Prominent former intelligence officials who previously dismissed the Hunter Biden laptop story as Russian disinformation are standing by their actions. They signed a letter in 2020 claiming that the laptop story was part of a Russian operation. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell, former National Counterterrorism Center Director Nick Rasmussen, and former CIA official Nick Shapiro are among those who have no regrets about signing the letter.
House Republicans released transcripts of interviews with these officials, where they expressed no remorse for their actions. The letter from the former intelligence officials contradicted statements made by the then-Director of National Intelligence, who accused Russia of interference. The laptop has since been entered into evidence in the Hunter Biden trial.
The release of the transcripts was followed by a video showing then-candidate Joe Biden using the letter to deflect allegations of corruption. The interviews revealed that the public letter to Politico was triggered by a phone call from Antony Blinken, Biden’s senior campaign adviser.
It was later revealed that some of the letter’s signers were being paid by the CIA at the time the letter was published. This raised questions about their motives and credibility. Jeremy Bash, a signatory named in the report, was an independent contractor at the time of the letter’s publication.
Investigative journalist Paul Sperry detailed James Clapper’s efforts to undermine Republicans in the last two presidential elections by using the deep state. Clapper’s actions were seen as an attempt to influence the outcome of the elections in favor of the Democrats.
In conclusion, the controversy surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop story has raised questions about the integrity of former intelligence officials and their role in shaping public opinion. The released transcripts shed light on the motivations behind the public letter denouncing the laptop story as Russian disinformation. The involvement of former intelligence officials in political matters continues to be a topic of debate and scrutiny.
Article Source
https://thefederalist.com/2024/06/27/former-intel-officials-who-signed-infamous-hunter-biden-laptop-letter-remain-defiant/
