Justice Department Deepens Inquiry into Ex-CIA Chief John Brennan

The Justice Department has escalated its investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan, requesting and receiving classified records from the House Intelligence Committee amidst a broader probe into his conduct.

House Committee Provides Classified Transcripts

The U.S. Department of Justice has requested and received classified hearing transcripts from the House Intelligence Committee related to former CIA Director John Brennan. According to two sources familiar with the matter, the committee voted on Tuesday night to transmit these records to the Justice Department, acting directly on the department's request.

A spokesperson for Republicans on the committee confirmed the panel's decision, stating that it "voted to report out classified hearing transcripts at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice for an ongoing investigation related to the 2017" report by GOP members of the committee, "which was declassified and released last year, and other topics related to the Trump-Russia collusion hoax." The spokesperson further expressed the committee's hope that this action "may advance the accountability process that many Americans are desperate to see unfold."

Brennan, who served as CIA Director from 2013 to 2017 and has been a frequent target of President Donald Trump, has not yet commented through his attorney, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Punchbowl News was the first outlet to report on the Justice Department's request.

Escalating Federal Probe

This latest development signals a significant advancement in the Justice Department's potential criminal case against Brennan. The department initially launched an investigation into the former intelligence chief in July, which has since seen him designated as a target.

In a December letter to Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga, Brennan's attorneys disclosed that prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of Florida, led by Jason Reding Quiñones, had informed them that Brennan is a target of a grand jury investigation. The probe is reportedly connected to a 2017 intelligence community assessment regarding Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Brennan's legal team voiced strong objections to the ongoing inquiry, writing in the letter, "While it is mystifying how the prosecutors could possibly believe there is any legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation, they have done nothing to explain that mystery."

Political Referrals and Grand Jury Scrutiny

The Justice Department's intensifying scrutiny of Brennan follows prior efforts by staunch Trump allies to push for his prosecution. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, previously referred Brennan to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. Jordan alleged that Brennan provided false testimony in 2023 in connection with the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Brennan's lawyers have unequivocally denied these allegations.

The legal proceedings Jordan referenced reportedly took place in Washington, D.C., where federal grand juries have shown skepticism toward cases brought by the Trump administration against its political targets during his presidency. For instance, in February, federal grand jurors unanimously rejected the administration's attempt to indict six sitting members of Congress. The proposed indictment stemmed from a video posted to social media that urged members of the military not to follow illegal orders, highlighting a broader trend of resistance to such politically charged prosecutions.

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