Some Republican lawmakers slammed Home Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) for publicly elevating the alarm on an alleged risk from Russia, in what they are saying is a politically pushed gambit to get Congress to go billions in help for Ukraine in addition to an intrusive surveillance invoice.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) on Thursday known as for an investigation into Turner in a letter to Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), first reported by Punchbowl, blasting him for “reckless disregard of the implications and penalties mentioned info would have on geopolitics, home and international markets, or the well-being and psyche of the American folks.”
He wrote:
In hindsight, it has turn into clear that the intent was not to make sure the protection of our homeland and the American folks, however reasonably to make sure extra funding for Ukraine and passage of an unreformed Overseas Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
This act constituted poor judgement at a minimal and an entire breach of belief influenced by the pursuit of a political agenda at a most,” he wrote.
Ogles additionally raised the prospect of Turner being eliminated as chairman, writing, “[S]hould the chairman retain his submit, you’ve an obligation and an obligation to reassure this physique (Congress) and the American people who the processes of the Intelligence Committee haven’t been corrupted by the very establishments they’re charged with monitoring.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Turner — a supporter of help to Ukraine — prompted public concern after he issued a obscure assertion about “a critical nationwide safety risk,” and requested that President Joe Biden “declassify all info referring to this risk in order that Congress, the Administration, and our allies can overtly focus on the actions needed to answer this risk.”
JUST IN; @RepMikeTurner Rep. Mike Turner, the Chairman of the Home Intelligence Committee has launched this assertion warning that the committee has been made conscious of a critical nationwide safety risk dealing with the US.
Solely a matter of time earlier than we’re attacked or… pic.twitter.com/O3asLER81P
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 14, 2024
Turner additionally fueled media frenzy by making the intelligence obtainable for all members of the Home to go and think about in an area within the Capitol often known as a SCIF, or delicate compartmented info facility. Usually, reporters collect simply exterior the house in hopes of catching members leaving the SCIF for feedback associated to what they simply seen.
Simply hours later, Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan made an look at a White Home press briefing to induce the Home to go $61 billion in help to Ukraine.
Sullivan additionally revealed that he was the one who contacted Turner and different members of the Gang of Eight earlier within the week concerning the alleged risk that Turner later went public with, however claimed he was shocked that Turner did so.
The Gang of Eight consists of the Republican and Democrat leaders of the Home and Senate, in addition to the Republican and Democrat leaders of the Home and Senate intelligence committees.
Sullivan mentioned he had arrange a briefing for these members for Thursday, in order that he was “a bit shocked” that Turner had gone public earlier than then.
Sullivan mentioned it was “extremely uncommon” for a nationwide safety adviser to achieve out personally to the Gang of Eight, however mentioned he did so to arrange the briefing.
A U.S. official instructed ABC Information that President Joe Biden had particularly requested Sullivan to achieve out to Turner and the Gang of Eight.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a staunch opponent of sending extra U.S. taxpayer help to Ukraine on high of the $113 billion already spent, known as Turner “extremely irresponsible.”
“The sport you’re watching isn’t the sport that’s really being performed. I believe it was extremely irresponsible for Home Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner to exit and gaslight the nation alleging this nationwide safety risk,” he mentioned on his present Firebrand.
“With out with the ability to focus on the nation or the matter, right here’s what I can say. I learn the intelligence right now. And whereas, after all, all these issues require us to regulate them, it was not, like, markedly completely different than different comparable sorts of intelligence evaluation that we’ve got acquired, that I’ve been briefed on for a number of years now as a seven-year member of the Home Armed Companies Committee,” he mentioned, including:
And so, then it actually begs the query, why? Why have been you gaslit? Why was there this huge, overarching declare of the imminency of some hurt to the American folks? You see within the Home of Representatives, we’re working to dam a virtually $100 billion greenback deficit spend. And we’re involved that that deficit spending isn’t going to make the world safer — giving cash to Ukraine, every other type of provocations round it — it might really make the world significantly much less secure.
