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Director of National Intelligence nominee John Ratcliffe appears before Senate Director of National Intelligence nominee John Ratcliffe pledges to keep politics out of job
(about 2 hours later)
Rep. John Ratcliffe, President Trump’s pick to be the nation’s top intelligence official appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee this morning, where he was expected to face pointed questions from Democrats about his qualifications and his willingness to provide candid intelligence free from political considerations. It is the first confirmation hearing to be held in the middle of the pandemic lockdown. Rep. John Ratcliffe, President Trump’s pick to be the nation’s top intelligence official appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday and immediately faced pointed questions from Democrats about his qualifications and his willingness to provide candid intelligence free from political considerations.
The hearing comes as senior administration officials have been pressing spy agencies for evidence to back an unproven theory that a government lab in Wuhan, China, was the source of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of almost 70,000 Americans. It is the first confirmation hearing to be held in the middle of the coronavirus lockdown and comes as senior administration officials have pressed spy agencies for evidence to back an unproven theory that a government lab in Wuhan, China, was the source of the global pandemic that has claimed the lives of almost 70,000 Americans.
The committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), explained that in order to follow social-distancing rules, senators would come in and out of the hearing room as they ask questions, rather than gather together, as is customary. The committee chairman, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), explained that to follow social-distancing rules, senators would come in and out of the hearing room as they ask questions, rather than gather together, as is customary.
Ratcliffe’s original nomination last summer was withdrawn after only five days in the wake of criticism that the Texas Republican overstated his résumé and lacked the qualifications to serve as the nation’s top intelligence official. Ratcliffe sought to assuage concerns, voiced in advance of the hearing, that his history as a partisan ally of the president would influence his role as the apolitical head of 17 intelligence agencies.
Since then, Ratcliffe has met with senators on the committee and made the case that he has the credentials to hold the job. Questions have persisted, however, about whether Ratcliffe hyped his record as a U.S. attorney, including a claim that he played a central role in a terrorism financing prosecution involving the Holy Land Foundation. “Regardless of what anyone wants our intelligence to reflect, the intelligence I will provide if confirmed will not be altered or impacted by outside influence,” Ratcliffe said in his opening statement.
Senators have seen material “affirming his national security experience,” said a person familiar with Ratcliffe’s confirmation process who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the deliberations of lawmakers. Justice Department records reviewed by The Washington Post show Ratcliffe was assigned to 34 “matters” involving national security. Ratcliffe withdraws from consideration for intelligence chief less than a week after Trump picked him
Democrats appeared unconvinced that Ratcliffe, a former federal prosecutor, possessed the credentials necessary for the job. The congressman withdrew his first nomination to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) last summer after only five days in the wake of criticism that he overstated his resume and had not played a significant role in prosecuting terrorism cases, as Ratcliffe had claimed during his run for Congress.
“I have to say that, while I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in this hearing, I don’t see what has changed since last summer, when the president decided not to proceed with your nomination over concerns about your inexperience, partisanship, and past statements that seemed to embellish your record,” said Mark R. Warner (D-Va.). “This includes some particularly damaging remarks about whistleblowers, which has long been a bipartisan cause on this committee.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a former committee chair, pressed Ratcliffe on his previous accusations that an intelligence community employee who filed a whistleblower complaint about Trump’s phone call last year with the president of Ukraine “made false statements” and “didn't’ tell the truth.” The complaint precipitated Trump’s impeachment, and Ratcliffe was one of the president’s staunchest defenders throughout that process, frequently seeking to undermine the whistleblower’s credibility and portray that individual as politically biased.
Ratcliffe replied that he didn’t want to “re-litigate” Trump’s impeachment and said his concerns were not that the whistleblower process was abnormal but that Trump had not received “due process” before the House of Representatives.
“I want to make it very clear, if confirmed as DNI, every whistleblower, past, present and future, will enjoy every protection under the law.”
Michael Atkinson, the former inspector general for the intelligence community, who Ratcliffe praised at the hearing, found the complaint “urgent” and “credible.” Trump fired Atkinson in April, calling him a “disgrace.”
Inspector general who handled Ukraine whistleblower complaint says ‘it is hard not to think’ Trump fired him for doing his job
Ratcliffe appeared unruffled by attempts to align him with the president, who has repeatedly attacked intelligence officials and rank-and-file employees as part of a “deep state” determined to undermine his presidency.
Although Democrats and Republicans alike were initially cool to his nomination last year, congressional observers said that Ratcliffe is likely to win swift confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate. Many members are also eager to replace the acting DNI, Richard Grenell, an outspoken Trump loyalist and the current ambassador to Germany, believing that a permanent DNI will be more accountable to Congress, according to congressional aides.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said that Ratcliffe was qualified to hold the position, which by law requires the DNI to have “extensive national security expertise.” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who co-authored that law, echoed her previous comments that she also believed Ratcliffe met the requirements.
Questions persist about whether Ratcliffe has hyped his record as a prosecutor, including a claim that he played a central role in a terrorism financing prosecution involving the Holy Land Foundation. A spokeswoman for Ratcliffe acknowledged he did not prosecute the case but rather investigated “issues related to” the case’s ending in a mistrial.
Senators have seen material “affirming his national security experience,” said a person familiar with Ratcliffe’s confirmation process. Justice Department records reviewed by The Post show Ratcliffe was assigned to 34 “matters” involving national security.
“Senators have had a chance to get to know him, both in person and through answers to extensive questionnaires,” the person said. “They’ve heard him talk about his experience in — and frankly preference for — his nonpartisan, apolitical roles” at the Justice Department. “That’s directly applicable to the role he’ll be stepping into” at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.“Senators have had a chance to get to know him, both in person and through answers to extensive questionnaires,” the person said. “They’ve heard him talk about his experience in — and frankly preference for — his nonpartisan, apolitical roles” at the Justice Department. “That’s directly applicable to the role he’ll be stepping into” at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Democrats are expected to press Ratcliffe on his credentials and the way he’s presented them in the past. “While I am willing to give Mr. Ratcliffe the benefit of the doubt in the hearing,” Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a draft of his opening statement, portions of which were provided to The Post. “I don’t see what has changed since last summer, when the president decided not to proceed with this nomination over concerns regarding his inexperience, partisanship, and past statements that seemed to embellish his record.”