King Grills Top Intelligence Community Officials on Refusal to Answer Questions

Press Release

U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today grilled the top U.S. Intelligence Community officials on their repeated refusal to answer questions from members of the Senate Intelligence Committee about the ongoing investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

Time after time during the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today, the Director of National Intelligence, the Acting Director of the FBI, the Director of the National Security Agency, and the Deputy Attorney General refused to answer questions regarding their knowledge of critical conversations that President Trump has had with them or other Intelligence Community officials, including former FBI Director Comey -- often saying that they did not "believe" or "feel" it is appropriate to answer.

"Why are you not answering the questions," Senator King asked NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers, to which he responded that he felt it was "inappropriate."

"What you feel isn't relevant, Admiral. What you feel isn't the answer," Senator King said. "I'm not satisfied with I do not believe it is appropriate or I do not feel I should answer. I want to understand a legal basis. You swore that oath -- to tell us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Today, you are refusing to do so."

Senator King pointed out that there was no legal basis as to why the officials could not answer the questions being asked by the Committee -- a point that the Director of National Intelligence acknowledged in a response to Senator King.

"It is my belief that you are inappropriately refusing to answer these questions today," Senator King later said.

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