Tulsi Gabbard Accused of 'Burying' Whistleblower Complaint

Tensions Rise in Intelligence Circles

US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard is accused of delaying the transmission of a whistleblower complaint about her to Congress and trying to 'bury' it. The whistleblower's lawyer, Andrew Bakaj, stated that the complaint was submitted to the intelligence community's inspector general last May and a request was made to share it with members of Congress in June.

Mutual Accusations

In a written statement, Bakaj alleged that Gabbard engaged in 'illegal acts' to conceal the complaint from Congress. According to the claims, members of Congress on the intelligence committees only became aware of the matter in November, after Bakaj wrote a letter to Gabbard asking why the complaint had not been transmitted as required by law.

Gabbard's spokesperson, Olivia Coleman, confirmed in a statement on social media that a whistleblower complaint had been received but firmly denied allegations that Gabbard tried to obstruct Congress. Coleman stated that the complaint was shared with the intelligence committees in Congress and was 'baseless.' She also claimed that a previous inspector general had concluded the complaint did not appear credible and that the whistleblower was a 'politically motivated individual.'

Legal Process and Security Concerns

According to a report first published by the Wall Street Journal, Gabbard's office explained that the reason for not sharing the complaint was to work on security guidelines to protect the information within it. Former intelligence officials stated that it is highly unusual for a government agency to take months to transmit a complaint to Congress, and that intelligence agencies can typically resolve security concerns within days or weeks.

An official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) offered a different explanation, suggesting that Gabbard only became aware of her responsibility to establish security guidelines for sending the complaint to Congress in October, when a newly appointed inspector general took office. The official argued that Gabbard took immediate action to overcome bureaucratic obstacles after learning of this responsibility.

Expectations from Congress

A spokesperson for Democratic Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that Gabbard is expected to comply with her legal obligations regarding protecting the rights of government whistleblowers. The spokesperson recalled that during her confirmation hearing, Gabbard swore to protect whistleblowers, ensure their anonymity, and provide Congress with timely, direct access.

The White House, responding to questions on the matter, referred to the social media statement by Gabbard's spokesperson, Olivia Coleman. The content of the complaint reportedly contains elements described as 'attorney-client privileged' and is said to potentially fall under 'executive privilege.' This suggests the material could fall under the authority to withhold the president's confidential communications from Congress or the courts.