Intelligence Chief Gabbard Faces Scrutiny Over Delayed Complaint Referral
Washington D.C. – Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is pushing back against criticism regarding a whistleblower complaint filed against her. Democrats are questioning why the complaint, submitted in May of last year, took nearly a year to reach Congress.
Gabbard stated that accusations that she or her office mishandled the complaint are false. She explained that she was not in possession of the complaint and could not have hidden it. She pointed out that the Biden-era IC Inspector General, Tamara Johnson, was responsible for the complaint for several months.
The complaint, which is highly classified, was filed by a U.S. intelligence official. It alleges misconduct on Gabbard’s part. News of the complaint and its delayed referral to Congress has sparked debate.
Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat, argued that the complaint should have been sent to Congress much sooner. He suggested there was an attempt to suppress the information. However, the specific details of the complaint and the allegations against Gabbard have not been made public.
Gabbard maintains that she acted properly. She said she provided guidance on how to securely share the complaint with Congress as soon as she was asked. She also noted that the 21-day timeline for sending complaints to Congress only applies when the Inspector General deems the complaint credible and urgent, which she says was not the case here.
Republicans are coming to the defense of Gabbard, with Sen. Tom Cotton stating that he has reviewed the complaint and agrees with the inspectors general. He stated that the complaint is not credible. He added that this seems like an effort to undermine policies.
