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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 30 July 2019
Doubts emerge about Trump pick for U.S. intelligence chief

By ERIC TUCKER, MARY Germany. His predecessor
CLARE JALONICK and DEB in the Obama administra-
RIECHMANN tion, James Clapper, spent
Associated Press decades in the military and
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- in intelligence, including as
dent Donald Trump's pick director of the Defense In-
for national intelligence di- telligence Agency.
rector has been mayor of Ratcliffe does not have
a small Texas city, a federal equivalent credentials,
prosecutor and a member though his supporters are
of Congress. But questions likely to point to his experi-
were already emerging ence as a terrorism pros-
Monday about whether ecutor and federal pros-
those qualifications are ad- ecutor, as well as his recent
equate for the position as membership on the House
the nation confronts threats intelligence committee,
that include foreign elec- which he joined in January.
tion interference, North First elected to Congress in
Korea's nuclear ambitions 2014, Ratcliffe's experience
and the risk of war with Iran. as top federal prosecutor in
Rep. John Ratcliffe is also east Texas gave him instant
known as a Trump loyal- clout when Republicans
ist, which makes his lack of In this Wednesday, July 24, 2019, file photo, Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas., questions former special ran the Judiciary panel. He
relevant experience even counsel Robert Mueller as he testifies before the House Intelligence Committee hearing on his was one of the main ques-
more striking at a time when report on Russian election interference, on Capitol Hill in Washington. tioners when Republicans
current and former govern- Associated Press hauled in Justice Depart-
ment officials expect Russia ment officials to question
to interfere in the 2020 pres- rell, a former acting CIA would be the principal in- of that investigation and them about whether they
idential election just as it director who now hosts the telligence adviser to Trump, his belief that Trump was were biased against Trump
did in unprecedented fash- "Intelligence Matters" pod- who has appeared deter- treated improperly by in- in the early days of the FBI's
ion when Trump first ran. cast. mined to surround himself vestigators, saying in a talk Russia probe.
"Ratcliffe comes to the job The director of national in- with protectors and de- show appearance Sunday It's unclear whether con-
with the least national se- telligence has oversight of fenders even in national se- that it was time to move cerns about his credentials
curity experience and the the nation's 17 intelligence curity positions that haven't on from discussion of im- will trip up the confirma-
most partisan political ex- agencies, a significant job historically been perceived peachment. tion process. Confirmation
perience of any previous touching all corners of na- as overtly partisan. "It's a moment when Don- takes a simple 51-vote ma-
director of national intel- tional security policymak- It is unclear what specific ald Trump can deepen his jority, under new rules in the
ligence," said Michael Mo- ing. If confirmed, Ratcliffe experience Ratcliffe will personal stranglehold over Senate, but that leaves slim
bring in helping thwart for- the intelligence function room for error with Republi-
eign government efforts and knock out any voices cans holding a 53-seat ma-
to interfere in American of dissent to his particular jority.
politics. Also unknown is world view," said Demo- Sen. Richard Burr, the top
whether skepticism he has cratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Republican on the Sen-
voiced in Congress about Maryland. "That's a scary ate intelligence commit-
special counsel Robert thing for the country." tee, said Monday that he
Mueller's investigation into Coats, who will step down would move swiftly to push
ties between Russia and next month, repeatedly the nomination through his
the Trump campaign will clashed with Trump. Republican-led panel. Re-
affect his preparation for, He was publicly steadfast publican Sen. John Cornyn
or response to, any foreign about his conviction that of Texas, another member
influence or cyberattacks Russia had interfered in the of the committee, called
on campaigns. election even in the face Ratcliffe a "tremendous hu-
Ratcliffe, who was among of the president's ambiva- man being" and said he is
the most aggressive Re- lence. He appeared to "confident he can rise to
publican questioners of scoff when told in an in- the challenge."
Mueller at public hearings terview that Trump had in- But Sen. Ron Wyden of
last week, would replace vited Putin to Washington. Oregon, a Democratic
outgoing director Dan In his resignation letter, he committee member, said
Coats at a time of broader cited as an accomplish- in a statement that Rat-
reshuffling within the na- ment the appointment of cliffe's sole qualifications
tional security leadership an election security execu- appeared to be promot-
structure. tive "to support the whole- ing "Donald Trump's con-
The selection comes of-government effort to spiracy theories about the
months after Trump em- address threats against our investigation into Russian
powered another ally , election." interference and calling
Attorney General William Tensions with Trump not- for prosecution of Trump's
Barr, to disclose still-secret withstanding, Coats did political enemies." He said
intelligence collected by bring to the job decades confirming Ratcliffe would
other agencies, including of Washington experience, "amount to an endorse-
the CIA, during the Russia including lengthy stints as ment of this administration's
investigation. Ratcliffe has an Indiana congressman drive to politicize our intel-
made clear his skepticism and U.S. ambassador to ligence agencies."q