The letter signed by 51 former intelligence officials which claimed the Hunter Biden laptop was "Russian disinformation" was fast-tracked for approval by the CIA, according to records newly obtained by government watchdog group Judicial Watch.
The records, obtained in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, show that Mike Morell, former acting CIA director under President Barack Obama, requested CIA permission to publish the letter. The request for pre-publication review was approved in just six hours.
"These documents are astounding. That the CIA would turn around a campaign document like this for Joe Biden’s team in six hours is insane news. This seems to be demonstrable campaign interference by the CIA, and that should be alarming to all Americans," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Related: October 19, 2020: A letter that shall live in infamy, June 27, 2024
Morell wrote in an email on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, at 6:36 a.m., to the CIA’s Publications Classification Review Board (PCRB) with a copy to Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA senior intelligence officer: “This is a rush job, as it needs to get out as soon as possible.”
This was five days after the New York Post published an article on the Hunter Biden emails, three days before a Donald Trump/Joe Biden debate, and 15 days before the presidential election.
The “Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails” is included in the records. It states in part:
We want to emphasize that we do not know if the emails, provided to the New York Post by President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, are genuine or not and that we do not have evidence of Russian involvement — just that our experience makes us deeply suspicious that the Russian government played a significant role in this case.At 8:01 a.m. the same day, an unnamed CIA official sent Morell’s request to an official whose name is redacted:
Below is a high profile/high alert action item for 19 October:
Former DDCIA Michael Morell submitted for review the attached manuscript (“Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails”). Mr. Morell has advised us that this article was co-authored with former DO officer Marc Polymeropoulos and that “many former senior and working-level officials from across the IC will sign and then be made public. PCRB has determined that this manuscript contains no classified information.” [Emphasis in original]At 11:44 a.m., five hours and eight minutes after Morrell sent his request, a person whose name is redacted sends an email stating:
You may notify former DDCIA [Deputy Director] Morell.At 12:44 p.m. an official whose name is redacted emails Morell:
Dear Michael, The Prepublication Classification Review Board completed its review of your article titled “Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails.” The Board determined that it contains no classified information and can be published. Agency approval for publication of this material does not represent Agency endorsement or verification of this work. If you add new material, please resubmit it before sharing, highlighting the new language to expedite our review. The PCRB appreciates your cooperation with prepublication review. You may reach out to us via [redacted] with questions or concerns. Kind regards, PCRB Staff
