CONGRESSMAN FROM ILLINOIS, A
MEMBER OF THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE.
CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
LET ME START WITH THIS.
THE JUSTIFICATION OF THIS THAT
WE’RE HEARING THAT’S BEING SAID
HERE, THE IN-PERSON BRIEFINGS
HAVE LED TO LEAKS.
IS THAT A LEGITIMATE CONCERN?
>> WE’RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT
LEAKS.
WE DON’T WANT ANY LEAKS TO
HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO HOLD PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY LEAK.
THIS HAS BEEN A STANDARD WHITE
HOUSE RESPONSE WHENEVER CAREER
PUBLIC SERVANTS OF THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ARE
ALLOWED TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT
WHAT’S ACTUALLY GOING ON WITH
REGARD TO FOREIGN SECURITY
THREATS.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I’M NOT
LOOKING AT A LEAK, I’M LOOKING
AT A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE FROM EARLY
AUGUST WHICH SAYS THAT ONLY
RUSSIA RIGHT NOW IS INTERFERING
IN OUR ELECTIONS AND DOING SO
PERSISTENTLY AND DOING SO IN A
WAY THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
HAPPENED IN 2016 AND POTENTIALLY
MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE THAN BEFORE.
>> HAS THE DNI, OR ANYONE IN HIS
OFFICE, COMMUNICATED TO YOUR
COMMITTEE ANY SPECIFIC LEAKS
THAT THEY SAY CONCERN THEM AND
LEAD TO THIS DECISION?
>> NO.
AND IN FACT I WISH THAT THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WOULD SEND
OFFICIALS TO OUR COMMITTEE AND
TALK TO US ABOUT THESE POTENTIAL
LEAKS BEFORE GOING TO FOX NEWS.
INSTEAD OF GOING TO FOX NEWS, IT
WOULD BE MORE PRODUCTIVE IF THEY
ACTUALLY DISCUSS THE MATTERS
WITH US.
I THINK THAT GOES TO THE PLIT
POLITICIZEATION OF THE MATTER AT
HAND.
THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS HAVE
DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE
ONGOING THREAT THAT RUSSIA POSES
TO THE 2020 ELECTIONS AND THIS
INFORMATION IS VITAL FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KNOW, STEVE.
IT’S NOT INFORMATION THAT
BELONGS TO DONALD TRUMP.
IT’S INFORMATION THAT’S
