ODNI Scales Back Election Security Briefings to Intel Committees

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) is Scaling Back its Election Security Briefings to the Congressional Intelligence Committees.

ODNI told the House and Senate intelligence Panels that it will still provide Written Briefings, but that they should Not expect Verbal, In-Person Briefings on the Topic, according to a Congressional Official.

ODNI’s Decision does Not apply to the so-called Gang of Eight, the Group of Congressional Leaders who receive the Most Sensitive Classified Briefings.

The move is likely to Enrage Congressional Democrats, who have long Charged the Trump Administration with Downplaying Threats to U.S. Elections from Foreign Actors, especially Russia.

ODNI decided to Scale Back the Briefings because classified Material from recent Briefings Leaked Out, according to a U.S. Intelligence Official and a Congressional Official in touch with the Office.

ODNI Officials were particularly Angry about a Leak from an All-House Classified Briefing led by Top Counterintelligence Official, Bill Evanina, late last month, where Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA, 12th District), accused him of keeping Americans in the Dark about the Details of Russia’s continued Interference in the 2020 Campaign.

Evanina ultimately Acknowledged in that Briefing that Russia is again trying to Boost President Trump’s Re-Election and Denigrate his Opponent, Joe Biden.

In a Statement at the time, an ODNI Official said Evanina was “incredibly disappointed in the inability of some to protect classified information they are legally obligated to safeguard and instead attempt to use it for partisan gain.”

On the more Recent Moratorium on Verbal Briefings, an ODNI Official provided a Statement: “We are committed to meeting our statutory responsibilities and keeping Congress fully and currently informed. For clarity and to protect sensitive intelligence from unauthorized disclosures, we will primarily do that through written finished intelligence products. We are concerned about unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information following recent briefings. The DNI is committed to ensuring Congress is fully and currently informed and that classified information is protected.”










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