and falsely attacked Grenell anyway.
I was hoping to brief Senator @MarkWarner on the reforms I am implementing but he cancelled our scheduled phone call and hasn’t been willing to reschedule the call in months. We’ve never spoken. https://t.co/UHgK1zUPmS
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 5, 2020
This activist masquerading as a journalist refuses to focus on what A/DNI Grenell discloses here: @MarkWarner has refused to take a call with Grenell. Warner is supposed to provide oversight of the IC. What a disgrace — both Warner and @Olivia_Gazis. https://t.co/VmpHshLK7k
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) May 5, 2020
IC Inspector General Michael Atkinson was fired in April after working with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on impeachment.
Of course Adam Schiff is complaining about ICIG Atkinson being fired. He was Schiff’s key impeachment enabler.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 4, 2020
- Let the Whistleblower lie about meeting with Schiff’s staff
- Didn’t disclose the fact that the WB worked for Biden
Schiff still won’t release Atkinson’s transcript!