The silence of the intel guys who tried to excuse Hunter Biden's laptop as Russian disinformation

 Washington Examiner:

The 50 former intelligence officials who signed a letter suggesting Russia was involved with the Hunter Biden laptop saga are now largely silent about why they weighed in on the story weeks before the 2020 presidential election.

Despite offering no proof, Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign, along with many in the media, dismissed the October laptop story as being part of a Russian disinformation operation. Concerns about Hunter Biden gained broader attention in late 2020 after multiple outlets reported that he is being federally investigated in connection with his taxes and potentially related to his overseas business with China and other countries.

The October letter, reportedly signed by 51 former intelligence officials plus nine anonymous ones, was even cited by now-President Biden in a presidential debate with former President Donald Trump.

Among those to sign their name to the letter were Obama CIA Director John Brennan, Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former George W. Bush CIA Director Michael Hayden, former Obama CIA Director Leon Panetta, and former Obama acting CIA Director Mike Morell, none of whom responded to the Washington Examiner's questions. Glenn Gerstell, former National Security Agency general counsel, declined to comment. The vast majority of the other signatories did not provide on-the-record responses.

Russ Travers, former acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center, did not answer the Washington Examiner's questions but said “the general subject of Russian disinformation is hugely important” and provided a short statement that did not mention Hunter Biden or his laptop.

...

During a presidential debate, Joe Biden dismissed the laptop emails as part of a “Russian plan” and cited the letter.

Biden was referring to a Politico report about the letter in an article by Natasha Bertrand titled “Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say.” The title was misleading because the letter never directly called the laptop Russian “disinformation,” though it did allege Russian involvement. Neither Bertrand, now at CNN, nor Politico provided a comment.

The letter cited another article claiming that “federal authorities are investigating whether the material … is part of a smoke bomb of disinformation pushed by Russia” but said that “we do not know whether these press reports are accurate.” The laptop “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation," the officials claimed but admitted that “we do not have evidence of Russian involvement." The letter hedged at various times, but it also referred to “our view that the Russians are involved in the Hunter Biden email issue.”

...

I think the letter was a cleverly crafted Democrat disinformation campaign to give Democrats an excuse to ignore the Biden family corruption and dysfunction exhibited by Hunter's laptop.  It apparently worked since Biden survived the embarrassment of his son's activity.

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