Pelosi urges Pentagon to block ‘Trump loyalist’ from national security role ahead of Biden inauguration



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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls on the Acting Defense Secretary to “immediately cease” plans to install so-called “Trump loyalist” Michael Ellis as the new National Security Agency general counsel ( NSA) just days before President-elect Joe Biden was inaugurated, describing the move as “highly suspect” and a threat to the country’s national security.

In a letter to Acting Defense Department Secretary Christopher C. Miller on Sunday, Pelosi also called for an investigation into alleged “irregularities” in the NSA attorney general selection process, claiming that Ellis, “a relatively recent law graduate with a limited curriculum vitae, was selected due to White House interference, and was chosen from much more qualified applicants.”

THE ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SAYS NO INTEL INITIAL THREAT TO THE INAUGURATION

“The circumstances and timing – immediately following President Trump’s defeat in the election – of Mr. Ellis’ selection, and this eleventh-hour effort to push that placement over the last three days of this administration are highly suspect,” he said. wrote Pelosi. Further, efforts to set him up or ‘dig’ him into a highly sensitive intelligence position 72 hours before a new administration begins demonstrates a worrying disregard for our national security. Therefore, this placement should not move forward. . ”

Pelosi also raised concerns that Ellis has been “involved in highly questionable activities that are disqualifying – including the infamous 2017` `midnight race ” to clear intelligence information via Representative Devin Nunes and with efforts to protect information on the appeal of President Trump President of Ukraine. ”

Ellis was the senior lawyer for Nunes, R-Calif., While he was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, the Washington Post reported.

Nunes ‘office did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment on Tuesday.

Ellis has held several positions in the Trump administration, including serving as an attorney for the National Security Council and senior director of intelligence at the White House, The New York Times reported.

Pelosi’s letter states that “the NSA General Counsel, which involves overseeing many lawyers in the intelligence community and interacting with intelligence agencies, is a very sensitive career position for which candidates are selected, on the basis of merit and without political influence ”. While Ellis went through the traditional public service hiring process, Pelosi also asked for “a detailed account of this process, to understand how someone with their credentials was chosen over other qualified candidates.” .

The letter was sent a day after Miller on Saturday asked NSA director Gen. Paul Nakasone to immediately place Ellis in the role of general counsel before 6 p.m. – but the move was temporarily delayed, the Washington Post.

INAUGURATION DAY 2021: WASHINGTON SECURITY PREPARING AT HIGH SPEED

After leading President Donald Trump's second indictment this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, holds a press conference at the Capitol in Washington on Friday, January 15, 2021. Pelosi and the House Democrats , joined by a handful of Republicans, delivered Trump's historic rebuke for inciting the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021 (AP Photo / J. Scott Applewhite)

After leading President Donald Trump’s second indictment this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, holds a press conference at the Capitol in Washington on Friday, January 15, 2021. Pelosi and the House Democrats , joined by a handful of Republicans, delivered Trump’s historic rebuke for inciting the mob that attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021 (AP Photo / J. Scott Applewhite)

On Sunday, the NSA said in a statement that Ellis “accepted his last job offer yesterday afternoon” and that the nationwide intelligence agency “was moving forward with his job.” Ellis is expected to take office on Tuesday, a day before the presidential nomination.

The NSA also did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment on Tuesday.

The Pentagon has apparently dismissed Pelosi by questioning the integrity of the Department of Defense civil service selection process, explaining that once a candidate is selected through the merit system, meets the job requirements and accepts an offer, if the person is not installed, “it exposes the department, agency and senior leadership to claims for violation of the merit system principles and processes.”

“To be clear, the interest of Congress or the media in a particular recruiting action does not justify, under the principles of the merit system and the process, delaying the placement of a selected qualified person in a post”, Russell Goemaere, a Pentagon public affairs officer, said in a statement. declaration.

“The Department of Defense General Counsel is the sole selection authority for the position of General Counsel of the National Security Agency – as well as for all other positions of Senior Counsel General Counsel of the DoD,” the statement added. “The NSA Director does not select or approve applicants for the post of NSA Legal Director.”

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Defense Department attorney general Paul C. Ney Jr. first hired Ellis in November. At that time, Democratic Senators Mark Warner and Jack Reed also called for an investigation into the case.

Former NSA general advisers have been linked to the Obama administration. For example, Glenn Gerstell, who served from 2015 to 2020, raised $ 50,000 for the Obama campaign in 2012, the Post reported. His predecessor, Raj De, was previously Obama’s personal secretary in the White House.

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