US Intelligence Chief On Trump: 'There's A Difference Between Skepticism And Disparagement'

BI ^ | 1-5-2017 | Pamela Engel

[blam]

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper suggested at a congressional hearing Thursday that President-elect Donald Trump is disparaging the US intelligence community as he refuses to acknowledge Russia's role in election-related hacking.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri, asked Clapper during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing who benefits from Trump "trashing the intelligence community" as he expresses skepticism about intelligence assessments that show Russia was involved in hacking Democratic Party organizations in an attempt to influence the election.

Clapper said he is "apolitical" and cautioned against disparaging the intelligence community.

"I think there is an important distinction here between healthy skepticism, which policymakers ... should always have for intelligence, but I think there's a difference between skepticism and disparagement," Clapper said.

Clapper was one of a number of top intelligence officials who testified before the Senate on Thursday and largely affirmed the intelligence community's findings on Russian election-related hacking, brushing back consistent skepticism from the president-elect. In a joint statement Thursday, the intelligence leaders said "only Russia's senior-most officials could have authorized" the hacking.

McCaskill said America's adversaries would benefit from a US president doubting the country's intelligence apparatus. A report from The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday said Trump was planning to restructure the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA, though Trump's team on Thursday denied those plans.

"I assume that the biggest benefactors ... are in fact the actors you have named today," McCaskill said. "Iran, North Korea, China, Russia, and ISIS."

(snip)

[A_Former_Democrat]

The Clap claims to be “apolitical”

Yet was willing to lie at the hearing....You know the one where he couldn’t look up and keep nervously scratching his chin

[Steely Tom]

Yes, when Harry Reid said "This war is lost" in connection with the War in Iraq, in which American soldiers were at the time fighting and dying, I certainly took it as an expression of skepticism.

These people are so stupid its a wonder they can breathe without assistance.

[colorado tanker]

Apolitical.

Uh huh. The same people who didn't give a fig that U.S. secrets were sitting virtually unprotected on Hillary's server for years.

[Sacajaweau]

Both Clapper and Brennan have lied UNDER OATH to congress previously.

I do not believe they were under oath for this inquiry.

[aspasia]

Remind me, what was the crime? Destruction of evidence by that other candidate, etc. etc. ?

[Founding Father]

Flush Clapper down the Crapper.

[jospehm20]

The scumbag has a history of lying to Congress. Why would anybody believes anything Crapper says?

[onyx]

[JBW1949]

Proof, Clapper...PROOF!!!!
Put your proof where your mouth is....

[OpusatFR]

When is he gone?

[oblomov]

Thumper deserves disparagement.

[tennmountainman]

The Clap will be gone in 2 weeks.

Show the American people the evidence Clap.

[ColdOne]

What is the crime here clapper? Oh yeah...the crime is Trump is on our side. Shut up clapper and go away.

[Mollypitcher1]

Amazing how at the beginning of all this noise, The FBI didn’t agree with the CIA, and then miraculously, all the seventeen whoevers, all agree when there is no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing by the Russians. This is clearly a frame job set up by Obama and these members who have served his avaricious administration need to be uncovered, discovered, and dismissed!
On top of all the blab, nobody remembers Obama funding a crew to go to Israel and work for the opposition to Netanyahu. WE, the USA, paid for the attempt to upset the reelection of Israel’s leader. There can be no greater hypocrisy!!!

[Lorianne]

I’m pretty sure Trump if more than familiar with disparagement by now.

[Nifster]

Clapper is an idiot

[Bob434]

[[Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri, asked Clapper during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing who benefits from Trump “trashing the intelligence community”]]

Here- lemme fix it

Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri, asked Clapper during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing who benefits from ————————the intelligence community -——————”trashing Donald Trump”

[Roger Kaputnik]

This guy is in charge of the CIA, correct? The same CIA that said there were WMDs in Iraq? The same CIA that the democrats say can’t be trusted?

[Ray76]

I think it is Obama’s payback for Trump questioning Obama’s eligibility.