Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said he had "lawyered up" as a result of being named in documents that allege Obama administration officials laid the groundwork for a "yearslong" Russia-connected "coup" against President Donald Trump.
DNI Director Tulsi Gabbard on Friday announced she was presenting "overwhelming evidence" to the Department of Justice showing that then-President Barack Obama and his national security team conspired against Trump after the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton.
Clapper was among the officials said to have been at a Dec. 9, 2016, meeting at the White House where top National Security Council principals were tasked to create a new intelligence assessment "per the President's request" to detail "the tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election."
That meeting happened after Clapper allegedly informed Obama and his administration that "foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the U.S. Presidential election outcome."
During a Wednesday night appearance on CNN, Clapper said he hired legal representation as a result of Gabbard's release.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked Clapper, "So what will you do if they come after you? What is your plan?"
"Well, I'll lawyer up, I suppose," Clapper said. "I already have."
The DOJ on Wednesday announced the formation of a task force to assess the evidence and investigate potential next legal steps which might stem from Gabbard's disclosures.
Collins asked Clapper whether he had concerns about the possibility of facing prosecution.
"Well, certainly I do," Clapper said. "You know, after eight and a half years of this, and I don't know of an intelligence product that was more scrutinized, more investigated than that product was by numerous people. You know, it's very disconcerting.
"And I take seriously when the President of the United States accuses me of being a participant in a treasonous conspiracy, which is ridiculous."
Asked his thoughts on the Trump administration's accusations, he added: "It's ridiculous, It just, it is untrue."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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