Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., criticized a group of intelligence officials who signed a letter attempting to discredit the Hunter Biden laptop story just before the 2020 election. Tenney asserted that these 51 former intel officials should be prosecuted for making false statements, citing 18 U.S.C. § 1001, which makes it a felony to knowingly push a false statement to federal agents concerning a federal matter.
The letter, signed by the 51 officials, claimed the laptop bore all the signs of a Russian disinformation campaign, a stance later used by President Biden during a debate with former President Trump to dismiss concerns over the laptop. The laptop was later confirmed to be real and was entered as evidence in Hunter Biden’s federal gun trial.
Fox News Digital contacted the signatories for their reactions after the laptop’s authenticity was confirmed. Former Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Greg Treverton, a former chair of the National Intelligence Council, stood by their decision, suggesting the letter was based on their professional experiences and appeared to be a potential Russian operation.
Meanwhile, an attorney representing several signatories defended the letter as a “patriotic” move, emphasizing the need for vigilance against foreign interference in domestic affairs. Despite these defenses, Tenney argued that the 51 should face prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 for making materially false statements.
