AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT
HAPPENING RIGHT HERE ON OUR OWN
SOIL.
HE’S BEING SWORN IN AS DIRECTOR
OF NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE ON MAY
26 JOHN RATCLIFFE MADE CHINA
ONE OF HIS TOP PRIORITIES AND
SEEN MORE RAW INTELLIGENCE THAN
ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY EXCEPT
FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.
HE JOINS ME NOW LIVE FOR HIS
FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE BECOMING D
NI, DIRECTOR RATCLIFFE
IT’S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU THANKS
VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>>  GOOD MORNING GREAT TO BE
WITH YOU, MARIA.
MARIA: SO A LOT OF CONVERSATION
ABOUT YOU AND YOUR LATEST MOVES
LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT.
YOU GAVE A BRIEFING TO ALL OF
CONGRESS ON JULY 31.
THE VERY NEXT DAY, WE ALL SAW
HEADLINES ABOUT RUSSIA MEDDLING
IN OUR ECONOMY, WHICH HAS BEEN
THE CASE FOR SEVERAL DECADES.
TELL US WHY YOU’RE MAKING THIS
CHANGE TO CHANGE THE WAY
YOU BRIEF CONGRESS ON SECURITY
MATTERS.
SURE, WELL MARIA WHEN I WENT
THREW A CONFIRMATION PEOPLE
WATCHED THAT AND HEARD ME MAKE A
COUPLE PROMISES.
ONE OF THEM WAS TO ALWAYS FOLLOW
THE LAW.
THE OTHER WAS THAT I WOULD DO
EVERYTHING I COULD TO PROTECT
THE UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION, ALLOWING
PEOPLE TO LEAK IT FOR POLITICAL
PURPOSES.
THE ACTION THAT I ANNOUNCED
YESTERDAY IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT
WITH THAT.
I REITERATED TO CONGRESS, LOOK,
I’M GOING TO KEEP YOU FULLY AND
CURRENTLY INFORMED, AS REQUIRED
BY THE LAW, BUT I ALSO SAID
WE’RE NOT GOING TO DO A REPEAT
OF WHAT HAPPENED A MONTH AGO.
WHEN AUTO IT DID MORE THAN WHAT
WAS REQUIRED, AT THE REQUEST OF
CONGRESS TO BRIEF NOT JUST THE
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES BUT
EVERY MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
WHEN I DID THAT, MARIA I SAID MY
ONLY CONDITION IS THAT YOU TREAT
THIS INFORMATION WITH THE
RESPECT THAT IT DESERVES AND
YOU KEEP IT PRIVATE AND YET
WITHIN MINUTES OF THAT ONE OF
THOSE BRIEFINGS ENDING, A NUMBER
OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WENT TO A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS
, AND LEAKED
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AGAIN,
FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES, TO
CREATE A NARRATIVE, THAT SIMPLY
ISN’T TRUE.
THAT SOMEHOW RUSSIA IS A GREATER
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT THAN
CHINA, SO I’M GOING TO CONTINUE
TO KEEP THE PROMISES THAT I MADE
I’M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW
THE LAW AND CONTINUE TO KEEP
CONGRESS INFORMED BUT WE’VE HAD
A PANDEMIC OF INFORMATION BEING
LEAKED OUT OF THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY AND I’M GOING TO TAKE
THE MEASURES TO MAKE SURE THAT
THAT STOPS.
MARIA: AND IN FACT, SENATOR RON
JOHNSON HAS BEEN WITH US SEVERAL
TIMES ON THIS PROGRAM AND HE
TOLD US DURING THE TRANSITION
PERIOD FROM THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION TO THE TRUMP
ADMINITRATION, THERE WERE 125
LEAKS IN 126 DAYS.
SO THERE WAS A LEAK A DAY.
TALK TO US WHY THIS IS SO
IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO
UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
YOU’VE BEEN ON THIS PROGRAM A
LOT DURING THE INVESTIGATION
INTO RUSSIA, AND AND ADAM SCHIFF
WAS OUT THERE SAYING THERE WAS
COLLUSION IN PLAIN SIGHT.
