WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pressed nominees for top Defense Department intelligence and inspector general positions on the importance of independent assessments, serving the facts rather than the objectives of a political figure or party, during a nominations hearing of the Senate Armed Service Committee. Senator King also sought the nominees’ thinking on how best to appropriately declassify material to inform the public on issues such as election security – a topic he raised in a Time magazine national column in July.

“Mr. Abend you’re taking a very difficult job, a very important job. I consider Inspector Generals among the most important jobs in the U.S. government because of the size, and in the case of the Defense Department, often secrecy, the public doesn’t really have much visibility into what’s going on,” said Senator King to Jason Abend, nominee to be Inspector General Of The Department Of Defense. “Unfortunately, in recent years, the job-life expectancy, of an inspector general is about the same as a squirrel trying to cross Pennsylvania Avenue down the street here. I really hope you’ll think hard about the obligation you have to the country and the fact that you’re oath when you’re likely confirmed and sworn-in is to the Constitution of the United States and to the laws under which you will be operating, not to any particular President or member of Congress or Secretary of Defense.”

Senator King has long made it a priority to press the President’s IG nominees on their independence, especially in light of the “concerning” motivation behind the dismissal of Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson in early April, and several internal watchdogs within federal agencies in the months since.

Later in the hearing, Senator King pushed Bradley Hansell, nominee to be Deputy Under Secretary Of Defense For Intelligence and Security on the importance of an informed public – particularly during an election year.

“Mr Hansell, talking about intelligence: normally a customer of the intelligence agencies is the President, the Secretary of Defense, or the policy makers, sometimes member of congress. I would argue that every four years your customer is the American people, because when they vote on November 3rd, they are the decision-makers, they are the policymakers, and they need and deserve your intelligence about information involving foreign actors that may influence or try to influence our election. Will you push for the declassification, when possible, and I understand about sources and methods, but I think you need to think about who is your customer and every four years in November your customer is the American people.”

Today’s hearing featured testimony from Jason Abend, nominee to be Inspector General Of The Department Of Defense; Bradley Hansell, nominee to be Deputy Under Secretary Of Defense For Intelligence and Security; Lucas Polakowski, nominee to be Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Nuclear, Chemical, And Biological Defense Programs; Louis Bremer, nominee to be Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict.