Heinrich Urges “Objective, Unbiased” Intelligence Following Allegations Of Distorted ISIL Intelligence Assessments

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, during a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) expressed his serious concerns to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on the recent allegations that military officials distorted intelligence assessments about the United States' ongoing operations in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Senator Heinrich, who also serves on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, stressed the importance of receiving objective, unbiased intelligence assessments and called for a full and open investigation into the matter.

"I want to – in the strongest terms possible – impress upon you the importance for all of us that we receive objective, unbiased assessments of all situations,” said Sen. Heinrich during the hearing.

Last month, the Pentagon inspector general launched an investigation into whether senior intelligence officers at U.S. Central Command altered assessments. Intelligence assessments “must not be distorted” by agency agendas or policy views, according to government rules.

The committee, which focused its hearing on U.S. cybersecurity policy and threats, received testimony from Director Clapper and Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, Director of the National Security Agency, and Chief of the Central Security Service Admiral Michael S. Rogers. A full list of witnesses and archived video of the hearing can be found here.