Pelosi: DNI Joseph Maguire ‘Broke the Law’ By Withholding Whistleblower Report from Congress

As Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire continued his testimony before Congress on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press conference where she accused him of breaking the law with his handling of the Trump-Ukraine whistleblower report.

As Maguire defended the whistleblower report in his hearing with the House Intelligence Committee, he claimed that the White House did not block him from submitting the complaint for review and oversight by Congress’ intelligence committees. Maguire, who has been criticized over the report’s delayed release, told the committee that he held it back in order to consult with the White House and the Department of Justice, describing the complaint’s contents as an “unprecedented” matter.

When asked for her thoughts on Maguire’s explanation, Pelosi said it was not acceptable to her, and that “I think what the DNI did was broke the law.”

“The law is very clear, the DNI shall convey the complaint to the intelligence committees – not the whole Congress, to the intelligence committee. Carefully balanced to protect our intelligence and to protect the whistleblower. So he has to convey it, and if the complainant is coming to the committee, whoever the DNI is is the person who establishes the terms under which they would come to protect our intelligence and also protect information that the whistleblower might convey from any anti-Espionage Act charges.”

Pelosi concluded by declining to ascribe a “nefarious” motive to Maguire’s hesitation, but she reaffirmed her position that “I just think it’s wrong and it’s against the law.”

Watch above, via ABC.

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