The House Judiciary Committee has now reportedly formally referred former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution, alleging he knowingly provided false statements to Congress during his May 11, 2023, testimony regarding the Russia collusion investigation.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) outlined the committee’s concerns. “We write to refer significant evidence that former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Brennan knowingly made false statements during his transcribed interview before the Committee on the Judiciary on May 11, 2023,” Jordan wrote. He emphasized the broader implications, noting, “Making false statements before Congress is a crime that undermines the integrity of the Committee’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight.”
The letter details multiple instances in which Brennan allegedly misrepresented the CIA’s role in developing the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA).
The ICA had promoted claims that Russia favored Donald J. Trump during the 2016 election—claims later debunked. Jordan highlighted that the ICA’s conclusions were partially based on the Steele dossier, a document funded by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee through intermediaries, including Perkins Coie and Fusion GPS. Declassified materials from the Trump administration suggest that the Obama administration knowingly pushed the false findings presented in the ICA.
Contradicting Brennan’s sworn testimony that “the CIA was very much opposed to having any reference or inclusion of the Steele dossier in the Intelligence Community Assessment,” Jordan’s letter points to records showing Brennan himself advocated for including the dossier. “In sum, Brennan’s testimony before the Committee on May 11, 2023, was a brazen attempt to knowingly and willfully testify falsely and fictitiously to material facts,” Jordan wrote.
The referral marks a significant step in congressional oversight, underscoring Republican lawmakers’ ongoing concerns about accountability for intelligence officials involved in the Russia collusion narrative. By directing the DOJ to investigate Brennan, the committee seeks to ensure that alleged misrepresentations in testimony are addressed and that senior intelligence officials remain accountable for their statements under oath.
Republican leaders have long criticized the Russia collusion investigation as politically motivated and built on unverified claims, asserting that the Steele dossier and related intelligence products unfairly targeted the Trump campaign. Jordan’s letter reinforces this narrative, highlighting the dossier’s funding sources and its influence on the CIA’s assessment.
The DOJ has not publicly responded to the referral. If it decides to pursue charges, Brennan could face potential criminal liability for knowingly providing false statements to Congress—a federal offense with serious consequences.
As the political ramifications of the referral unfold, the move signals a broader effort by congressional Republicans to investigate the actions of intelligence officials and the origins of the Russia collusion investigation. The referral to the DOJ places Brennan at the center of a high-stakes legal and political inquiry, underscoring continuing tensions over accountability in Washington and the role of intelligence agencies in partisan controversies.
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