IT FITS HIS NARRATIVE TO
CONTINUE PUSHING THIS RUSSIA
NARRATIVE BUT DID THEY MISS THE
TRUE ADVERSARY WHICH IS
CHINA?
>>  RIGHT, WELL AGAIN, MARIA, AS
YOU SAID AT THE TOP OF THE
SHOW, IN THIS POSITION, I’M
PRIVILEGED TO SEE MORE
INTELLIGENCE THAN ANYONE ELSE IN
THE COUNTRY.
THAT INCLUDES ALL MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS, AND AS I SEE
INTELLIGENCE EVERY SINGLE
DAY, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE FACT
THAT THE AMOUNT OF INTELLIGENCE
THAT WE GET AND WE CONSIDER
ECONOMICALLY, TECHNOLOGICALLY,
CHINA IS THE GREATEST THREAT
THAT WE FACE.
I DON’T MEAN TO MINIMIZE RUSSIA.
THEY ARE A SERIOUS NATIONAL
SECURITY THREAT, BUT DAY IN DAY
OUT, THE THREATS THAT WE FACE
FROM CHINA, ARE SIGNIFICANTLY
GREATER, AND I THINK THAT’S
CLEAR AND ANYONE THAT SEES
INTELLIGENCE KNOWS THAT, AND
ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE, IS
JUST POLITICIZING INTELLIGENCE
FOR THEIR OWN NARRATIVE.
MARIA: I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THE
POTENTIAL THREAT FROM RUSSIA
VERSUS CHINA, DIRECTOR, AND WE
KNOW THAT RUSSIA DOESN’T HAVE
THE WHERE WITH ALL THAT CHINA
HAS.
CHINA IS THE SECOND LARGEST
ECONOMY.
THEY’VE MADE THEIR PLANS VERY
MARIA: AND WE ARE BACK WITH THE
MARIA: AND WE ARE BACK WITH THE
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE JOHN RATCLIFFE AND
DIRECTOR WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUSSIA
AND CHINA WITH REGARD TO THE
THREAT TO AMERICA’S NATIONAL
SECURITY.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCE, PLEASE.
AS I WAS OUTLINING BEFORE THE
BREAK THE LIMITATIONS THAT
RUSSIA HAS AND BECAUSE OF THAT
RUSSIA WANTS A SEAT AT THE TABLE
OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER.
CHINA WANTS TO SIT AT THE HEAD
OF THE TABLE.
CHINA HAS A PLAN THROUGH THE
ROAD INITIATIVE, THE MADE IN
CHINA INITIATIVE, THE THOUSAND
TALENTS PROGRAM, MILITARY CIVIL
FUSION LAWS, THAT REQUIRE
COMPANIES TO SPY FOR THE
GOVERNMENT THROUGH 5G
AND HUAWEI.
ALL OF THAT IS DESIGN TO
CHALLENGE U.S. SUPERIORITY IN
EVERY RESPECT AND TO SIT AT THE
HEAD OF THE TABLE AND SET THE
RULES AND STANDARDS AND
NORMS FOR INTERNATIONAL IN THE
INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT THE CHINESE
COMMUNIST PARTY THAT IS, YOU
KNOW, AT THE CENTER PUTS THE
GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTER OF
EVERY DECISION AND SETS ASIDE
PERSONAL LIBERTY AND FREEDOMS
VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHT, ALL IN THE
NAME SUPPOSEDLY OF THE
COLLECTIVE GOOD.
ALL OF THAT’S TO AMERICAN VALUES
, OF PERSONAL FREEDOM AND
LIBERTY AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT
WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT
, AND AGAIN, THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WARNS
OF THAT THREAT, AND PEOPLE THAT
SEE THE INTELLIGENCE KNOWS THAT
THAT IS THE THREAT.
MARIA: SO WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS
CONSTANT NARRATIVE OF
RUSSIA AS THE BIGGER THREAT, FOR
EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO
REALLY PUSH BACK AT CHINA’S BAD
BE AFRICAN AMERICANS YOUR.
