The move is likely to enrage congressional Democrats.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is scaling back its election security briefings to the congressional intelligence committees, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
ODNI told the House and Senate intelligence panels that it will still provide written briefings, but that they should not expect verbal, in-person briefings on the topic, according to a congressional official. ODNI’s decision does not apply to the so-called Gang of Eight, the group of congressional leaders who receive the most sensitive classified briefings.
The move is likely to enrage congressional Democrats, who have long charged the Trump administration with downplaying threats to U.S. elections from foreign actors, especially Russia.
CNN first reported the development.
ODNI decided to scale back the briefings because classified material from recent briefings leaked out, according to a U.S. intelligence official and a congressional official in touch with the office.
ODNI officials were particularly angry about a leak from an all-House classified briefing led by top counterintelligence official Bill Evanina late last month, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused him of keeping Americans in the dark about the details of Russia’s continued interference in the 2020 campaign.
Evanina ultimately acknowledged in that briefing that Russia is again trying to boost President Donald Trump’s reelection and denigrate his opponent, Joe Biden. In a statement at the time, an ODNI official said Evanina was “incredibly disappointed in the inability of some to protect classified information they are legally obligated to safeguard and instead attempt to use it for partisan gain.”
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The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is scaling back its election security briefings to the congressional intelligence committees, according to two sources familiar with the matter https://t.co/UaEbBwcYNx
— POLITICO (@politico) August 29, 2020This is why the Senate should have stopped Ratcliffe's nomination, and why the GOP – for this and so many derelictions of duty – needs to be voted out right down to the core of the earth. https://t.co/KnSOQCbbuG
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 29, 2020
This ODNI thinks "unauthorized disclosure" means "the elected representatives of the American people." https://t.co/9H6RL3jhqv
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 29, 2020
Having worked with the IC under 2 Presidents i can tell you this – Written assessments alone don’t cut it on complex threats. Oral briefings allow briefers to give more context and answer questions.
— Sam Vinograd (@sam_vinograd) August 29, 2020
Oversight committees should simply require it. If the executive refuses, the House should start to cut funding. There was a time in the not so distant past where refusing an oversight committee would have been unthinkable. The House must act. https://t.co/ESOdoxiEbE
— Steven L. Hall (@StevenLHall1) August 30, 2020
1. "It's not Russia, I swear"
2. "No, I won't let my briefers near Congress" https://t.co/wH6CvQSoxf— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 30, 2020
The reason you're going to get so much of this fakery – and the reason Ratcliffe will cover for Russian interference – is that the GOP is now fully committed to the understanding that they cannot win by actually getting people to buy what they're selling. https://t.co/tiL7ByMc2B
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 30, 2020
без сомнения https://t.co/EUqbzGXbLE
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 30, 2020
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