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Clapper Provided “Inconsistent Testimony” – House Intelligence Final Findings

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The House Intelligence Committee just released its final Report on its Russia Investigation:

This report, based on 70-plus witness interviews and more than 300,000 documents collected, provides specific findings and recommendations to improve our election security before the mid-term elections. The report, which will include minority views if the minority submits them, presents the comprehensive results of what the Committee has learned during its fourteen-month-long investigation, and will be useful in thwarting any attempts by Russia or other foreign powers to further meddle in U.S. elections.”

The report will now be submitted to the Intelligence Community for an expedited declassification review, after which a redacted version will be made public.

For updated findings and recommendations from the report and other public documents related to the Committee’s Russia investigation, click here.

Of particular interest is the Final Findings and Recommendations.

Findings #40-44 are especially intriguing – and will prove problematic for James Clapper.

John Brennan should be concerned as well.

I’ve listed the most notable findings made by the Committee and provided links – where relevant – to related articles previously written.

Finding #16: The Intelligence Community Assessment judgments on Putin’s strategic intentions did not employ proper analytic tradecraft.

Finding #19: The dossier compiled by Christopher Steele formed an essential part of an application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to obtain electronic surveillance on Carter Page.

Finding #21: Classified.

Finding #22: General Flynn pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding his December 2016 conversations with Ambassador Kislyak, even though Federal Bureau of Investigation agents did not detect any deception during Flynn’s interview.

Finding #23: Executive Branch officials did not notify the Trump campaign that members of the campaign were assessed to potential counterintelligence concerns.

Finding #25: When asked directly, none of the interviewed witnesses provided evidence of collusion, coordination, or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Finding #26: The Committee found no evidence that President Trump’s pre-campaign business dealings formed the basis for collusion during the campaign.

Finding #29: There is no evidence that Trump associates were involved in the theft or publication of Clinton campaign-related emails, although Trump associates had numerous ill-advised contacts with WikiLeaks.

Finding #30: Carter Page did not travel to Moscow in July 2016 on behalf of the Trump campaign, but the Committee is concerned about his seemingly incomplete accounts of his activity in Moscow.

Finding #34: The Committee found no evidence that meetings between Trump associates – including Jeff Sessions – and official representatives of the Russian government – including Ambassador Kislyak – reflected collusion, coordination, or conspiracy with the Russian government.

Finding #36: Prior to conducting opposition research targeting candidate Trump’s business dealings, Fusion GPS conducted research benefiting Russian interests.

Finding #38: Christopher Steele claims to have obtained his dossier information second- and third-hand from purported high-placed Russian sources, such as government officials with links to the Kremlin and intelligence services.

Finding #40: Leaks of classified information regarding Russian intentions to sow discord in the U.S. presidential election began prior to election – November 8, 2016.

Finding #41: Leaks of classified information alleging Russian intentions to help elect candidate Trump increased dramatically after the election day – November 8, 2016.

Finding #42: The leaks prior to the classified Intelligence Community Assessment’s publication, particularly leaks occurring after the U.S. presidential election, correlate to specific language found in the Intelligence Community Assessment.

Finding #43: Continued leaks of classified information have damaged national security and potentially endangered lives.

Finding #44: Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, now a CNN national security analyst, provided inconsistent testimony to the Committee about his contacts with the media, including CNN.

Clapper can be seen here, on March 12, 2018, denying he had ever spoken to the media prior to leaving office on January 20, 2017:

“Sources tell me this will be a ‘problem’ for Clapper.”

Clapper and Brennan were both intimately involved in surveillance of the Trump Campaign and establishment and use of the Russian Narrative.

Clapper was singled out in the House’s Findings.

Expect Brennan’s name to come up next.

Notable Recommendations Made by the Committee:

Recommendation #18: Congress should consider repealing the Logan Act.

Recommendation #25: Congress should consider legislation to increase the penalties for unauthorized disclosure of classified information.

Recommendation #26: The Executive Branch should consider instituting mandatory polygraphs for all non-confirmed political appointees that have top-secret clearances.

Mandatory polygraphs for all non-confirmed political appointees that have top-secret clearances.

I like the sound of that.

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