THEY’VE BEEN STEALING
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FOR DECADE
S AND THEY UNLEASHED
THIS VIRUS AND THEY ARE TRYING
TO SAY IT DIDN’T ORIGINATE IN
CHINA.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE
INTELLIGENCE THAT YOU’VE
SEEN WITH REGARD TO THE
CORONAVIRUS, AND WHETHER OR  NOT
CHINA WANTS TO UNSEAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP?
>>  SURE, WELL IN UNCLASSIFIED
SETTINGS HERE IS WHAT I CAN TELL
YOU.
THE FIRST CLUSTER OF CASES
OCCURRED IN WUHAN, CHINA, SO,
THIS VIRUS VERY CLEARLY, WE
ASSESS WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE IT
ORIGINATED IN WUHAN, CHINA.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS VIRUS WAS
ALLOWED TO SPREAD FROM CHINA,
BECAUSE OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST
PARTY AND ITS OFFICIALS THAT
WHEN THEY BECAME AWARE OF ITS
TRANSMISSION FROM HUMAN-TO-HUMAN
, THROUGH THAT
TYPE OF CONDUCT, THEY SUPPRESSED
THAT.
THEY DOWNPLAYED IT, WITHIN THEIR
OWN COMMUNITY.
THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, AND THEN
THEY TRIED TO PRESSURE FOREIGN
GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS NOT TO TAKE
ACTIONS LIKE TRAVEL BANS, OR
EVACUATING CITIZENS, AND THEN
ULTIMATELY THEY ENGAGED IN THE
CAMPAIGN TO DEFLECT BLAME
FROM CHINA, AND SO AS WE TALK
ABOUT THINGS IN TERMS OF
APPROXIMATE CAUSE, THE LEGAL
COMMUNITY THAT DOESN’T OR  THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY THAT
DOESN’T MAKE LEGAL CONCLUSIONS,
BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT
APPROXIMATE CAUSE, AND BUT FOR ,
BUT FOR’S CHINA’S ACTION THIS
COULD HAVE BEEN CONTAINED
TO CHINA AND EVEN IF IT HAD
SPREAD COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE BEEN
BETTER POSITIONED WITH PPE AND
VENTILATORS, AND HAD A RUNNING
START WITH REGARD TO THERAPEUTIC
AND VACCINES AND HAD THE CHINESE
COMMUNIST PARTY NOT KEPT THAT
INFORMATION FROM THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
THEY ARE BAD INTERNATIONAL ACTOR
AND THAT’S WHY THEY SHOULDN’T BE
ALLOWED TO SET INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS INSTEAD OF THE UNITED
STATES.
MARIA: I MEAN, YOU WOULD THINK,
THAT THE WORLD WANTS AMERICA TO
STOP CHINA FROM BECOMING A
DOMINANT COUNTRY IN THE WORLD,
GIVEN ITS BEHAVIOR, WE KNOW THAT
1 MILLION TRAPPED THEIR CITIZENS
AND THEN GIVE THEIR CITIZENS A
SOCIAL SCORE AT THE END OF THE
YEAR TO SAY WELL WE DON’T
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE DOING SO YOU
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET ON A
PLANE, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY
HAVE, THEY ARE NOT SUPPORTING
CERTAINLY PRESIDENT TRUMP THIS
WEEK, WE SAW CHINESE STATE
MEDIA BACKING BIDEN FOR
PRESIDENT, CALLING HIM, "
SMOOTHER" MORE REASONABLE, TO
DEAL WITH THEN PRESIDENT TRUMP.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT CHINA
AND WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO IN
THIS ELECTION?
>>  WELL, IN AN UN UNCLASSIFIED
SETTING I CAN’T GET INTO A WHOLE
LOT OF DETAILS OTHER THAN TO SAY
THAT CHINA’S USING A MASSIVE AND
SOPHISTICATED INFLUENCE CAMPAIGN
THAT DWARFS ANYTHING ANY OTHER
COUNTRY IS DOING.
