New records obtained by The New York Post indicate that some of the 51 former intelligence officials who asserted Hunter Biden's laptop had “the classic earmarks” of Russian disinformation were actually active CIA contractors at the time.
Michael Morell, a former acting CIA director who told Congress he organized the letter to support Joe Biden's debate strategy against President Trump, was confirmed to be a contractor during this period. Similarly, David Buckley, a former CIA inspector general, was also identified as a contractor in an interim report from two House committees investigating the matter.
While the specifics of their contracts and compensation remain unclear, the House panels suspect other signatories may also have been contractors, despite being labeled as “former” officeholders in the letter. An internal CIA communication dated October 20, 2020, a day after the letter was published by Politico, expressed frustration about current contractors being involved in the political statement.
The Hatch Act restricts most CIA employees from participating in partisan political activities, but the rules for contractors are less defined. The CIA confirmed that Morell and Buckley were contractors while others like former CIA director John Brennan and signatories Nick Rasmussen and Marc Polymeropoulos were not.
Morell's contract reportedly lapsed after October 19, 2020, but he resumed as an independent contractor by May 1, 2021. Another signatory, Jeremy Bash, had contractor status during the period, and Richard Ledgett, former NSA deputy director, was similarly employed.
These details were unveiled in an interim report by the House Intelligence Committee and the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. The report also suggests that then-CIA Director Gina Haspel was aware of the letter before it was submitted for review.
The report highlights the risks of a politicized intelligence community, noting that some signatories were on the CIA payroll or had special access to facilities at the time. Morell admitted to Congress that it would be inappropriate for current staff or contractors to engage in political activities.
During the final 2020 presidential debate, Joe Biden cited the intelligence letter to dismiss The Post’s reports on his involvement in his family's international business dealings as “Russian disinformation.” This assertion was used to counter allegations made by Trump about Biden's connections to his son Hunter's business ventures.
The initial report from The Post, published days before the intelligence letter, disclosed an email from Burisma executive Vadym Pozharskyi thanking Hunter Biden for arranging a meeting with his father, contradicting Joe Biden’s previous statements. Further revelations included communications about Hunter and Jim Biden's dealings with the Chinese company CEFC China Energy, where a 2017 email mentioned a potential 10% cut for “the big guy,” identified by former associate Rob Walker as Joe Biden.
The CIA and involved parties, including Morell and Buckley, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Read the joint committee report here.
