Whether the panel was biased is only a part of the problem. The other part is a presumption that we always have to trust anyone who is an establishment-credentialed intelligence expert without demanding to see their facts and data. This issue is too important to be left to the experts.
“The other part is a presumption that we always have to trust anyone who is an establishment-credentialed intelligence expert without demanding to see their facts and data.”
That presumption is almost always guaranteed to be wrong, especially if it involves politics.
Politics is first and foremost about self interest on a grand scale, therefore it is always wise to question motives.