Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), on Friday, spoke with co-hosts Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson on Episode 10 of “The New Abnormal”, The Daily Beast’s podcast, saying that he’s “afraid” America’s intelligence chiefs aren’t telling “the truth about what Russia is doing” to sabotage Election 2020.
Noah Shachtman, The Daily Beast’s Editor in Chief, tweeted an article afterward with Swalwell’s interview, writing: “@RepSwalwell really lets loose here, saying he no longer trusts ODNI and FBI to deliver the truth about Russian interference in 2020.”
Rep. Swalwell responded to Noah Shachtman’s tweet, appearing to clarify: “Slight correction on your tweet: I trust FBI & Director Wray. I don’t trust @ODNIgov Directors @RichardGrenell or @RepRatcliffe. They’re the ones with the shovels burying evidence to protect @realDonaldTrump.”
Upon seeing Swalwell’s remarks, acting Director of National Intelligence, Richard Grenell, responded to the California Congressman, informing him that “Transparency is now a must!”
“I’m letting the public see more info. You are the one who worked to hide the information you didn’t like. You listened to multiple people in classified hearings say they had no evidence and yet go on TV and say the opposite. Transparency is now a must!” Grenell tweeted in response to Swalwell.
Following Grenell’s tweet, Swalwell then dared the acting Director of National Intelligence to release General Michael Flynn’s phone call with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador. Continued Below
“Thanks for showing up on Twitter. You never once came to brief the Intel Committee (First DNI Director who failed to do so). If you have nothing to hide, why don’t you release Flynn’s call with Russia? #ShowUsTheTape”, Swalwell dared Grenell.
Richard Grenell again responded to Swalwell, warning: “Those are coming”.
“Those are coming. It’s very important for the public to see ALL of them. For too long the public has been misled. Just compare your committee’s transcripts to your public statements! #troubling,” Grenell said. Continued Below
Richard Grenell’s official tweets:
I’m letting the public see more info. You are the one who worked to hide the information you didn’t like. You listened to multiple people in classified hearings say they had no evidence and yet go on TV and say the opposite. Transparency is now a must! https://t.co/C0pKnneuoh
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 22, 2020
Those are coming. It’s very important for the public to see ALL of them. For too long the public has been misled. Just compare your committee’s transcripts to your public statements! #troubling https://t.co/gzyNJuQJDY
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 22, 2020
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Meanwhile, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) claimed on Friday that the Trump “Administration is selectively declassifying information for purely political purposes,” and called on Grenell to “declassify any Flynn transcripts”. He also attached a letter that he sent to Grenell:
It’s clear the Administration is selectively declassifying information for purely political purposes, an abuse of the classification system.
We need to ensure a transparent and complete public record free of political manipulation.
It’s time to declassify any Flynn transcripts: pic.twitter.com/Uhfl166Fyh
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 22, 2020
Senior editor at the Federalist, Mollie Hemingway, pointed out that Grenell is “in process of declassifying the Kislyak-Flynn transcripts”:
Not all transcripts are under DNI jurisdiction. Phone call that was criminally leaked widely and repeatedly to media to spur Russia collusion hoax, Flynn firing, eventual Flynn prosecution was not distributed to rest of intelligence community outside of FBI, for example.
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) May 22, 2020
Grenell responded to Hemingway saying: “The IC doesn’t have all the transcripts/summaries. [It] wasn’t our product. It’s odd that @AdamSchiff doesn’t know this. But I already started the declassification for the few we received.”
True. The IC doesn’t have all the transcripts/summaries….it wasn’t our product. It’s odd that @AdamSchiff doesn’t know this. But I already started the declassification for the few we received. They should be released in full, though. The public deserves to see it. https://t.co/Inj8etyCZv
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) May 22, 2020
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) noted the difference between Grenell and Schiff:
The difference between ppl like @RichardGrenell and ppl like @RepAdamSchiff:
One wants you to read declassified docs directly to form your own independent judgment.
The other wants to keep you from reading classified docs and to just think however he tells you to think.
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) May 22, 2020
(Related: Nunes On The Alleged Missing Flynn 302: “There’s Going To Be Holy Hell To Pay If That 302 Exists”)