Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faced scrutiny in a congressional hearing over appointing three individuals to an advisory panel of intelligence experts who had previously endorsed the view that a story about Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinformation.
The laptop’s authenticity has been confirmed by the FBI before the 2020 election, yet Mayorkas claimed ignorance.
- James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence; John Brennan, the former CIA chief in the Obama administration, and Paul Kolbe, a long-time CIA official, were among dozens who signed the letter calling a New York Post report on the laptop Russian disinformation.
- Rep. Kat Cammack, a Florida Republican, found it “shocking” that Mayorkas wasn’t aware of the experts’ role in the laptop letter.
- Mayorkas defended his decision, calling the appointees “distinguished former members of the intelligence community.”
- The intelligence group aims to advise Mayorkas on national security matters and is structured to meet four times annually, boasting bipartisan representation, including members who served in previous administrations like George W. Bush’s John Bellinger and Michael Leiter.
The department emphasized the need for diverse perspectives within the panel, reflecting a range of experiences and viewpoints to address national security challenges.
A comprehensive version of this article by Stephan Dinan can be read HERE
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