CNN Torpedoes GOP ‘So-Called Whistleblowers’ Ahead Of Hearing: FBI Says They Revoked Their Clearances For January 6th-Related Reasons

CNN anchor John Berman and correspondent Sara Murray torpedoed a pair of GOP witnesses who are set to appear at a hearing, pointing out the FBI has attacked their credibility.

In advance of Ohio congressman Jim Jordan’s weaponization of the federal government hearing, CNN obtained a letter that the FBI sent to the committee that included information on two of the witnesses scheduled to testify Thursday, FBI agents and self-styled whistleblowers Marcus Allen and Steve Friend:

Allen, an FBI staff operations specialist, had his security clearance suspended in January 2022 after voicing support for the January 6, 2021, insurrection of the US Capitol, according to a copy of the suspension letter sent to Allen and obtained by CNN.

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Friend had his security clearance revoked by the FBI on May 16, according to the letter obtained by CNN. In explaining its decision, the FBI revealed that Friend “entered FBI space and downloaded documents from FBI computer systems to an unauthorized removable flash drive” on September 3, 2022. Friend also participated in “multiple, unapproved media interviews, including an interview with a Russian government news agency” and recorded a meeting with FBI management that may have violated Florida state law, the FBI wrote.

On Thursday’s edition of CNN News Central, Berman and Murray shared the reporting even as the hearing was beginning, and refer to the witnesses as “so-called whistleblowers”:

JOHN BERMAN: This morning, we are learning the FBI has revoked the security clearances for three agents for connections to the insurrection on January six, either being there that day or expressing views about it after at least two of these agents are due to testify any minute now on Capitol Hill as star witnesses in a Republican led hearing meant to show how the Republicans say the FBI and Justice Department are working against conservatives. They call it the weaponization of the government. Even as new details emerge about why actions were taken against these agents. CNN’s Sara murray has been covering this. And Sara, I understand you’ve got some new information about all this. What are you learning?

SARA MURRAY: Yeah, that’s right. I mean, look, these are the Jim Jordan so-called whistleblowers. Democrats had already expressed concern about the legitimacy of some of these folks. And we are learning in this FBI letter more about why security clearances were stripped from two of these so-called whistleblowers who are appearing as star witnesses, as you said in this hearing today. I mean, for one of the folks he expresses, he sends an email to colleagues saying you should use discretion, you should proceed carefully about opening any cases regarding January 6th.

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So the FBI is laying out in a letter ahead of this hearing what some of the issues are that they believe were very credible issues for stripping these folks of their security clearances.

Watch above via CNN News Central.