The Justice Department on Friday defended Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's presence at an FBI raid of an election office in Georgia.
"This administration coordinates everything we do as a group. ... Of course, that's a big part of her job. And so, the fact that she was present in Atlanta that day is something that shouldn't surprise anybody," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a press conference.
Asked whether that meant Gabbard was in the state unrelated to Department of Justice actions, Blanche replied, "No, I did not say that.
"I said exactly the opposite. I said this administration works closely together in all kinds of different areas, and so I'm not sure if they're surprised that the administration is working together on things like election integrity."
Some Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about Gabbard's presence Wednesday at the Fulton County elections office near Atlanta.
"Why is Tulsi Gabbard at an FBI raid on an election office in Fulton County?" Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., asked in an X post, which included a video.
"Either Director Gabbard believes there was a legitimate foreign intelligence nexus — in which case she is in clear violation of her obligation under the law to keep the intelligence committees 'fully and currently informed' of relevant national security concerns — or she is once again demonstrating her utter lack of fitness for the office that she holds by injecting the nonpartisan intelligence community she is supposed to be leading into a domestic political stunt designed to legitimize conspiracy theories that undermine our democracy," he wrote in a response to his first post.
"Either is a serious breach of trust that further underscores why she is totally unqualified to hold a position that demands sound judgment, apolitical independence, and a singular focus on keeping Americans safe," he added.
Said Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.: "My constituents in Georgia and I think much of the American public are quite reasonably alarmed in asking questions after the director of national intelligence was spotted bizarrely and personally lurking in an FBI evidence truck in Fulton County, Georgia, yesterday."
An FBI spokesperson told The Associated Press agents were "executing a court authorized law enforcement action" but declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing nature of the matter.
A law enforcement official familiar with the matter told Reuters the search is connected to investigations tied to the 2020 presidential election.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Gabbard was investigating the 2020 election.
"President [Donald] Trump and his entire team are committed to ensuring a U.S. election can never, ever be rigged again. Director Gabbard is playing a key lead role in this important effort," Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, told the Journal.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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