And so…conservatives caught collectively, killed this dangerous invoice. After which proper on the heels of that you’ve Mike Turner on the market saying oh, this huge nationwide safety risk. And also you watch, they’ll attempt to use the veneer of this risk to attempt to justify spying on you, spending your cash driving up costs and being inflationary.
https://twitter.com/repmattgaetz/standing/1757934366372552957?s=46
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who mentioned she was additionally within the SCIF, mentioned the actual nationwide safety risk is Biden being a “dementia affected person,” the over 10 million folks illegally crossing the U.S. southern border — together with an “unknown quantity” of terrorists, and the nation being $34 trillion in debt that China owns most of.
She added:
Maybe the best risk is the federal authorities has turn into so highly effective over the people who it leaks ‘intelligence’ to the press in an effort to stress Congress to make sure votes, shield its personal energy to spy by itself residents, keep energy and shield its personal job safety, and most terrifying of all has turn into weaponized to crush its political enemies.
Greene concluded, “All of this I’m telling you didn’t come from the SCIF, you already know, and I’m relying on you to assist me cease our best nationwide safety risk, the one from inside.”
Are we dealing with a nationwide safety risk?
It’s my responsibility to be sincere with you.
Sure. It’s actual.
I went to the briefing right now within the SCIF.
Our President is a dementia affected person in command of our nation and the nuclear soccer, who ripped our border large open to over 10 million…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 15, 2024
Donald Trump Jr. additionally questioned the alleged risk, posting on X, “Does anybody actually imagine that there’s a critical Russian risk that magically leaks about 30 seconds after the Speaker mentioned they’re not going to take up funding one other $60 billion in Ukraine? Is anybody silly sufficient to purchase this at this level? Textbook deep state propaganda!”
Does anybody actually imagine that there’s a critical Russian risk that magically leaks about 30 seconds after the Speaker mentioned they’re not going to take up funding one other $60 billion in Ukraine?
Is anybody silly sufficient to purchase this at this level? Textbook deep state propaganda!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) February 14, 2024
Turner on Thursday not directly hit again at Ogles’s accusation of “reckless disregard,” arguing that he had consulted the Biden administration earlier than notifying all members of Congress concerning the risk. He mentioned in an announcement:
The Home Everlasting Choose Committee on Intelligence labored in session with the Biden Administration to inform Congress of this nationwide safety risk.
As well as, language within the bipartisan notification issued by the Chair and Rating Member to all Members of the Home was cleared by the Administration previous to its launch.
The Home Intelligence Committee voted 23 to 1 to make this info obtainable to Members of Congress. White Home officers confirmed that, of their view, the matter was ‘critical’.
Turner’s choice to go public concerning the alleged Russia risk got here a few week after he visited Ukraine. He posted 5 days in the past on X:
I led a bipartisan CODEL to Kyiv, the place we met with President @ZelenskyyUa, @USAmbKyiv Clean, and senior Ukrainian officers.
@RepFrenchHill, @RepJasonCrow, @RepSpanberger, Rep. @ZachNunn, and I reiterated America’s dedication to assist Ukraine in its battle towards Russia.
I led a bipartisan CODEL to Kyiv, the place we met with President @ZelenskyyUa, @USAmbKyiv Clean, and senior Ukrainian officers.@RepFrenchHill, @RepJasonCrow, @RepSpanberger, Rep. @ZachNunn, and I reiterated America’s dedication to assist Ukraine in its battle towards Russia. pic.twitter.com/dduQuLPB9D
— US Rep. Mike Turner (@RepMikeTurner) February 9, 2024
The Senate over the weekend handed a $95 billion invoice that might spend $61 billion on Ukraine, however Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) mentioned he has no plans to deliver it to the Home flooring anytime quickly.
Sullivan urged Johnson to take action, arguing {that a} majority of members of the Home assist sending help to Ukraine.
Turner’s assertion additionally got here proper earlier than the Munich Safety Council safety convention, the place dozens members of Congress will meet with European leaders this week to debate international safety issues, together with assist for Ukraine.
This story has been up to date with an announcement from Turner.
Observe Breitbart Information’s Kristina Wong on ”X”, Fact Social, or on Fb.