House Committee Refers John Brennan To DOJ For Prosecution

The House Judiciary Committee has referred former CIA Director John Brennan to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution, citing allegations that he knowingly made false statements to Congress regarding his involvement in the Russia collusion investigation. The referral was announced on Tuesday and is based on a letter obtained by The Federalist, authored by Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

In the letter, Jordan contends that Brennan made numerous false statements that contradict the findings of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and the CIA. "Making false statements before Congress is a crime that undermines the integrity of the Committee’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight," Jordan wrote.

The referral specifically addresses Brennan's testimony before the Judiciary Committee in May 2023, where he allegedly misrepresented the CIA's role in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA). This assessment suggested that Russia had a preference for Donald Trump in the 2016 election, a claim that has since been discredited. Jordan noted that this conclusion was partly based on the Steele dossier, a controversial document funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign that contained unverified allegations about Trump.

Jordan highlighted that a 2020 HPSCI report, declassified earlier this year, revealed the dossier's inclusion in the ICA was influenced by Brennan, despite objections from senior CIA officials who believed it did not meet basic tradecraft standards. Brennan had previously testified that he was not involved in analyzing the dossier and that the CIA had no role in its inclusion in the ICA.

During his testimony, Brennan stated, "No, I was not involved in analyzing the dossier at all," and claimed that the CIA was not involved with the dossier, directing inquiries to the FBI. However, the HPSCI report contradicts this assertion, indicating that Brennan had overridden concerns from CIA officials regarding the dossier's inclusion.

The referral also cites instances of Brennan allegedly providing false statements during a 2017 hearing, although those statements fall outside the five-year statute of limitations. Jordan characterized Brennan's testimony as a "brazen attempt to knowingly and willfully testify falsely and fictitiously to material facts."

Despite the declassification of the HPSCI report, Brennan has continued to assert that the dossier was not used in the ICA's analysis. In a July op-ed for The New York Times, he reiterated the claim that the dossier did not influence the assessment, a statement that Jordan argues is inconsistent with the evidence.

The referral to the DOJ raises significant questions about Brennan's credibility and the integrity of the intelligence assessment process during the Russia investigation. The outcome of this referral could have implications for accountability among former intelligence officials and the broader narrative surrounding the Russia collusion claims.

As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Justice Department will respond to the House Judiciary Committee's referral and whether any charges will be brought against Brennan for his alleged false statements.