Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, a documented serial liar, is attempting to clean up the damage he did after signing a letter in October 2020. In that letter, Clapper joined 51 former intelligence officials and officers to claim Hunter Biden's infamous laptop was "Russian disinformation." The letter was published in POLITICO with the intention of swaying the 2020 presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Now that Republicans are in control of the House, with plans to tighten the screws on Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan for their abuse of their titles and access to state secrets, Clapper claims the letter was taken out context.
NEW: Obama DNI Jim Clapper says Politico “distorted” the letter he & 50 other ex-intel officials signed baselessly claiming Russian involvement in the Hunter Biden laptop saga when Natasha Bertrand’s headline said they labeled the laptop “Russian disinfo.”https://t.co/RvxMkK3lHr
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) February 13, 2023
Those who have been following the saga closely are crying foul, pointing out Clapper took no issue with the context and publication of the letter until now.
If James Clapper truly believed Politico "deliberately distorted" that letter he signed onto, then why did he wait until Glenn Kessler contacted him about it in 2023 versus criticizing Politico in Oct. 2020 after it published the article? https://t.co/Jp1LnuhhSr
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) February 13, 2023
Fascinating.
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) February 13, 2023
Fmr DNI James Clapper is talking to The Washington Post fact checker in an attempt to clean up the fact he led a statement that provided Joe Biden BS cover in the infamous Politico story: "Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say" https://t.co/OEC0UOE9Nk
...Notably, I do not recall Clapper rushing forward before the election to correct the widespread use of the letter to dismiss the laptop as Russian disinformation. It was only after the Russian disinformation claims were debunked after the election that he appears distraught… https://t.co/MBbHSFsnL1
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 13, 2023
...Clapper appeared regularly on CNN as the false Russian disinformation story was raging.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) February 13, 2023
Every word in this October 17, 2020 interview with James Clapper on CNN by @ErinBurnett - every word - is false.
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 13, 2023
Even if they didn't know it then, they know it now. Yet CNN never once told its audience this was false or explained how they spread false claims before the election. https://t.co/kjLH42pbaf
Still lying. “There was message distortion,” James Clapper says of the election-rigging letter he signed claiming Hunter Biden’s laptop was Russian disinfo. “Politico deliberately distorted what we said.” He didn’t say a word for 2 years. Now he’s scared https://t.co/H5B2aX9ZYq
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) February 13, 2023
Meanwhile, newly minted House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan plans to haul Clapper and others in for testimony about their claims the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation. The letter was clearly signed, published and promoted to protect Joe Biden's chances of occupying the Oval Office.
"The coordinated effort to suppress public dissemination of the serious allegations about Hunter Biden and the Biden family was a grave disservice to American citizens' informed participation in our democracy," Jordan wrote in a December letter to Clapper.
James Clapper & John Brennan are on notice. pic.twitter.com/Q638qvhi5D
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) December 1, 2022