Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has urged for a comprehensive investigation into the infamous letter that discredited the Hunter Biden laptop story just before the 2020 election. On Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Ratcliffe, accompanied by former House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA), discussed the recent disclosure that some of the letter’s signatories were CIA contractors at the time.
Ratcliffe criticized the CIA’s involvement, stating, “The CIA is supposed to be apolitical and is charged by law under the Hatch Act and other restrictions from engaging in political activity.” Initially, the letter was considered legitimate because it was thought the signatories were acting in a private capacity. However, it has been revealed that former Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell and former CIA Inspector General David Buckley were active CIA contractors when they signed the letter.
This new information suggests potential violations of the Hatch Act and Title 18 for election interference. House investigators reported that these officials might have leveraged their positions to expedite the letter’s approval while being compensated with taxpayer dollars.
The CIA has responded, asserting that the former officials did not represent the agency’s views. Moreover, the report highlighted that Hatch Act restrictions differ for contractors compared to CIA employees, though it proposed lawmakers consider extending these prohibitions to contractors.
Ratcliffe praised the House investigation but stressed the need for a deeper probe, one he believes the current administration is unlikely to pursue. He suggested that if Donald Trump were re-elected, his administration could lead this investigation.
“What has to happen here, Maria, is that when President Trump is sworn into office, a new CIA director, a new CIA inspector general, and a new attorney general for a Trump administration need a deeper investigation and potential criminal referrals here,” Ratcliffe explained. He also called for permanent removal of security clearances and affiliations for those involved in orchestrating the letter.
He added that a debarment list should be established for individuals who engage in such political interference, preventing them from any future government affiliations or business dealings.
Ratcliffe’s call for a thorough investigation highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop story and the need for accountability within the intelligence community.
