NonilexJun 5, 2025

#Gabbard placed top adviser inside the #ODNI’s watchdog office, officials say

Director of National Intelligence #TulsiGabbard installed one of her top advisors within the office of the #InspectorGeneral of the #intelligence community while it is investigating the March leak of a #Signal chat among top #Trump ofcls about the Houthi bombing campaign, compromising the #watchdog office’s integrity, officials & lawmakers say.

#law #corruption #Project2025
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/05/tulsi-gabbard-odni-watchdog-signalgate/

Gabbard placed top adviser inside the ODNI’s watchdog office, officials say

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard installed one of her top advisors within the office of the inspector general of the intelligence community, compromising the watchdog office’s integrity, officials and lawmakers say.

The Washington Post
Show threadNonilexJun 5, 2025

The adviser, Dennis Kirk, was placed within the #watchdog office on May 9, but reports to the #DNI, acc/to one of the officials….

Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), the leading #House #Oversight #Democrat, sent a letter to Acting #Intelligence Community #InspectorGeneral Tamara A. Johnson Thurs, demanding information about the appointment of Kirk, who was an adviser in the Office of Personnel Management during #Trump’s first term & co-author of a #Project2025 chapter on the federal workforce.

#law

Show threadNonilex

…“The appointment of a highly partisan advocate for prioritizing personal loyalty to President #Trump above #independence & professionalism in the federal government—& one who apparently answers to #DNI #Gabbard rather than to you—in a senior role within [intelligence community IG’s office] raises troubling questions about the independence of the IC IG & whether there exists a need for #Congress to strengthen protections for the IC IG’s independence,” Lynch wrote to Johnson.

#law #corruption

Jun 5, 2025 at 5:43pmWeb
Show threadNonilexJun 5, 2025

The latest apparent political installation in the #intelligence community #InspectorGeneral’s office comes amid broader concerns about the #independence of government watchdogs. #Trump purged most inspectors general at Cabinet-level agencies in January, & in recent weeks has nominated 6 new inspectors general, including 3 with clearly #partisan backgrounds.

#law #corruption #Project2025 #USpol

Show threadNonilexJun 5, 2025

“Having a senior official placed in any #InspectorGeneral’s office who reports to the agency head, in this case #DNI, would undermine the entire construct of #independence that is integral to the IG’s #oversight mission,” said Mark Greenblatt, a former #Trump-appointed Interior Department inspector general & former chairman of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity & Efficiency [#CIGIE].

#law #corruption #Project2025 #USpol