WASHINGTON—Following repeated examples of the Trump administration hiding election interference materials from Congress and the American people for political gain, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, pressed for the declassification of the 2020 and 2019 National Intelligence Estimates regarding Russian efforts to interfere in our elections. In a letter to National Archives and Record Administration Information Security Oversight Office Director Mark Bradley, Murphy specifically requested the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB) review the report and declassify it for the American people.

“Earlier this year, the Director of National Intelligence briefed Congress on its National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) relating to foreign interference in upcoming U.S. elections. It produced a similar report in 2019. In a statement from National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina on the 2020 report, he noted some information was being released out of a need to balance ‘safeguarding our intelligence sources and methods” with “better informing Americans so they can play a critical role in safeguarding our election,’ Murphy wrote.

Murphy continued: “Given the extraordinary public interest of information about foreign interference in U.S. elections, and as a member of the United States Senate Appropriations Committee, a committee of jurisdiction over the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, I request the Public Interest Declassification Board review the 2020 and 2019 NIE reports on foreign election interference to determine fullest possible access to the report. This includes declassification, in part or in whole, of the reports.”

Murphy’s PIDB request comes immediately after Microsoft released a report about Russian, Chinese, and Iranian efforts to intervene in the election, the Treasury Department sanctioned Russian agent Andrii Derkach for interference in the upcoming election, and a government whistleblower alleged that officials at the White House and Homeland Security Department suppressed intelligence concerning Russia’s continuing interference for political purposes.

Murphy has been consistent in pressing the administration on their abuse of the classifications system for political gain. In July, Murphy issued an appeal to the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP) to declassify the War Powers Notification relating to the killing of Qasem Soleimani in January. Murphy’s appeal was denied and he is working on legislation to fix the process. In February, Murphy called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess whether the Trump administration has hidden material from the American public by over-classifying information that is not actually legally classifiable or is being classified only to hide embarrassing or politically damaging information.

A full copy of Murphy’s PIDB request can be found here and below:

Mark Bradley, Director

Information Security Oversight Office, National Archives and Records Administration

700 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Room 100

Washington, DC 20408-0001

Cc: Public Interest Declassification Board

Director Bradley:

Earlier this year, the Director of National Intelligence briefed Congress on its National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) relating to foreign interference in upcoming U.S. elections. It produced a similar report in 2019. In a statement from National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina on the 2020 report, he noted some information was being released out of a need to balance “safeguarding our intelligence sources and methods” with “better informing Americans so they can play a critical role in safeguarding our election.”

Given the extraordinary public interest of information about foreign interference in U.S. elections, and as a member of the United States Senate Appropriations Committee, a committee of jurisdiction over the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, I request the Public Interest Declassification Board review the 2020 and 2019 NIE reports on foreign election interference to determine fullest possible access to the report. This includes declassification, in part or in whole, of the reports.

This request is pursuant to Section 703b(5) of P.L. 106-567, which empowers the Public Interest Declassification Board “To review and make recommendations to the President in a timely manner with respect to any congressional request, made by the committee of jurisdiction or by a member of the committee of jurisdiction, to declassify certain records, to evaluate the proper classification of certain records, or to reconsider a declination to declassify specific records.”

The PIDB is uniquely positioned to support the ODNI in determining how best to balance public interest and the imperatives of secrecy for the United States. Specifically, the PIDB mandate charges that it:

•       “Advises and provides recommendations to the President and other executive branch officials on the systematic, coordinated, and comprehensive identification, collection, review for declassification, and release of declassified records and materials of historic value, including records and materials of extraordinary public interest that does not undermine the national security of the U.S.” (emphasis added) and

•       “Promotes the fullest possible public access to a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of significant U.S. national security decisions and activities in order to support the oversight and legislative functions of Congress; support the policymaking role of the executive branch; respond to the public interest on national security matters; and promote reliable historical analysis and new avenues of historical study in national security matters.” (emphasis added)

Given ongoing efforts to interfere in our rapidly approaching elections, I urge the PIDB to respond to this request by October 1, 2020 and work expeditiously with the ODNI to declassify further portions of both reports to serve the American public. Thank you for your service to our country.                                                      

Christopher S. Murphy                                               

United States Senator

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