Video Release: Rep. Maloney Questions Intelligence Agency Leaders on Policies Towards China and Pushes for Transparency for 9/11 Families

Hearing

Today, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) questioned the Director of National Intelligence along with leaders from the CIA, FBI, NSA, and DIA during the House Intelligence Committee's annual hearing on combatting Worldwide Threats. Rep. Maloney focused on how the intelligence community is countering the military and economic rise of China. In addition, Maloney held agency leaders accountable to the families of 9/11 victims by pushing for the overdue release of portions of the investigation in the nation's deadliest terrorist attack. He also asked about efforts to seize property from Russian oligarchs.

Complete Video of Rep. Maloney's Q&A with Intelligence Agency Leaders is available [here].

Rep. Maloney Exchange on Policy Towards China:

"Rep. Maloney: If some would see this catastrophic decision by the Russian government as a storm, but China is more like the climate right? And it remains the persistent existential long-term threat. So, Director Haines, how are we going to stay focused on China as we work this emergency in Ukraine?

Director Haines: Yeah, unquestionably we are going to stay focused on China -- and I agree with you, it is one of those things where the urgent crowds out the important, on some level. And we are working very hard to ensure that that does not happen because we recognize the long-term priority is China for us. It is absolutely unparalleled and I know my colleagues --

Rep. Maloney: And is it fair to say that the resources of the IC -- I know a lot of that is classified -- but is it fair to say the resources of the IC will reflect that in terms of how we budget and how we prioritize?

Director Haines: Yes, sir."

Rep. Maloney Exchange on Transparency for 9/11 Families:

"Rep. Maloney: The President issued an Executive Order to declassify the 9/11 materials, and we are a little late in receiving them here on the Hill. So I'd like the commitment from all of you to provide unredacted versions of all the 9/11 investigative materials to the Committee as quickly as possible -- at least all those covered by the President's Executive Order.

I'm hoping you can each give me an affirmative commitment to do that. Director Wray?

Director Wray: We can certainly commit to work with you to provide as much information as we possibly can. And I know our staff --

Rep. Maloney: Well, the President issued an Executive Order, sir. So I appreciate the --

Director Wray: And we will absolutely comply with the Executive Order.

Rep. Maloney: That would be fantastic, Mr. Berrier?

Lieutenant General Berrier: We will comply with the Executive Order.

Director Haines: Yes, same.

Director Burns: Yes.

General Nakasone: Yes.

Rep. Maloney: Well thank you all again for your extraordinary work. It's been remarkable."

Rep. Maloney Exchange on Russian Invasion of Ukraine and Seizing Assets from Oligarchs:

"Rep. Maloney: I want to just say that, as someone back from Europe, our allies are enormously impressed with the work that all of you have done. So thank you, first and foremost, for that. And not only are they impressed with it, it actually formed the basis for the response we've seen. The time, the space, and the credibility was essential to being able to put together the sanctions and other measures that, in the space of a week, have blown a hole in the Russian economy.

So, in a very real sense, your work has been absolutely critical to the effort. And while we're watching this tragedy unfold, at the risk of sounding self-congratulatory, I know you all don't take any pleasure in being right on this, but this is the most, I think, consequential success of the IC since the Cuban Missile Crisis. And so, for all of the people who have been working this problem -- not for eleven days, but for months -- please know how grateful we all are. We've met them. We've met them in the field. We've met them in some very difficult conditions, and they are extraordinary. So I just want to tell you all that. And I know there's a lot of work to do, but well done.

Now, a couple of quick questions. I'm very interested in Russian oligarchs. So, Director Wray, what are we doing to get after the oligarchs in the United States? Can we seize some yachts and send some people home because we hear stories about the Russian Foreign Minister, Lavrov, traveling with his mistress, we hear about all the properties that she owns, we know that these guys live large and they live in our cities and they benefit from their wealth in ways that I think would shock ordinary Americans. Can you tell folks in open session what we're doing to get after that problem?

Director Wray: So, certainly the oligarchs are an important part of Putin's power base, and others can speak more to that part of it -- what I would say is that we are working aggressively, both with our partners across the Intelligence Community, across law enforcement, and foreign partners in both security services and law enforcement services to try to hold oligarchs accountable through a variety of means. Where we can lay hands on them, with criminal charges and prosecute them, we want to do that. Where we can better block the ways in which they try to circumvent sanctions to better get after their money, we want to do that. Where we can seize their assets through a variety of legal tools, we want to do that. We are, on the FBI end, blending not just our counter-intelligence expertise, but our expertise with trans-national organized crime, and, of course, our cyber expertise to kind of go after that.

And you may have seen recently, the Justice Department announced a new task force that's specifically focused on that. And we've already had some charges under that work.

Rep. Maloney: Director, are we going to seize some yachts? I mean that sounds great -- are we going to see some of this stuff taken out of their hands?

Director Wray: Whatever we can lawfully seize, we're going to go after.

Rep. Maloney: Thank you. I think you have the support of both -- both aisles up here to be as aggressive as you can humanly be on that issue."

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