Jay Clayton, President Trump’s nominee for director of national intelligence, repeatedly declined to say directly that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, instead repeating that Biden “was certified” as president. Clayton is Trump’s pick to lead the country’s 18 intelligence agencies, and his answers on the 2020 election became the central flashpoint of the hearing, then caused him to become a laughingstock in Washington DC., with Democrats making their feelings about his testimony heard.
In a video, already widely spread online and then shared to Reddit, Senator Ossoff grilled Jay Claton on the election, and he squirmed while avoiding the Biden-sized elephant in the room. He pressed Clayton multiple times to say plainly who won the 2020 election. Clayton responded, “I am not an election denier. Joe Biden was certified,” and later told Ossoff, “I think I’ve answered the question. We can keep doing this.”
CNN video showed Ossoff also asked whether Clayton knew that Gabbard had been present at an FBI search of a Fulton County, Georgia, election office tied to Trump’s 2020 election claims; Clayton said he had only learned of it from Ossoff earlier in the week. This is what some of the Democrats had to say about the whole affair.
“Yeah, these “tough guys” campaign like that; but as soon as daddy trump says jump, it’s how high.”
“Should be the end of your career. They know he won, but they’re still supporting the coup that Trump has been waging ever since he lost that election. They are traitors who are defending treasonous acts against our country.”
“Disqualified for the position. End of story. But I’m sure it goes to some Republican controlled committee vote who will vote lock-step with the dear leader. America is over unless something happens sooner than later.”
The Washington DC Republican-chaired Intelligence Committee is expected to vote on Clayton’s nomination next week, and he remains likely to be confirmed given the Senate’s GOP majority, despite what any liberals might jest about in the short term.
