Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe accused fellow members of the House Intelligence Committee of leaking information from classified briefings.
The Republican lawmaker was asked to address the contradictory reports about Russia’s election interference strategy in 2020 during an appearance Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Ratcliffe argued the leaks were bad for the country and damaging to the work conducted by the U.S. Intelligence Community. He noted that all the information being discussed was supposed to be “classified.”
“It’s funny that we’re having a discussion about what is still a classified briefing, information behind closed doors, and you’re asking me about a report in the New York Times about what specifically was said,” Ratcliffe explained. “I can’t tell you how many reporters have asked me to go into detail about it. It’s still classified.”
Ratcliffe stressed that it is illegal for him to discuss any part of a classified briefing, but yet, leaks have often sprung from House Intelligence Committee proceedings since President Trump has taken office.
“It would be a crime for me to give the specifics to this crowd right now, and yet everyone knows most of the details as you have now correctly laid them out,” Ratcliffe said. “Unfortunately, you just gave the most recent instance. This has happened for the last three years.”
He referenced “real-time” leaks from Donald Trump Jr.’s testimony that hit the press before he had even concluded his remarks related to the investigation into Trump’s campaign.
“You have folks that have access to classified information that are not treating it with the respect that it deserves,” Ratcliffe said. “So folks are real clear — when something gets classified at the top-secret level, it’s information that provides a grave national security risk if it’s out to the public, but it’s not being treated that way. And we have seen that, unfortunately, consistently since Donald Trump has been president of the United States.”
He added, “And ironically, or not so ironically. Why is it always the case when it’s information that’s allegedly damaging to Donald Trump. … It’s a one-way street.”
Trump accused House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of leaking the story about Russia’s 2020 election plans, which included helping Trump get reelected in 2020, along with several other stories over the last few years. He justified his refusal to alert Congress about his raid to kill Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani on the basis that he couldn’t trust Schiff not to leak the information.
Ratcliffe, who has been one of Trump’s most loyal supporters, claimed Schiff was helping Russia sow discord. The Texas Republican is again under consideration to be Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence after he dropped from consideration last year.
