Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admitted to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday night that he has “lawyered up.”
Clapper’s decision to do so comes after recent revelations and accusations by the Trump administration that intelligence agencies falsified information to claim Russia engaged in election interference in the 2016 presidential election to help Donald Trump win the election.
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In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday night, Clapper said he had already lawyered up.
“So what will you do if they come after you?” Collins asked. “What is your plan?”
“Well, I’ll lawyer up, I suppose,” Clapper replied. “I already have.”
As the Washington Examiner previously reported, Clapper, on Dec. 7, 2016, while director of national intelligence and investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, informed President Barack Obama and his administration that “foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the U.S. Presidential election outcome.” Nevertheless, the Obama administration opted to “create a new intelligence community assessment, which it ultimately completed on Jan. 6, 2017, that would include aggressive claims about Russian interference and Russia’s intent to help Trump.”
On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced she had referred several members of the Obama administration, including former President Barack Obama, to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution.
“When the director says that she’s referred these filings to the Justice Department for a criminal investigation, tonight we’re told they formed what is called a strike force. Do you have concerns that they will attempt to prosecute you?” Collins asked Clapper on Wednesday night.
“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,” Clapper added.
Collins followed up by asking Clapper his thoughts on the accusations.
“It’s ridiculous,” Clapper maintained. “It just, it is untrue.”