Former CIA Director Leon Panetta certainly declared in an interview with Fox News that he stands by his decision to sign the letter that falsely claimed that Hunter Biden’s laptop was full of Russian disinformation. This letter, which was signed by 51 former intelligence officials, was distributed just before the election, and numerous polls indicate that it had a significant impact. The emails discovered on the laptop revealed the Biden family’s dubious commercial connections with foreign parties.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you about that letter you signed on to from former intelligence officials saying that the laptop and the emails had all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,” said Fox News host Bret Baier. “I haven’t asked you this, but do you have regrets about that now looking back, knowing what you know now?”
“Well, you know, Brett, look – I was extremely concerned about Russian interference and misinformation, that Russia had continued to push disinformation across the board. And my concern was to kind of alert the public to be aware that these disinformation efforts went on,” Panetta answered.
He continued to make the unfounded claim that the laptop was full of “Russian disinformation.”
“And frankly, I haven’t seen any evidence from any intelligence agency that that was not the case. You don’t think that it was real? I think that disinformation is involved here,” he said without evidence “I think Russian disinformation is part of what we’re seeing everywhere. I don’t trust the Russians and that’s exactly is part of what we’re seeing everywhere. I don’t trust the Russians and that’s exactly why I was concerned that the public not trust the Russians either.”
On October 19, 2020, a letter to the CIA’s Prepublication Classification Review Board was sent out seeking signatures. Former CIA Acting Director Mike Morell received the email. On April 20, Morell disclosed that the Biden campaign had put pressure on him to help spread the myth that the laptop belonging to Hunter Biden was a product of a Russian misinformation effort. 51 intelligence officers had to be organized in order to sign the letter.
Morell expressly stated Anthony Blinken, the current secretary of state, was the one who gave him the order to deliver the letter during his sworn testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
Morell wrote a letter to the review panel, whose job it is to assess documents from CIA employees that contain secret information. He asked that the letter be “cleared” in the letter. The letter asserts that the laptop narrative in the New York Post demonstrates traits of a Russian disinformation effort.
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In order to get the letter made public before Biden’s debate with then-President Donald Trump on October 22, 2020, Morrell informed fellow signatory and former CIA director John Brennan. “Trying to give the campaign, particularly during the debate . . .a talking point to push back on Trump,” Morrell said.