LISTEN FIRST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
ELECTION SECURITY I WANT TO
REASSURE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
IT’LL BE DIFFERENT FOR ANYONE,
TO CHANGE ACTUAL VOTE TALLIES WE
HAVE A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ABOUT
COUNTING VOTES BUT WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT INFLUENCE WHAT CHINA IS
DOING NO ONE ELSE IS DOING IS
THEY ARE ENGAGING AT THE LOCAL
STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL AND
BEIJING IS THREATENING ECONOMIC
RUIN AND FOR INSTANCE DISTRICTS
WHERE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE
THREATENING RUIN TO BUSINESSES,
FACTORIES AND JOBS, UNLESS
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SUPPORT PRO-
CHINA POLICIES OR   OPPOSE
POLICIES OF THE ADMINISTRATION,
OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, THAT ARE
TOUGH ON CHINA.
SO, THAT’S THE KIND OF INFLUENCE
THAT CHINA IS EXERTING ON A
LEVEL THAT NO OTHER COUNTRY IS
MATCHING, AND IT’S SOMETHING
THAT SHOULD CONCERN EVERY
AMERICAN.
MARIA: WELL WHICH IS WHY THE RED
FLAGS ARE RAISED WITH REGARD TO
THIS MOST RECENT LEAK SITUATION,
BECAUSE THE TRUE ADVERSARY HERE,
THE COUNTRY THAT IS TRYING TO
UNSEAT AMERICA AND HAS PERHAPS
THE WHERE WITH ALL TO DO IT,
BEING THE SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY
, 1.4 BILLION PEOPLE IN
ITS POPULATION, THAT BE CHINA,
NOT RUSSIA.
>>  WELL LISTEN, CHINA, RUSSIA,
IRAN, OTHER ACTORS ARE ALL
TRYING TO INTERFERE OR
INFLUENCE OUR ELECTIONS FOR
THEIR OWN GAIN, SO I DON’T
WANT TO SAY THIS IS ONLY ABOUT
CHINA, BUT CHINA, AGAIN, AS
SOMEONE THAT SEES MORE
INTELLIGENCE THAN ANYONE, IS THE
GREATEST THREAT TO AMERICAN
SUPERIORITY.
ECONOMICALLY, MILITARILY,
TECHNOLOGICALLY, AND THEY’RE
TOUGH ON THEY’RE PLAYING IN THE
ELECTION OR   EXPRESSING
PREFERENCES FOR VICE PRESIDENT
BIDEN OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP
TOLERATE,
AND SO THOSE ARE ONE OF THE
REASONS THAT CHINA IS DOING
THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.
MARIA: SO DIRECTOR, TELL US HOW
CONGRESS WILL BE BRIEFED THEN IN
THE FUTURE.
YOU WILL STILL BE GIVING
BRIEFINGS IN TERMS OF ELECTION
SECURITIES.
HOW WILL IT BE DIFFERENT THEN?
>>  WE’LL DO WHAT’S REQUIRED BY
LAW.
THOSE MEMBERS ENTITLED TO THE
BRIEFINGS AND CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION WILL STILL GET THAT
INFORMATION.
WHAT WE WON’T BE DOING IS ALL
MEMBER BRIEFINGS TO ALL MEMBERS
OF THE HOUSE AND ALL MEMBERS OF
THE SENATE, AND WE’VE TRIED THAT
, AND THE INFORMATION HASN’T
BEEN PROTECTED AND SO WE’VE
IMPLEMENTED PROCEDURES WHERE
WE’LL PRIMARILY BRIEF THROUGH
WRITTEN MATERIALS, BUT THEN
WE’LL ALSO PROVIDE BRIEFINGS TO
THE MEMBERS THAT ARE ENTITLED TO
IT, AS WE’VE DONE BEFORE, AND SO
MAKE NO MISTAKE, CONGRESS WILL
BE FULLY AND CURRENTLY INFORMED
AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THERE’S NO ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO
THAT.
WE’RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE’RE
SUPPOSED TO DO BUT WHAT WE’RE
ALSO GOING TO DO IS PROTECT
INFORMATION FROM GETTING LEAKED
FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES.
IT JUST HAPPENED TOO MUCH AND I
WON’T STAND FOR IT.
MARIA: YEAH, LET ME GET YOUR
TAKE, REALLY, ON CHINA, IN TERMS
OF THE INFLUENCING CAMPAIGN
THERE THAT IS UNDERWAY.
