Heinrich, Senate Intel Committee Members Push For DNI To Provide Election Security Reports

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 15, 2019) - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, including Chair Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.), to call on Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to make the mandated reports on foreign election interference in U.S. elections available to all members of the committee.

Last year, the administration issued an executive order for agencies to prepare two reports following a U.S. election – the first a threat assessment prepared by the Director of National Intelligence and the second a report by the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security. While the agencies provided brief unclassified summaries of their reports’ findings on the 2018 midterm elections, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has not been provided either report. 

“Your office issued a statement in December announcing that you had submitted the Intelligence Community’s report assessing threats to the 2018 midterm elections to the president and appropriate executive agencies. This month, the acting Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security announced they had submitted their joint report evaluating the impact of any foreign interference on election infrastructure or the infrastructure of political organizations during the midterm elections,” wrote the Senators. 

“While the agencies provided brief unclassified summaries of the reports’ findings, the Select Committee on Intelligence has not been provided either report. We request that you provide to all Committee Members and cleared staff both classified reports required by EO 13848 as soon as possible. These reports are necessary for the Committee to meet its mission and charter to conduct vigorous oversight over the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government,” continued the Senators.

In addition to Heinrich, Burr, and Warner, the letter to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was signed by all members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. Sens. James Risch (R-Idaho), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

Their full letter is below and a PDF is available here.

The Honorable Daniel Coats
Director of National Intelligence 
Washington, D.C. 20511

Dear Director Coats,

We are writing with regard to the classified reports required by the administration’s Executive Order 13848 on foreign election interference in U.S. elections. EO 13848 calls for executive agencies to prepare two reports following a U.S. election – the first a threat assessment prepared by the Director of National Intelligence and the second a report by the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security.

Your office issued a statement in December announcing that you had submitted the Intelligence Community’s report assessing threats to the 2018 midterm elections to the president and appropriate executive agencies. This month, the acting Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security announced they had submitted their joint report evaluating the impact of any foreign interference on election infrastructure or the infrastructure of political organizations during the midterm elections. 

While the agencies provided brief unclassified summaries of the reports’ findings, the Select Committee on Intelligence has not been provided either report. We request that you provide to all Committee Members and cleared staff both classified reports required by EO 13848 as soon as possible. These reports are necessary for the Committee to meet its mission and charter to conduct vigorous oversight over the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government. We respectfully request a response no later than February 25, 2019, and appreciate your attention to this important matter of national security.

Sincerely,