Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff questioned Jay Clayton, the nominee to head the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, during a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday over his predecessor’s involvement in a federal raid on a Georgia election facility.
The exchange focused on former national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard, who was present during an FBI search of a Fulton County elections office earlier this year. Gabbard has previously testified that her presence at the site was requested by the president.
During the hearing, Ossoff repeatedly pressed Clayton on whether he was aware of Gabbard’s involvement in the operation.
“Are you aware that Director Gabbard was present at the Fulton County raid in Georgia earlier this year?” Ossoff asked.
Clayton replied that Ossoff had brought up the matter during a private meeting the day before. As Ossoff repeated the question, asking for a direct answer, Clayton said, “I just said I was made aware of it by you yesterday.”
When Ossoff asked if that meeting was the first time he had learned of Gabbard’s presence, Clayton responded, “It was the first time that, in my recollection, I’ve thought about it recently. Now, was I aware of it before? You brought it to my attention yesterday. I had not thought about it until you brought it to my attention yesterday.”
Ossoff criticized the nominee’s responses during the public session. “Your answers lack credibility. Your testimony lacks credibility. You’re being evasive, and you’re not being candid or forthright,” Ossoff said. “And everybody across the country is going to watch this and know that.”
The Georgia senator then asked Clayton if he knew Gabbard had testified that her presence at the raid was “requested by the president.” Clayton responded, “I’m not aware of that until now.”
Clayton also testified that he was unaware that members of the Senate Intelligence Committee were already probing Gabbard’s potential misconduct, or that the general counsel and deputy general counsel of his prospective office had already provided testimony to the committee regarding the matter.
Toward the end of the questioning, Ossoff asked Clayton if it would be appropriate for a Director of National Intelligence to oversee the execution of a domestic search warrant at a sensitive election facility if requested by the president or the White House chief of staff.
Clayton declined to answer directly, calling the scenario a hypothetical.
“Is it appropriate for the director of national intelligence to oversee the execution of domestic search warrants at sensitive election facilities? Yes or no?” Ossoff asked.
“I think you’re asking me—as you just said in your first comment to me—yes or no, is it appropriate? No, you are asking me to comment on a matter that you just said was under investigation,” Clayton replied.
As committee leadership signaled that his questioning time had expired, Ossoff called Clayton’s performance “disqualifying”.
The Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to vote on Clayton’s nomination next week.
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