WE KNOW THAT THERE’S A MASSIVE
ESPIONAGE CAMPAIGN IN
TERMS OF MINING DATA FROM
AMERICA AND HAVING PERHAPS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BLACKMAIL
PEOPLE.
HOW ARE THEY INFLUENCING FEDERAL
AND STATE AND LOCAL
REPRESENTATIVES?
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT?
>>  WELL AS MUCH AS I CAN TELL
YOU, WHAT CHINA IS AGAIN DOING
AT THE LOCAL, STATE BEINGS AND
FEDERAL LEVEL, IS ENGAGING AND
THEY ATTEMPT TO LOBBY BUSINESS
LEADERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS,
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND TO
INFLUENCE THEM.
THEY TRIED TO DO THAT OVERTLY
BUT WHERE THEY’RE NOT SUCCESSFUL
THEY COVERTLY COERCE, INTIMIDATE
, BULLY AND USE MIDDLE
MEN TO TRY AND INFLUENCE
AND ULTIMATELY BLACKMAIL IN SOME
CASES, OR   EXTORT ELECTED
OFFICIALS, BUSINESS LEADERS AND
OTHERS TO SUPPORT PRO-CHINA
POLICIES AND AGAIN THIS IS
SYSTEMATIC AND ON A SCALE THAT
NO OTHER COUNTRY IS DOING AND SO
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MALINE
FOREIGN INFLUENCE,
MULTIPLE COUNTRIES ARE ENGAGED
BUT NO ONE AT THE LEVEL THAT
CHINA IS.
MARIA: WELL, I WANT TO TAKE A
BREAK AND I WANT TO COME BACK
AND ASK YOU ABOUT THE JOHN
DURHAM CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
DIRECTOR RATCLIFFE.
YOU HAVE BEEN ON THIS PROGRAM
MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST THREE
YEARS AS A CONGRESSMAN, AND OUR
AUDIENCE IS GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR
HAVING EXPOSED THE TRUTH TO
WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR THAT TWO
AND A HALF, THREE-YEAR PERIOD.
HERE IS WHAT YOU TOLD ME IN
DECEMBER OF 2019, WHEN WE COME
>>> WHAT YOU HAVE ARE FBI LAWYER
>>> WHAT YOU HAVE ARE FBI LAWYER
S LITERALLY CHANGING
EVIDENCE TO MAKE FALSE
REPRESENTATIONS TO THE COURT TO
CONTINUE THIS COUNTER
INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION
AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, SO, YOU
KNOW, IT DETAILS, NOW EVERYONE’S
ENTITLED TO A PRESUMPTION OF
INNOCENCE, THE DEMOCRATS NEVER
WANT TO GIVE ONE TO DONALD TRUMP
, BUT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
’S FINDINGS REALLY
OUTLINE WHAT IS CRIMINAL
ACTIVITY.
MARIA: I’M BACK WITH THE
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE JOHN RATCLIFFE AND
DIRECTOR RATCLIFFE THAT WAS WHEN
YOU WERE A CONGRESSMAN BACK IN
DECEMBER OF 2019 JUST A FEW
WEEKS AGO YOU BE CLASSIFIED VERY
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, AND AS A
RESULT OF THIS DECLASSIFICATION
THAT YOU MADE, WE SAW OUR FIRST
GUILTY PLEA IN THE JOHN DURHAM
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS
DECLASSIFICATION AND WILL
YOU DECLASSIFY MORE DOCUMENTS,
DIRECTOR?
>>  I WILL.
WHAT I WOULD TELL YOUR VIEWERS,
MARIA, WAS YOU KNOW, I WAS A
CONGRESSMAN AND IN THAT ROLE I
FELT STRONGLY THAT THE FBI HAD
CONTINUED A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
INVESTIGATIO
N AGAINST THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
WITHOUT A PROPER PREDICATE IN
OTHER WORDS ILLEGALLY CONTINUED
IT AND OBVIOUSLY, THE KLINESMITH
PLEA AND DOCUMENT
S THAT I DECLASSIFIED IN
CONNECTION WITH THAT ARE RELATED
TO THAT.
