https://www.yahoo.com/gma/dhs-withheld-july-intelligence-bulletin-080207816.html
DHS withheld July intelligence bulletin calling out Russian attack on Biden’s mental health
JOSH MARGOLIN, LUCIEN BRUGGEMAN, WILL STEAKIN and JONATHAN KARL
[URL='http://abcnews.go.com/']
September 2, 2020, 3:02 AM CDT
DHS withheld bulletin calling out Russian attack on Biden's mental health
ABC News Videos
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In early July the Department of Homeland Security withheld publication of an intelligence bulletin warning law enforcement agencies of a Russian scheme to promote “allegations about the poor mental health” of former Vice President Joe Biden, according to internal emails and a draft of the document obtained by ABC News.
The draft bulletin, titled “Russia Likely to Denigrate Health of US Candidates to Influence 2020 Election,” was submitted to the agency’s legislative and public affairs office for review on July 7. The analysis was not meant for public consumption, but it was set to be distributed to federal, state and local law enforcement partners two days later, on July 9, the emails show.
MORE: Russia working to boost Trump's reelection and 'denigrate' Biden, as China undermines Trump: US intelligence
Just one hour after its submission, however, a senior DHS official intervened.
“Please hold on sending this one out until you have a chance to speak to [acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf]," wrote DHS Chief of Staff John Gountanis, according to an email obtained by ABC News.
That was nearly two months ago. But the bulletin was never circulated.
PHOTO: President Donald Trump delivers remarks on immigration and border security as Acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf looks on at the international airport in Yuma, Ariz., Aug. 18, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
In a statement to ABC News, a DHS spokesperson confirmed that the product was “delayed,” explaining that it failed to meet the agency’s standards.
According to the draft bulletin, analysts determined with “high confidence” that “Russian malign influence actors are likely to continue denigrating presidential candidates through allegations of poor mental or physical health to influence the outcome of the 2020 election.”
“High confidence means what it sounds like -- that they are highly confident that their assessment is accurate and they don’t use that language very often,” Elizabeth Neumann, a former assistant secretary of Homeland Security during the Trump administration, told ABC News.
The document mentions Iranian and Chinese efforts to criticize Trump, but focuses on — and takes its title from — Russia’s attacks on Biden’s mental fitness. It is a line of attack also utilized by both President Donald Trump and his reelection campaign.
Beyond warnings of Russia's purported activity, critics said the decision to withhold the document will fuel concern that the Trump administration has sought to politicize intelligence, particularly after an announcement over the weekend that senior intelligence leaders will cease congressional election security briefings due to alleged leaks from lawmakers, and will instead provide only written reports.
MORE: Citing concern over leaks, intel community will cease in-person election security briefings to Congress
PHOTO: Russian honor guards march during ae military parade in Moscow's Red Square on Nov. 7, 2018. (Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
“We are hearing concerns being raised publicly that, in this administration, intelligence community reporting is being modified or blocked for political reasons -- or to not anger the president,” said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and the former undersecretary for intelligence at DHS under President Barack Obama.
“By blocking information from being released that describes threats facing the nation,” Cohen continued, “it undermines the ability of the public and state and local authorities to work with the federal government to counteract the threat.”
As an example of Russian efforts to raise doubts about Biden's mental acuity, the draft bulletin points to a March story on a Russian proxy website that "refuted media claims that the candidate’s gaffes are a result of a stutter, instead arguing these verbal miscues are symptoms of dementia.”
The DHS spokesperson said that while the agency “generally does not comment on leaked documents, this particular draft product lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissemination outside of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis.”
“After briefing the Acting Secretary and he asked questions,” the spokesperson continued, “[Office of Intelligence and Analysis] career leadership decided to delay the product for further review.”
In a statement to ABC News regarding the DHS bulletin, Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh said, “We don’t need or want any foreign interference.”
“There’s no question that the President has been tougher on Russia than any president before him, imposing sanctions and expelling diplomats, in contrast to the Obama-Biden Administration, which choked in the face of Russian interference,” he said. “President Trump will beat Joe Biden fair and square.”
