When Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that Rep. Mike Turner (OH-10), would become Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) we were
extremely skeptical, believing that Mr. Turner had not acted aggressively enough in challenging Democrat Adam Schiff’s politicization of the committee.
We recalled that Mr. Turner was pretty much a no show during the years former House Intel Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes was battling the Deep State to get to the bottom of who was involved in the weaponization of America’s intelligence assets against candidate and then President Donald Trump.
Nunes, and a few brave and loyal staff members, were left hanging out on their own by then-Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and most of the rest of the House GOP, who immediately became MIA when the Trump - Russia “collusion” hoax gathered steam. This left Trump and Nunes without allies among those Republicans most in the know about the fabricated FISA filings and a host of other intelligence asset abuses.
So, we were extremely disappointed when appearing on CBS with Margaret Brennan, Turner walked through his priorities of the new HPSCI committee most of which seemed to involve getting along with the inexecrable Adam Schiff and sending unlimited sums to Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion.
But all of that was before the multiple troves of classified documents surfaced in Joe Biden’s Delaware garage and at the office of his fake think tank.
Now, in the wake of the disclosures that highly classified information was removed by then-Vice President Biden and recovered at two different locations, Mr. Turner quickly wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines demanding a classified briefing on the documents by January 26, 2023.
And Mr. Turner’s prompt action was more than justified. The presence of classified information at these separate locations could implicate President Joe Biden in the mishandling, potential misuse, and exposure of classified information. It raises significant questions as to why then-Vice President Biden maintained custody of such highly classified documents, who had access to them, and for what purposes.
CNN reported among the items from Joe Biden’s time as vice president discovered in a private office last fall are 10 classified documents including US intelligence memos and briefing materials that covered topics including Ukraine, Iran and the United Kingdom. The discovery raises the possibility that unauthorized persons, such as Hunter Biden or others involved in his shady business deals in Ukraine, could have accessed the documents.
The BBC observed the discovery of another batch of classified documents in a second location increases the possibility that this story is not one of isolated carelessness on the part of Joe Biden and his team, but rather something more systemic. It also increases the chances that this is not the last new revelation of document mishandling.
"Now that Democrats no longer have one-party rule in Washington, oversight and accountability are coming," James Comer, the new chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said on Wednesday.
However, it is unclear how much jurisdiction or access to classified documents Mr. Comer’s Committee might have, but there is no question that HPSCI and Mr. Turner have the jurisdiction to investigate this latest Biden security breach.
And it appears Chairman Turner is wasting no time in doing so.
"The recent media reports that highly classified documents from the Obama presidency have been discovered in at least two locations: one being the Penn-Biden Center, a private, unsecured, non-governmental office space in Washington, D.C., and the other being an unknown location. News of these discoveries raise significant questions regarding the handling and safeguarding of classified intelligence materials. The one location we do know about, the Penn-Biden Center, was the Washington, D.C.-based office for operations of then-Vice President Biden’s private partnership with the University of Pennsylvania.
"The presence of classified information at these separate locations could implicate the President in the mishandling, potential misuse, and exposure of classified information. It raises significant questions as to why then-Vice President Biden maintained custody of such highly classified documents, who had access to them, and for what purposes. The question of further dissemination of these documents, and potential use by those involved in the business of the unknown location and the Penn-Biden Center, or any other possible use, must be fully examined.
"In its oversight role, Congress has a responsibility to investigate and to evaluate the actions of Executive Branch agencies to ensure they are accountable to the people. The information I seek will further my understanding of both the enforcement and application of federal law and policy concerning the handling of classified intelligence information. It will enable me to determine the sufficiency and impartiality of federal law enforcement, as well as the propriety of Executive Branch actions."
The Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121 we urge CHQ readers and friends to call House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner, tell him you appreciate his aggressive posture on investigating the Biden security breaches. Tell him you are with him and that you are counting on him to expose and refer for prosecution any security breaches or corrupt practices his investigation reveals.
Republican House leadership elections
Kevin McCarthy
Freedom Caucus
Washington DC Uniparty
House Intel Committee Chairman Mike Turner
House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI)
Biden investigation
Biden family businesses
Hunter Biden
Suspicious activity reports
money laundering
National Security
Biden classified documents
Penn-Biden Center