THE QUESTION NOW IS DID THE FBI
HAVE A PROPER PREDICATE TO BEGIN
A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
INVESTIGATIO
N AT ALL, AND THAT’S THE ISSUE
THAT JOHN DURHAM IS LOOKING AT
AND ALSO THE ISSUE THAT I’M
CONTINUING TO LOOK AT IF YOU
REMEMBER, MARIA WHEN I WENT
THROUGH CAN FIR IMMIGRATION A
PLEDGED TO A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF
SENATORS THAT I’D LOOK AT ALL OF
THE UNDERLYING INTELLIGENCE
SURROUNDING THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY’S ASSESSMENT OF RUSSIA
AND THE INTERFERENCE AND THIS
IDEA OF TRUMP-RUSSIA
COLLUSION SO I’VE SEPTEMBER THE
LAST THREE MONTHS DOING THAT
AND I’VE DECLASSIFIED CERTAIN
DOCUMENTS AND I’VE PLANNED TO
DECLASSIFIED ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT
S, BUT I’M NOT GOING TO
PREJUDICE JOHN DURHAM’S WORK IN
CONNECTION WITH THAT SO WE’VE
HAD TO COORDINATE WITH THIS
OFFICE ABOUT THE TIMING OF
THAT BUT I’M OPTIMISTIC THAT
I’LL BE DECLASSIFYING ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENTS SOON.
MARIA: SO YOU’VE SPOKEN TO JOHN
DURHAM THEN?
>>  I HAVE.
WE’VE ACTUALLY, FOR SEVERAL
MONTHS, BEEN COORDINATING WITH
HIS TEAM OF FOLKS TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE HAS ACCESS TO ALL OF THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
DOCUMENTS THAT HE NEEDS.
HE’S LOOKING AT THE SAME, SOME
OF THE SAME DOCUMENTS THAT I AM,
AND SO OUR WORK IS RUNNING ON
PARALLEL PATHS AND HIS IS A
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND HE’S
NOT SHARING HIS FINDINGS OR  THE
WORK THAT HE’S DOING BUT
I’M COORDINATING WITH HIM TO
MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS THE
INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENTS THAT
HE NEEDS TO DO HIS WORK, AND
WHAT I DON’T WANT TO DO IS
DECLASSIFY SOMETHING THAT MIGHT
PREJUDICE HIS WORK SO WE’RE
GOING TO HAVE TO COORDINATE AS
WE GO FORWARD, THE COMPLETION
OF HIS WORK WITH MY ABILITY TO
DECLASSIFY DOCUMENTS AND SO
WE’VE COMMUNICATED ALONG THOSE
LINES.
MARIA: DIRECTOR I’M REALLY GLAD
THAT YOU CLARIFIED THE REASONS
THAT YOU’VE CHANGED THE APPROACH
THAT YOU’LL TAKE IN TERMS OF
SPEAKING AND COMMUNICATING TO
CONGRESS WITH REGARD TO ELECTION
SECURITY.
YOU’VE CLARIFIED THAT FOR US,
AND WE APPRECIATE IT, BUT MY
QUESTION ABOUT THESE LEAKS, YOU
KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE
ALL OF THESE LEAKS AND WE KNOW
THAT RIGHT AFTER YOU GAVE THAT
BRIEFING ON JULY 31, SELECTIVE
LEAKS ABOUT RUSSIA TURNED UP IN
ALL THE NEWSPAPERS.
SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES FAVORITE
REPORTERS TO LEAK TO, LIKE POLIT
ICO AMONG OTHERS.
WHY AREN’T THESE LEAKS BEING
VEST INVESTIGATED IF WE KNOW
THERE WAS AT LEAST 125 LEAKS IN
THE FIRST 126 DAYS OF THE
TRANSITION PERIOD IN TERMS
OF THE PRESIDENT’S FIRST 125
DAYS WHERE IS THE PROSECUTION?
WHERE IS THE INVESTIGATION INTO
THESE LEAKS?
>>  WELL THERE ARE INVESTIGATION
S, MARIA.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I’VE MADE A
NUMBER OF WHAT ARE CALLED CRIMES
REPORTS IN CONNECTION SINCE I’VE
BEEN THE  DNI.
