Ken Berwitz
The CIA yesterdayinformed both the Republican and Democratic staffs of the Select Committee thatthey do not consider the information you highlighted in your letter to beclassified. Specifically, the CIA confirmed that “the State Departmentconsulted with the CIA on this production, the CIA reviewed these documents,and the CIA made no redactions to protect classified information.” …
Unfortunately, thestandard operating procedure of this Select Committee has become to put outinformation publicly that is inaccurate and out of context in order to attackSecretary Clinton for political reasons. These repeated actions bringdiscredit on this investigation and undermine the integrity of the SelectCommittee and the House of Representatives.
Contrary to yourassertion, the CIA did not inform the Committee that anything about the factsstated in the October 7 letter “[was] wrong.” As usual, I would ask youto completely and accurately relate the facts rather than attempt to create animpression that is misleading based on an incomplete and selective recitationof the facts. In fact, my understanding is the CIA advised the Committeein a very brief email late Saturday night that it had reviewed the material inquestion and asked for no material to be redacted…
As such, we willcontinue to redact certain information to protect sensitive informationregardless of how others treat that information. Whether SecretaryClinton received protected information from Sidney Blumenthal or simplyrecklessly wrong information from Sidney Blumenthal is relevant at somelevel. What is most important is to protect information that can endangerothers. As you will recall we had this same conversation when we receiveda letter from you we found troubling as it relates to the naming of certainassets. We did the responsible thing which was come to you, alert you tothe issue, and allow for that information to be withdrawn and or otherwise notmade public…
So, our position isconsistent. Sources and methods of intelligence are among the mostclosely guarded information our government has. We will continue toredact that information and treat it with the highest level of confidentialityand sensitivity, and we would advise you to do the same…
PS: I am enviousof your staff\’s ability to get information from this administration in lessthan 45 minutes on a weekend. This is something the majority Membersstruggle to do on weekdays. Perhaps you would be willing to help us gainaccess to the information the Committee has been seeking from theadministration for over half a year now.
