JUDY WOODRUFF: Americans will begin casting
ballots in this fall's general elections in
just a couple of weeks, and Election Day itself
is just a little more than two months away.
But now there is word of changes in how top
U.S. intelligence officials will brief Congress
about other nations' attempts to interfere
in the election.
For more on that, I'm joined by our own Lisa
Desjardins and Nick Schifrin.
JUDY WOODRUFF: So, hello to both of you.
Lisa, first of all, tell us a little more
about what is happening and why this matters?
LISA DESJARDINS: Speaking to many sources
today, both parties are very concerned about
threats to election security this year coming
from foreign adversaries.
And I have learned there was scheduled a briefing
for the House Intelligence Committee in mid-September.
But, Friday, John Ratcliffe, the director
of national intelligence, set a letter to
both chambers of Congress -- or sent a letter
to saying that all briefings in-person would
be canceled.
This led to a confusing back-and-forth for
the next 24 hours about what exactly he meant.
And now, it seems, sources are telling me
the understanding -- this is coming largely
from Republicans -- is that now Republican
senators will be briefed, but not House Democrats.
So, just to review, here is what we're talking
about. As a co-equal branch of government,
these are the two committees that usually
are fully briefed, House Intelligence, led
by Democrat Adam Schiff, and Senate Intelligence,
now led by Republican Marco Rubio.
The change, Judy, as we understand it right
now, is that only the Republican Senate Intelligence
Committee -- I'm sorry -- only the Senate
Intelligence Committee, both parties on that
committee, will be briefed fully in-person.
Everyone else will get written statements.
OK, so, why does this matter? First of all,
briefings provide a great deal more information
in-person than on paper. Separately, this
shows the mistrust that is growing between
lawmakers, who usually put politics aside
on this issue.
And it's coming at an important time, Judy.
There are real concerns right now about Russia
in particular attempting to manipulate this
election. And as one senator, Angus King,
pointed out to me on a phone call, there is
a feeling that, in 2016, the public was warned
too late about what Russia was doing, and
there is concern that again the public may
not be aware of what is going on right now.
JUDY WOODRUFF: And, Nick, what is the intelligence
community saying about this?
NICK SCHIFRIN: Judy, an ODNI official told
me that -- quote -- they're "committed" to
meet their statutory responsibilities to keep
Congress informed, but they wouldn't confirm
what Lisa just reported about whether there
will be some in-person briefings to either
the Senate or the House Intelligence Committees.
As for the motivation, they're very clear.
Those letters that Lisa just mentioned were
sent to congressional leadership and committees
on Friday. And Ratcliffe wrote that he didn't
want information -- quote -- "misunderstood
or politicized."
He told FOX News that that meant he didn't
want to see information leaked.
JOHN RATCLIFFE, U.S. Director of National
Intelligence: We have 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.
NICK SCHIFRIN: I asked Ratcliffe's office
about leaking. All they would say is that,
"We take unauthorized disclosures of classified
information seriously."
LISA DESJARDINS: And to add to that, Judy,
I asked lawmakers also.
And Senate Republicans could not pinpoint
a specific example of a leak that came from
Democrats that they thought was a problem.
Instead, they said it is a general politicization
of intelligence. Democrats pushed back. They
think they're being penalized for being too
aggressive or more aggressive on this issue.
And some Democrats do believe, as Nick just
reported, that this action could be illegal.
JUDY WOODRUFF: And, Nick, finally, you have
been also talking to former intelligence officials.
What are they saying?
NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes, these former officials,
Republicans, Democrats, senior career intelligence
officials, they accuse Ratcliffe of misleading
the public on the threat to the election.
In that FOX News interview, he insisted that
China was the U.S.' top threat. And many officials
across the government do believe that China
is the long-term strategic threat that the
U.S. is most concerned about.
But the immediate, overt threat to the election
is Russia. And that was even in a recent statement
released by the Office of the Director of
National Intelligence. It said pro-Kremlin
actors were to denigrate former Vice President
Biden and boost President Trump's candidacy,
whereas China's goal was long term, shape
the policy environment, pressure political
figures considered anti-China, and deflect
criticism.
And that really leads to former officials'
fear of the politicization of the intelligence
community. First, Ambassador Ric Grenell,
a Trump ally with no intelligence experience,
became acting director, and now John Ratcliffe,
nominated and withdrawn last year, also a
Trump ally with no intelligence experience,
confirmed a few months ago.
And now former officials tell me that senior
career intelligence officials are leaving
the intelligence community, for fear it's
being politicized.
JUDY WOODRUFF: And all of this happening just
weeks before the election, before people start
voting.
Nick Schifrin, Lisa Desjardins, thank you
both.
