In Key Nomination Hearing, King Challenges Potential Intelligence Head on Ability to Avoid Political Pressure

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, during a key hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) questioned the potential lead Intelligence official on his ability to resist political pressure. In his exchange with Office ofDirector of National Intelligence (ODNI) nominee Jay Clayton, King stressed the importance of analytical integrity and the obligation of intelligence officials to provide objective, fact-based assessments free from political influence.

Senator King began, "There's been some discussion earlier about the importance of analytical integrity. Telling truth to power. The Intelligence Community directive, which goes back to more than a decade, says this, 'Any information from the Intelligence Community should be independent of political consideration. Analytic assessments must not be distorted by or shaped by advocacy of a particular audience or policy viewpoint. Analytic judgments must not be influenced by the force of preference for a particular policy.' Do you concur with that?"

"Yes," Mr. Clayton responded.

Senator King asked, "Who won the 2020 election?"

"I'm not going to get into that," Mr. Clayton replied.

"Could you answer the question? Who won 2020 election? It's a simple question," Senator King repeated.

"My answer to the Chairman, he asked me if I was an election denier. I am not an election denier. Joe Biden was certified as the President. He went through his process. We went through our electoral process. I can tell you, I was in my seat at the SEC-," said Mr. Clayton.

"I am asking a really simple question. Who won 2020 election?" Senator King repeated again.

"As I said, we went through our processes and Joe Biden became the President of the United States," Mr. Clayton responded.

"That is not an answer to the question. I am asking one more time. Who won the 2020 election?" asked Senator King.

"I'm here to talk about my qualifications," replied Mr. Clayton.

"One of your qualifications is to tell the truth to power and you will not answer reasonable questions," said Senator King.

"I've answered it many times," replied Mr. Clayton.

"You have not answered that. Saying that Joe Biden was certified is not an answer," Senator King finished.

As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senator King is recognized as an authoritative voice on national security and foreign policy issues. He has repeatedly questioned Obama, Biden, and Trump Administration officials on their willingness to speak truth to power - even when the truth is politically inconvenient. Most recently, Senator King questioned an administration nominee on his independence and integrity - stressing that the nation's most significant national security mistakes occur when "biased" information is given to leaders.

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