Bowling Green Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), along with Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), have written a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, calling for the immediate rescission of the appointments of James Clapper, John Brennan, and Paul Kolbe to the newly formed Homeland Intelligence Experts Group. The senators have also demanded answers on how these appointment decisions were made.

In the letter, the senators express their concern over the appointment of individuals known for spreading disinformation to a committee that is intended to advance the intelligence and national security efforts of the country. They criticize Mayorkas for bringing in James Clapper, John Brennan, and Paul Kolbe, who have been accused of disseminating false information in the past.

'It is disheartening, but not surprising, to see the same agency head that pursued a failed attempt to establish an Orwellian Disinformation Governance Board at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – led by Nina Jankowicz, an individual renowned for her dissemination of disinformation online –seek to bring James Clapper, John Brennan, and Paul Kolbe into his agency. The decision to assign individuals known to spread lies and disinformation to a committee intended to advance the intelligence and national security efforts of our country shows the depths of your agency’s, and this administration’s, disrespect for the American people,' said Dr. Paul.

The senators also highlight the actions of Clapper, Brennan, and Kolbe during the 2020 presidential campaign. They allege that these individuals, acting at the direction of the political campaign of then-candidate Joe Biden, made false statements about the abandoned laptop of Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. According to the senators, these individuals asserted, without evidence, that the laptop and its incriminating information were "Russian disinformation."

The letter also brings up the past actions of James Clapper, who is accused of lying under oath to the United States Senate in 2013 to hide the National Security Agency's (NSA) spying operations on millions of Americans. The senators criticize the appointment of Clapper to the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group, stating that it shows a lack of accountability for his past actions.

In addition to calling for the rescission of the appointments, the senators have requested several documents and information related to the establishment and operation of the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group. They have asked for documents and communications about the group's establishment, a list of all members, information on the selection process and criteria, and details about the members' compensation and access to classified information, among other things.

The senators have also indicated their intention to urge Chairman Gary Peters to demand Secretary Mayorkas' appearance before the Committee in a hearing to explain the appointments despite the individuals' disreputable records.

Click this link to access more information: https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-paul-sen-scott-lead-letter-demanding-mayorkas-rescind-appointments-of-known-disinformation-spreaders-to-intelligence-group/