WHEN I BECOME AWARE OF
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
INFORMATION THAT IS DISCLOSED
UNLAWFULLY, I DO WHAT’S CALLED A
CRIMES REPORT.
I’VE DONE THAT AND NOW ON A
NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, AND SO
THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE MOVING
FORWARD.
WHETHER OR  NOT, AND THE TIMING
OF ANY PROSECUTIONS, THAT BE
SOMETHING THAT THE FBI WOULD
HAVE TO ADDRESS AND I THINK THAT
THEY WILL DOWN THE ROAD, BUT TO
YOUR POINT, MARIA, IT SHOWS THAT
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
IS VERY SERIOUS.
IT’S OBVIOUSLY A VIOLATION OF
THE LAW.
IT’S A CRIME, BUT IT PUTS IN
JEOPARDY OUR INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES AND METHODS.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LIVES OF
BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RISK
THEIR LIVES TO COLLECT
INTELLIGENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
TO INFORM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
AND OTHERS, AND WHEN IT GETS
LEAKED IT PUTS THEM AT RISK.
IT PUTS THEIR LIVES AT RISK.
IT’S WHY THIS IS SO PROFOUNDLY
IMPORTANT AND WHY I JUST AM NOT
GOING TO LET IT GO AND I’M GOING
TO CONTINUE TO DO THE THINGS
THAT I CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE
PROTECT CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
AND GO AFTER PEOPLE AND I’LL DO
THAT AS LONG AS I’M IN THIS
CHAIR.
MARIA: WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT
AND I KNOW OUR AUDIENCE
APPRECIATES YOUR INTEGRITY, JOHN
RATCLIFFE.
FINAL QUESTION HERE WE KNOW WHAT
CHINA IS TRYING TO DO
INFLUENCING VARIOUS OFFICIALS ON
THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL
LEVEL.
KEVIN MCCARTHY, THE GOP LEADER,
ALSO TOLD ME THAT HE’S BEEN
TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A CHINA
TASK FORCE BUT NANCY PELOSI WILL
NOT ALLOW HER MEMBERS TO BE ON
THAT TASK FORCE, SO YOU’VE GOT
SOME MEMBERS LEAKING THINGS
SELECTIVELY ABOUT RUSSIA, NOT
TALKING ABOUT CHINA.
I HAVEN’T HEARD ONE WORD ABOUT
THE ESPIONAGE CAMPAIGN AND THE
BAD BEHAVIOR OF CHINA FROM
THE PRESIDENT’S CRITICS ON THE
LEFT, SO I ASK YOU, DOES
CONGRESS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH
CHINA?
ARE WE GOING TO HEAR THERE IS
INFLUENCING GOING ON OF SITTING
CONGRESSMEN AND WOMEN?
>>  WELL LOTS TO UNPACK THERE
MARIA AND SOMETHING THAT’S
OUTSIDE OF MY JURISDICTION, SO
MY ROLE AS THE  DNI IS TO KEEP
CONGRESS INFORMED OF THREATS TO
THE COUNTRY.
I THINK I’VE MADE IT PROFOUNDLY
CLEAR THAT CHINA IS A GRAVE
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT IN SO
MANY DIFFERENT RESPECTS,
INCLUDING MALINE FOREIGN
INFLUENCE, INCLUDING
SOPHISTICATED MASSIVE EFFORTS TO
INFLUENCE POLICY MAKERS,
DECISION MAKERS, INCLUDING
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AND I’M
GOING TO CONTINUE TO INFORM, YOU
KNOW, THE PUBLIC AND CONGRESS,
ABOUT THOSE THREATS AND SO AGAIN
, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE IN
A VERY POLITICAL SITUATION AND I
THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO TRY AND SPIN A
NARRATIVE THAT MAY NOT BE
ACCURATE, AND I’M GOING TO
CONTINUE TO PUT OUT THE CORRECT
NARRATIVE.
MARIA: DIRECTOR RATCLIFFE WE SO
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU AND
OUR AUDIENCE FOR SOME ISSUES WE
HAD WITH YOUR PICTURE, ONCE YOU
DO DECLASSIFY THAT INFORMATION
