Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced the revocation of 37 security clearances from current and former intelligence officials accused of politicizing or weaponizing intelligence related to the Trump-Russia narrative.
The decision, outlined in an ODNI memo dated Aug. 18, directs that the officials’ access to classified systems, facilities, and materials be terminated immediately.
Any government contracts or employment with these individuals are also voided.
“Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right,” Gabbard said in a statement.
“Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold. In doing so, they undermine our national security, the safety and security of the American people and the foundational principles of our democratic republic.”
Names on the List
The ODNI memo included the names of 37 officials. Among them was Vinh Nguyen, a former aide to Obama DNI James Clapper, who reportedly pressured a whistleblower to sign off on the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) claiming Russia preferred Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
Other names listed include:
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Andrew Cedar
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Andrew P. Miller
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Benjamin A. Cooper
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Beth E. Sanner
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Brett M. Holmgren
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Charles A. Kupchan
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Christopher Center
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Corinne A. Graff
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Dilpreet K. Sidhu
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Edward Gistaro
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Emily J. Horne
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Harry Hannah
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Heather R. Gutierrez
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Jamie S. Jowers
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Jeffrey M. Prescott
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Joel T. Meyer
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Joel Willett
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John W. Ficklin
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Julia S. Gurganus
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Julia Santucci
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Loren DeJonge Schulman
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Luke R. Hartig
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Maher B. Bitar
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Mark B. Feierstein
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Mary Beth Goodman
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Megan F. Doherty
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Michael P. Dempsey
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Perry J. Blattstein
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Richard H. Ledgett
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Samantha E. Vinograd
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Sarah S. Farnsworth
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Shelby L. Pierson
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Stephanie O’Sullivan
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Thomas W. West
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Vinh X. Nguyen
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William J. Tuttle
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Yael Eisenstate
Background on the Decision
The New York Post reported that the move comes after Gabbard declassified a December 2016 presidential briefing revealing that Barack Obama was aware the Trump-Russia collusion narrative was baseless but allowed it to advance through intelligence channels.
The now-discredited ICA on Russian election interference was central to the Russiagate controversy. RealClearInvestigations journalist Paul Sperry reported that Nguyen, a former McCain campaign aide, played a key role in incorporating questionable sources, including Crowdstrike’s disputed report, into the ICA.
