US Politics
Senator expresses ‘deep concern’ about CIA activity in cryptic letter
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A U.S. senator sent a cryptic letter to the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, conveying alarm about the agency’s operations.
On Wednesday, Sen. Ron Wyden — an Oregon Democrat who serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence — posted a brief letter addressed to CIA Director John Ratcliffe, drawing his attention to an earlier “classified” message.
“I write to alert you to a classified letter I sent you earlier today, in which I express deep concerns about CIA activities,” Wyden wrote. “Thank you for your attention to this important matter.”
It’s not clear what activities — whether at home or abroad — Wyden was referring to. A representative for his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.
“During recent congressional briefings, CIA earned bicameral, bipartisan praise for its historic contributions and widespread recognition of the Agency’s exceptional performance under Director Ratcliffe,” CIA Spokesperson Liz Lyons told The Independent. “Ironic but unsurprising that Senator Wyden is unhappy. Badge of honor.”
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Wyden, who was first elected in 1996, has long been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration. Last month, he asked the 79-year-old Republican president to provide information about a Rolex watch and gold bar he accepted from a European businessman last year. He’s also accused federal immigration agents of “lawless” behavior amidst the president’s immigration crackdown.
His newly released letter comes after a series of developments within the intelligence community.
Late last month, CNN reported that the Trump administration plans to establish a permanent CIA presence in Venezuela, following the U.S. military operation that captured deposed President Nicolás Maduro. In October, the president authorized the agency to conduct covert operations in the Latin American nation.
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Shortly after Maduro’s ouster, Ratcliffe — a former Texas congressman, who served as Trump’s director of national intelligence during his first term — met with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez in Caracas for a two-hour meeting.
And, on Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that DNI Tulsi Gabbard faces a whistleblower complaint which is so classified that officials debated over how to properly inform Congress.
The disclosure of the complaint, which is being kept in a safe, could trigger “grave damage to national security,” one unnamed official told the outlet.
Members of Congress have since been provided with a redacted version of the complaint against Gabbard.
