Lawmakers Demand Briefing After DNI Tulsi Gabbard Observes Georgia FBI Raid
Top intelligence lawmakers requested a briefing after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was seen at an FBI search of a Fulton County elections office.
Overview
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., sent a letter on Thursday demanding Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard brief intelligence committees after she was present at an FBI search of a Fulton County elections office on Wednesday, according to the letter.
The request matters because the intelligence community is legally barred from domestic law enforcement and Warner warned Gabbard either failed to notify Congress of a foreign-intelligence nexus or injected the office into domestic politics, the letter says.
An unnamed senior administration official said Gabbard’s presence was justified by concerns about foreign interference, while Gabbard’s staff did not deliver a personal statement and the Justice Department declined to comment, officials said.
The search warrant sought all ballots from the Nov. 3, 2020, election in Fulton County, tabulator tapes, ballot images and voter rolls, records show, and some Fulton County officials said the materials were retained under a court order.
Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Nikema Williams called for explanations and oversight, and Warner and Himes demanded a prompt briefing as part of Gabbard’s legal obligations, with committee hearings or further inquiries possible if questions remain, the lawmakers said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Gabbard’s presence as an inappropriate, attention-seeking blurring of intelligence and domestic politics. Through loaded juxtaposition (vacation anecdote), prioritizing critical officials’ quotes, and highlighting legal and institutional norms while downplaying her justifications, the coverage emphasizes impropriety and risk to nonpartisan intelligence norms.
Sources (4)
FAQ
Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Jim Himes requested the briefing because Gabbard was present at an FBI search of a Fulton County elections office, and the intelligence community is legally barred from domestic law enforcement activities.
The search warrant sought all ballots from the November 3, 2020 election, tabulator tapes, ballot images, and voter rolls in Fulton County.
An unnamed senior administration official stated that Gabbard’s presence was justified by concerns about foreign interference.
Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Nikema Williams called for explanations and oversight in addition to Warner and Himes.
Tulsi Gabbard serves as Director of National Intelligence, appointed by President Trump and confirmed in February 2025; she is a combat veteran and former U.S. Representative from Hawaii.
History
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