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Jordan Refers Former CIA Director Brennan to Justice Department for Criminal Prosecution
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has formally referred former CIA Director John Brennan to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution, alleging that Brennan made false statements to Congress during testimony about the 2016 Trump-Russia collusion investigation.
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday, Jordan claimed there is “significant evidence” that Brennan made “numerous willfully and intentionally false statements” while testifying before the Judiciary Committee on May 11, 2023. The allegations center on Brennan’s statements regarding the CIA’s use of the controversial Steele dossier in intelligence assessments about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
“John Brennan lied to Congress,” Jordan wrote on social media platform X, where he also shared the complete referral document.
The Ohio Republican’s referral specifically highlights discrepancies between Brennan’s sworn testimony and written directives he allegedly issued to CIA subordinates. According to Jordan, Brennan testified that “the CIA was very much opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele dossier in the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA),” a claim Jordan says is directly contradicted by documentary evidence.
Jordan’s letter cites a recently declassified CIA memo indicating that Brennan was “confronted” about “specific flaws” in the Steele dossier by senior CIA officials during the preparation of the intelligence assessment, which was ordered by then-President Barack Obama. Despite these concerns, Jordan alleges that Brennan “disregarded their concerns” and appeared “more swayed by the dossier’s general conformity with existing theories than by legitimate tradecraft concerns.”
The memo reportedly shows that Brennan “formalized his position in writing,” stating that he believed “the information warrants inclusion in the report.” Jordan further alleges that Brennan “refused to remove” the dossier from the ICA, even after being presented with evidence of its “many flaws” by senior CIA officials, reportedly responding, “Yes, but doesn’t it ring true?”
“This directly contradicts Brennan’s testimony that ‘the CIA was very much opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele dossier in the [ICA]’ because as the Director of the CIA, Brennan spoke for the Agency,” Jordan wrote in his referral.
The referral also contends that Brennan lied when he denied that the CIA relied on the Steele dossier at all in drafting the post-election intelligence assessment. Jordan points to a recently declassified report from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) from 2017, which allegedly shows that “the decision to incorporate information from the Steele dossier in the ICA ‘was jointly made by the Directors of CIA and FBI.'” A senior FBI analyst reportedly confirmed to HPSCI that after several days of debate about including the dossier information, “upper levels [at FBI and CIA] decided to put it in.”
“Brennan’s assertion that the CIA was not ‘involved at all’ with the Steele dossier cannot be reconciled with the facts,” Jordan wrote.
Jordan’s letter also references alleged false testimony Brennan gave to the House Intelligence Committee in 2017 regarding the Steele dossier. While this testimony falls outside the five-year statute of limitations for prosecution, Jordan argues it “indicates a pattern of Brennan’s willingness to lie to Congress about the Steele dossier.”
This marks at least the third criminal referral related to Brennan’s actions following the 2016 election. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe had previously made criminal referrals to the Justice Department earlier this year. In July, the FBI reportedly launched a criminal investigation into the former CIA director.
The Steele dossier, compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, contained unverified and salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump and potential ties to Russia. The dossier’s credibility has been widely questioned in subsequent investigations, with many of its key claims remaining unsubstantiated or proven false.
Neither the Justice Department nor representatives for Brennan have issued public statements regarding the new criminal referral.
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14 Comments
This is a complex, politically sensitive issue. I hope the DOJ investigation can cut through the partisan noise and focus solely on the facts and evidence, wherever they may lead.
Well said. Upholding the integrity of government institutions should be the top priority, not political agendas.
This is a complex and politically charged issue, so I’ll be interested to see how the DOJ investigation unfolds. Upholding the integrity of government institutions should be the priority, not partisan agendas.
Well said. Regardless of one’s political leanings, the American people deserve to know the truth about what happened. A fair, nonpartisan investigation is crucial.
As a former CIA director, Brennan’s credibility and truthfulness are critical. If he did in fact make false statements to Congress, that would be a major breach of public trust. I’ll be following this case closely.
Absolutely. With such a high-profile figure involved, it’s important the DOJ looks at the evidence without bias and holds anyone accountable who broke the law.
Given Brennan’s prominent role in the intelligence community, any potential wrongdoing on his part would be very concerning. I hope the DOJ can get to the bottom of this matter and provide clarity for the public.
Absolutely. As a former high-ranking official, Brennan’s actions and statements carry a lot of weight. The DOJ needs to ensure a thorough, unbiased review.
The allegations against Brennan are serious, but it’s important to let due process play out. I’ll be interested to see what the DOJ’s review uncovers and whether the evidence supports the claims of false statements.
Agreed. An impartial, fact-based investigation is crucial here. Rushing to judgment before all the facts are known would be unwise.
The Steele dossier and Trump-Russia collusion investigation have been highly contentious topics. I hope the DOJ can conduct a thorough, impartial review to determine if any laws were violated, without partisan bias.
That’s a fair point. These issues have become so politically charged, an objective investigation will be crucial to upholding the rule of law.
This is a serious allegation against a high-profile former intelligence official. If the evidence shows Brennan knowingly misled Congress, that would be a grave breach of public trust. I’ll be curious to see how the DOJ investigation unfolds.
Agreed. Lying to Congress is a very serious offense, regardless of political affiliation. The facts need to be carefully examined.