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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has instructed U.S. intelligence agencies to evaluate the feasibility of conducting random polygraph tests for employees and contractors, according to officials familiar with the directive.<\/p>\n
The move also comes in the wake of former FBI Director James Comey\u2019s indictment by a federal grand jury last month on charges that he made false statements to Congress after denying that he leaked information to reporters.<\/p>\n
Two sources told CBS News that Gabbard\u2019s memo specifically highlights polygraph questions related to potential media leaks and indicates that such testing will become more frequent and routine across the intelligence community.<\/p>\n
An official from Gabbard\u2019s office said the directive does not establish new policy but instead reinforces existing rules and legal authorities governing the protection of classified information<\/p>\n
Since the start of President Trump\u2019s second term, we have seen numerous unauthorized disclosures of classified information, which have the potential to damage U.S. strategic alliances and credibility and endanger sources and methods vital to intelligence gathering,\u201d DNI spokesperson Olivia Coleman told CBS News.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that deep state actors leaked information about DNI Gabbard\u2019s directive, aimed at preventing leaks and protecting classified information, to the media is both deeply ironic and a powerful reminder of why her efforts to identify and deter leakers is urgently necessary,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
An official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) told CBS News the review was prompted by internal findings suggesting that the decline in polygraph examinations may have emboldened former U.S. intelligence officials to spy for foreign adversaries.<\/p>\n
The official declined to provide additional details about the study or its timing but stressed that Director Tulsi Gabbard\u2019s directive does not mandate additional screenings at this stage, the outlet added.<\/p>\n
The directive reflects a return to a more aggressive counterintelligence posture reminiscent of the Obama administration\u2019s approach following the massive leak of classified information by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.<\/p>\n
In 2014, then\u2013Director of National Intelligence James Clapper ordered agencies to question applicants and employees about whether they had shared classified information with journalists, according to documents obtained by McClatchy Newspapers through a Freedom of Information Act request, noted CBS.<\/p>\n
Both the Obama and George W. Bush administrations faced criticism for their efforts to identify leakers, including FBI investigations that targeted government sources and the use of the Espionage Act\u2014a World War I-era law designed to prosecute spies\u2014to charge officials who provided classified material to the press.<\/p>\n
Those administrations also expanded the use of polygraph testing and authorized the seizure of reporters\u2019 and officials\u2019 phone and email records as part of leak investigations, said CBS.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Gabbard said she had made two criminal referrals to the Justice Department, with a third forthcoming, involving cases of alleged unauthorized disclosures \u2014 including an illegal leak to The Washington Post about the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua.<\/p>\n
While Gabbard\u2019s directive largely reaffirms existing legal statutes and policies implemented by previous administrations, it is expected to draw renewed scrutiny over press freedoms and the relationship between journalists and government sources, said CBS.<\/p>\n
Critics have long argued that such policies risk creating a chilling effect on communications between national security reporters and whistleblowers.<\/p>\n
Free press advocates have also questioned the use of the Espionage Act \u2014 a law originally intended to prosecute spies and traitors \u2014 to bring charges against officials accused of leaking information to the media, CBS noted.<\/p>\n
Deputy White House Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller issued a direct warning Thursday night to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and other state officials, saying they could face federal prosecution \u2014 including \u201cseditious conspiracy\u201d charges \u2014 if they interfere with ICE operations.<\/p>\n
Miller appeared on Fox News\u2019 America Reports to respond to Pritzker\u2019s ongoing efforts to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting arrests and deportations in Illinois.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t only apply to Gov. Pritzker,\u201d Miller said. \u201cIt applies to ANY state official, local official, anybody operating in an official capacity who conspires or engages in activity that unlawfully impedes federal law enforcement conducting their duties.\u201d<\/p>\n
The senior White House official outlined a range of potential criminal offenses for officials who attempt to obstruct federal immigration enforcement, including obstruction of justice, harboring illegal aliens, and impeding the enforcement of immigration laws.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs you get up the scale of behavior, you obviously get into seditious conspiracy charges, depending on the conduct, and many other offenses,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you engage in a criminal conspiracy to obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws or to unlawfully order your own police officers or your own officials to interfere with ICE officers, or even to arrest ICE officers, you\u2019re engaged in criminal activity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miller reminded local leaders that ICE agents are shielded by federal immunity when carrying out lawful duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo all ICE officers, you have federal IMMUNITY in the conduct of your duties,\u201d Miller said. \u201cAnybody who lays a hand on you or tries to stop you or obstruct you is committing a FELONY.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cIf officials cross that line into obstruction, into criminal conspiracy against the United States or against ICE officers, then they will face JUSTICE.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under federal law, seditious conspiracy carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.<\/p>\n
Miller\u2019s comments come amid escalating tension between the White House and Pritzker, who has worked to establish Illinois as a sanctuary state.<\/p>\n
The governor recently signed an executive order creating the Illinois Accountability Commission \u2014 a panel tasked with tracking what he called \u201cunlawful\u201d acts by ICE agents and recommending ways to hold them accountable.<\/p>\n
Pritzker has also drawn sharp criticism for comparing President Trump and ICE operations to Nazi Germany.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re literally going after Black and Brown people because of the color of their skin,\u201d Pritzker falsely claimed on Fox News. \u201cWe want the bad guys off the streets. What we don\u2019t want is for people to get racially profiled. That\u2019s what\u2019s happening right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He accused ICE of routinely engaging in misconduct and defended his comparisons to authoritarian regimes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m talking about what they were doing, taking away people\u2019s rights, arresting people, asking them for papers,\u201d Pritzker said. \u201cEarly on in an authoritarian regime, wherever it is in the world throughout history, this is what happens. It\u2019s the beginning of something very bad for a country, especially a constitutional republic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miller dismissed Pritzker\u2019s rhetoric as political grandstanding and warned that the administration will not tolerate any interference with federal law enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep your citizens safe,\u201d Miller said. \u201cStop giving cover to criminals and stop obstructing ICE officers who are simply doing their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has instructed U.S. intelligence agencies to evaluate the feasibility of conducting random polygraph tests for employees and contractors, according to officials familiar with the directive. The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t