- Mar 14, 2007
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The acting director of national intelligence refused to testify before Congress this week or hand over a whistle-blower complaint to lawmakers, escalating a standoff between Capitol Hill and a Trump-picked functionary.
Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Representative Adam B. Schiff of California demanded in a letter on Friday that Joseph Maguire director of national intelligence turn over a whistle-blower complaint made to the inspector general for the intelligence agencies.
“The committee’s position is clear — the acting D.N.I. can provide the complaint as required under the law,” Mr. Schiff said, “or he will be required to come before the committee to tell the public why he is not following the letter of the law, including whether the President and the attorney general are directing him to do so.”
The original complaint was submitted on Aug. 12 by a member of the intelligence community, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Mr. Schiff said the law required that the complaint and the inspector general’s determination be shared with Congress.
“No director of national intelligence has ever refused to turn over a whistle-blower complaint,” Mr. Schiff said Sunday on CBS News’s “Face the Nation.”
Mr. Schiff told CBS that Mr. Maguire had told him he was not providing the complaint “because he is being instructed not to, that this involved a higher authority, someone above” the director of national intelligence, meaning the President.
Mr. Schiff said he expected Mr. Maguire to appear Thursday under subpoena. The inspector general for the intelligence agencies has determined that the complaint is “credible and urgent,” and that is why the committee must move quickly, Mr. Schiff said.
Mr. Maguire was named by Trump the acting director of national intelligence after Dan Coats was removed from from his position, as was his second in command.
Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Representative Adam B. Schiff of California demanded in a letter on Friday that Joseph Maguire director of national intelligence turn over a whistle-blower complaint made to the inspector general for the intelligence agencies.
“The committee’s position is clear — the acting D.N.I. can provide the complaint as required under the law,” Mr. Schiff said, “or he will be required to come before the committee to tell the public why he is not following the letter of the law, including whether the President and the attorney general are directing him to do so.”
The original complaint was submitted on Aug. 12 by a member of the intelligence community, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Mr. Schiff said the law required that the complaint and the inspector general’s determination be shared with Congress.
“No director of national intelligence has ever refused to turn over a whistle-blower complaint,” Mr. Schiff said Sunday on CBS News’s “Face the Nation.”
Mr. Schiff told CBS that Mr. Maguire had told him he was not providing the complaint “because he is being instructed not to, that this involved a higher authority, someone above” the director of national intelligence, meaning the President.
Mr. Schiff said he expected Mr. Maguire to appear Thursday under subpoena. The inspector general for the intelligence agencies has determined that the complaint is “credible and urgent,” and that is why the committee must move quickly, Mr. Schiff said.
Mr. Maguire was named by Trump the acting director of national intelligence after Dan Coats was removed from from his position, as was his second in command.
