WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined all the members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to call on Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats to make the mandated reports on foreign election interference in U.S. elections available to all members of the committee.

Last year, the administration issued an executive order for agencies to prepare two reports following a U.S. election – the first a threat assessment prepared by the Director of National Intelligence and the second a report by the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security. While the agencies provided brief unclassified summaries of their reports’ findings on the 2018 midterm elections, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has not been provided either report. 

“Your office issued a statement in December announcing that you had submitted the Intelligence Community’s report assessing threats to the 2018 midterm elections to the president and appropriate executive agencies. This month, the acting Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security announced they had submitted their joint report evaluating the impact of any foreign interference on election infrastructure or the infrastructure of political organizations during the midterm elections,” wrote the Senators. 

“While the agencies provided brief unclassified summaries of the reports’ findings, the Select Committee on Intelligence has not been provided either report. We request that you provide to all Committee Members and cleared staff both classified reports required by EO 13848 as soon as possible. These reports are necessary for the Committee to meet its mission and charter to conduct vigorous oversight over the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government,” the Senators continued.

As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King is recognized as a thoughtful, common sense voice on national security and foreign policy issues in the Senate. In addition to his committee work, he serves on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the Senate North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Observer Group, and the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.

Their full letter is below and a PDF is available HERE.

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The Honorable Daniel Coats
Director of National Intelligence 
Washington, D.C. 20511

Dear Director Coats,

We are writing with regard to the classified reports required by the administration’s Executive Order 13848 on foreign election interference in U.S. elections. EO 13848 calls for executive agencies to prepare two reports following a U.S. election – the first a threat assessment prepared by the Director of National Intelligence and the second a report by the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security.

Your office issued a statement in December announcing that you had submitted the Intelligence Community’s report assessing threats to the 2018 midterm elections to the president and appropriate executive agencies. This month, the acting Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security announced they had submitted their joint report evaluating the impact of any foreign interference on election infrastructure or the infrastructure of political organizations during the midterm elections. 

While the agencies provided brief unclassified summaries of the reports’ findings, the Select Committee on Intelligence has not been provided either report. We request that you provide to all Committee Members and cleared staff both classified reports required by EO 13848 as soon as possible. These reports are necessary for the Committee to meet its mission and charter to conduct vigorous oversight over the intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government. We respectfully request a response no later than February 25, 2019, and appreciate your attention to this important matter of national security.