Whistleblower says White House repeatedly instructed officials to downplay Russian interference

Introversion

Pie aren't squared, pie are round!
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 17, 2013
Messages
10,643
Reaction score
14,867
Location
Massachusetts
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/politics/dhs-whistleblower-white-supremacist-threat/index.html

CNN said:
A whistleblower is alleging that top political appointees in the Department of Homeland Security repeatedly instructed career officials to modify intelligence assessments to suit President Donald Trump's agenda by downplaying Russia's efforts to interfere in the US and the threat posed by White supremacists, according to documents reviewed by CNN and a source familiar with the situation.

The whistleblower claims that acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf instructed DHS officials earlier this year to "cease providing intelligence assessments on the threat of Russian interference" and, instead, focus their efforts on gathering information related to activities being carried out by China and Iran.

Trump and several of his top national security advisers have repeatedly sought to emphasize the threat posed by China in recent months while downplaying the intelligence community's warnings related to Russian interference in the 2020 election.

DHS did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment regarding allegations that Wolf and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli ordered officials to change intelligence assessments for political reasons but have broadly denied either man took actions that constitute as an abuse of power, as stated in the complaint.

The complaint also alleges that Wolf and Cuccinelli, both Trump appointees, directed officials to change intelligence assessments to ensure they matched up with misleading public comments from Trump about Antifa and "anarchist" groups, according to a complaint filed with the DHS inspector general.

Separately, both Wolf and Cuccinelli also tried to alter a report to downplay the threat posed by White supremacists and instead emphasize the role of leftist groups due to concerns about how the initial language would reflect on the President, according to a source familiar with the claims raised by the whistleblower.

...
 

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
23,083
Reaction score
10,780
Location
Where faults collide
Website
doggedlywriting.blogspot.com
Biden has been endorsed by nearly 500 National Security Experts.

https://www.npr.org/2020/09/24/9161...-security-experts-endorse-biden-for-president

Nearly 500 national security experts – both civilians and former senior uniformed officers — have endorsed Joe Biden for president, saying the "current president" is not up to "the enormous responsibilities of his office."

Addressed to "Our Fellow Citizens," the 489 national security experts include 22 four-star officers. The letter never mentions President Trump by name.

Hardly surprising.
 

Diana Hignutt

Very Tired
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
13,315
Reaction score
7,098
Location
Albany, NY
That's treason, but I guess it's all good these days.
 

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
12,977
Reaction score
4,513
Location
USA
Website
brightdreamersbookreviews.blogspot.com
That's treason, but I guess it's all good these days.

It's not treason if you consider what's in the best interest of the man to be greater than the interest of the whole measly country. That's why we have presidents, isn't it? To enrich and empower one person above all others?
 

jennontheisland

the world is at my command
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,270
Reaction score
2,125
Location
down by the bay
It's not treason if you consider what's in the best interest of the man to be greater than the interest of the whole measly country. That's why we have presidents, isn't it? To enrich and empower one person above all others?

I hear the sarcasm in this, but really, the US elects a king who has no responsibility to an electoral riding (that's the canadian word, I don't know the US one) and who gets to appoint unelected representatives to over 2000 positions (pretty sure that's the number I heard when the last election was over) who rule the country with him. It really is to enrich and empower one person over all others, and his friends get to benefit from their appointments.

It's frankly surprising it took 200 years for someone to figure this out and use it to its fullest.

The only way to stop it from happening again is to scrap this system of elected royalty and try again in some other fashion, lessons learned.
 
Last edited:

jennontheisland

the world is at my command
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 17, 2006
Messages
7,270
Reaction score
2,125
Location
down by the bay
And the hits just keep on coming!

:D

Maybe? If this is news, it's not spreading far. Granted most of my consumption is passive, but I've usually heard of what I read about in this forum before I get here. This one, nothing.
 

MaeZe

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Messages
12,775
Reaction score
6,484
Location
Ralph's side of the island.
Maybe? If this is news, it's not spreading far. Granted most of my consumption is passive, but I've usually heard of what I read about in this forum before I get here. This one, nothing.

I was talking about yet another whistleblower. Not sure what you mean?