U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) confronted Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard during a committee hearing Thursday over her involvement in an FBI raid on Fulton County’s election office and conflicting White House reports regarding Iranian nuclear threats.
Confrontation over Georgia election raid
Sen. Jon Ossoff confirmed that members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have opened inquiries into Director Tulsi Gabbard’s role in a Jan. 28 raid on Fulton County election materials.
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Gabbard testified that she was present for “portions” of the warrant execution to seize ballots from the 2020 election. She stated her presence was requested by the president the morning the raid commenced to “oversee” the operation alongside the Deputy Director of the FBI.
Discrepancies in Iran nuclear threat
The hearing also focused on conflicting reports regarding international security. While Gabbard testified that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated” by summer airstrikes, the White House previously characterized the campaign as a move to eliminate an “imminent” threat.
Ossoff accused the Director of “evading” questions to avoid contradicting the administration’s narrative, noting that providing a candid response would show the Intelligence Community’s assessment differed from the White House’s public statements.
Unanswered questions in the investigation
It remains unclear specifically what method the president used to request Gabbard’s presence in Georgia, as she declined to disclose how the message was delivered.
Additionally, while Gabbard admitted to being inside an FBI evidence truck during the raid, it has not been confirmed if she handled any ballots. Ossoff attempted to ask if she “looked at votes” as the president suggested, but his time expired before a verbal answer was given.
