Senior Republican senators say Biden should have access to classified briefings

by



[ad_1]

“I think – especially on classified briefings – the answer is yes,” said Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who as pro tempore president is the longest-serving Republican in the chamber.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump who urged the president over the weekend not to admit and amplified baseless allegations of electoral fraud, told CNN on Thursday that he believed Biden should be given briefings intelligence from now on.

“Yeah, I think he should,” Graham said when asked if Biden had access to the intelligence briefing. Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said he had not expressed his thoughts to the White House, but said, “I hope so,” when asked if he expects that Biden is getting the briefings soon.

Senate Majority Whip John Thune of South Dakota also told CNN that Biden should have access to classified briefings.

“Well, I think it probably makes sense to be prepared for all eventualities,” Thune said when asked if Biden should be given briefings. “And as these electoral challenges are unfolding in court, I have no problem with, and I think it’s important from a national security perspective, continuity. And you’ve seen other members suggest that. I think that makes sense.

Another influential Republican, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, said, “Yeah, I don’t think it would hurt,” for Biden to start receiving the briefings.

The comments follow Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma who made similar remarks Wednesday on a local radio station, and several other Republicans have signaled it is time to begin the transition process.
Romney calls on nation to 'fall behind' Biden, says he saw no evidence of voter fraud
Lankford and Grassley’s statements come after Trump refused to concede the race and blocked his administration from taking one of the administrative actions typically taken during a transfer of power, including allowing the General Service Administration to declare that there is an elected president – – a movement that triggers the transition process. While a handful of prominent Republicans have called on their party to recognize Biden’s victory, many party leaders have shown support for Trump’s baseless allegation of voter fraud or have remained publicly silent.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on CNN on Thursday, when asked about Lankford and Grassley’s comments. Earlier this week, McConnell said from the Senate floor that Trump was “100% within his rights to examine allegations of impropriety and to weigh his legal options.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy declined to say whether Biden should receive briefings on classified information.

When asked by CNN if he agrees with Grassley and Lankford, McCarthy instead cited an earlier quote from Biden himself, saying that “access to classified information is useful but I am not able to make a decision on these matters anyway “and that” that would be nice to have. It’s not critical. “

“I think I have to stand with Joe Biden,” said McCarthy, a Republican from California. “He’s not president right now. I don’t know if he’s going to be president on January 20, but whoever will get the information.”

When asked if General Service Administration should approve the required paperwork, Grassley said “we have to do what we did” after the contested 2000 election.

Recalling that the official report on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 warned that the shortened transition period contributed to the lack of preparation, Grassley replied: “Well, I will always stick to what I said, everything that was done in 2000 has yet to be done. “
& # 39; Depressed ' Trump continues to criticize his baseless election fight

Lankford said on Wednesday he would step in if the Trump administration had not given Biden access to daily presidential intelligence briefings by the end of the week.

“There is no loss for him to have the briefings and to be able to do it,” Lankford told KRMG radio station, noting that he sits on a key committee related to government oversight, and that he has already started to engage on this issue.

Lankford has said that if no progress is made on the issue by Friday, he will step in and say: “It has to happen so that whatever the outcome of the election, however it is. takes place, people can be ready for this real task. “

Several other GOP senators also called on Biden to have access to the security briefings. Asked earlier this week whether Biden should be allowed to start receiving the daily presidential briefing, Republican Senator Marco Rubio, acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters: “I don’t think that prejudges in no way legal claims from the president. to start the transition work just in case. “

This story was updated with further developments on Thursday.

CNN’s Zachary Cohen, Sarah Fortinsky, and Kristin Wilson contributed to this report.

[ad_2]

Source link