The White House declined to comment.
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DHS withheld July intelligence bulletin calling out Russian attack on Biden’s mental health
JOSH MARGOLIN, LUCIEN BRUGGEMAN, WILL STEAKIN and JONATHAN KARL
[URL='http://abcnews.go.com/']
September 2, 2020, 3:02 AM CDTDHS withheld bulletin calling out Russian attack on Biden's mental health
ABC News Videos
Scroll back up to restore default view.
In early July the Department of Homeland Security withheld publication of an intelligence bulletin warning law enforcement agencies of a Russian scheme to promote “allegations about the poor mental health” of former Vice President Joe Biden, according to internal emails and a draft of the document obtained by ABC News.
The draft bulletin, titled “Russia Likely to Denigrate Health of US Candidates to Influence 2020 Election,” was submitted to the agency’s legislative and public affairs office for review on July 7. The analysis was not meant for public consumption, but it was set to be distributed to federal, state and local law enforcement partners two days later, on July 9, the emails show.
MORE: Russia working to boost Trump's reelection and 'denigrate' Biden, as China undermines Trump: US intelligence
Just one hour after its submission, however, a senior DHS official intervened.
“Please hold on sending this one out until you have a chance to speak to [acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf]," wrote DHS Chief of Staff John Gountanis, according to an email obtained by ABC News.
That was nearly two months ago. But the bulletin was never circulated.
PHOTO: President Donald Trump delivers remarks on immigration and border security as Acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf looks on at the international airport in Yuma, Ariz., Aug. 18, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
In a statement to ABC News, a DHS spokesperson confirmed that the product was “delayed,” explaining that it failed to meet the agency’s standards.
According to the draft bulletin, analysts determined with “high confidence” that “Russian malign influence actors are likely to continue denigrating presidential candidates through allegations of poor mental or physical health to influence the outcome of the 2020 election.”
“High confidence means what it sounds like -- that they are highly confident that their assessment is accurate and they don’t use that language very often,” Elizabeth Neumann, a former assistant secretary of Homeland Security during the Trump administration, told ABC News.
The document mentions Iranian and Chinese efforts to criticize Trump, but focuses on — and takes its title from — Russia’s attacks on Biden’s mental fitness. It is a line of attack also utilized by both President Donald Trump and his reelection campaign.
Beyond warnings of Russia's purported activity, critics said the decision to withhold the document will fuel concern that the Trump administration has sought to politicize intelligence, particularly after an announcement over the weekend that senior intelligence leaders will cease congressional election security briefings due to alleged leaks from lawmakers, and will instead provide only written reports.
MORE: Citing concern over leaks, intel community will cease in-person election security briefings to Congress
PHOTO: Russian honor guards march during ae military parade in Moscow's Red Square on Nov. 7, 2018. (Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
“We are hearing concerns being raised publicly that, in this administration, intelligence community reporting is being modified or blocked for political reasons -- or to not anger the president,” said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and the former undersecretary for intelligence at DHS under President Barack Obama.
“By blocking information from being released that describes threats facing the nation,” Cohen continued, “it undermines the ability of the public and state and local authorities to work with the federal government to counteract the threat.”
As an example of Russian efforts to raise doubts about Biden's mental acuity, the draft bulletin points to a March story on a Russian proxy website that "refuted media claims that the candidate’s gaffes are a result of a stutter, instead arguing these verbal miscues are symptoms of dementia.”
The DHS spokesperson said that while the agency “generally does not comment on leaked documents, this particular draft product lacked the necessary context and evidence for broader dissemination outside of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis.”
“After briefing the Acting Secretary and he asked questions,” the spokesperson continued, “[Office of Intelligence and Analysis] career leadership decided to delay the product for further review.”
In a statement to ABC News regarding the DHS bulletin, Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh said, “We don’t need or want any foreign interference.”
“There’s no question that the President has been tougher on Russia than any president before him, imposing sanctions and expelling diplomats, in contrast to the Obama-Biden Administration, which choked in the face of Russian interference,” he said. “President Trump will beat Joe Biden fair and square.”
The White House declined to comment.
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