Thread by @jseldin

#TikTok "shows a little bit of the haphazardness of this administration" Senate Intel Vice Chair @MarkWarner tells #AspenSecurity

"Is TikTok a problem? Yes. But on the hierarchy of problems we're talking about an app that allows you to make funny videos..."

"...that potentially the Chinese are taking that information and storing it or retaining back in #China & they may be limiting the ability to critique the Chinese gvt" per @MarkWarner

"Should we be concerned if you're a member of the military or the IC if you have #TikTok on one of your devices? Yes" per @MarkWarner "But that is a completely different scale of problem than #Huawei"

"Your telecommunications system, that is an issue of concern, of much greater nat'l security interest than #TikTok" per @MarkWarner "Yet, the president has taken more drastic action & a more drastic threat against TikTok than he's ever taken against #Huawei"

.@USTreasury taking a cut if @Microsoft buys #TikTok "absurd" per Senate Intel Committee Vice Chair @MarkWarner

"This lack of a sophisticated approach, in a sense, gives fodder to other countries like #India & #Brazil & others who are suddenly going to say if America's taking out #TikTok, we can preclude @Facebook or @Google" per @MarkWarner

"If we cry wolf too often, the rest of the world is not going to accept American credibility when we have to call out a bad actor" warns Senate Intel Committee Vice Chair @MarkWarner

#Russia #China #Iran #Election2020 meddling - "I think the threat is serious from all 3 of these nations" per Senate Intel Committee Vice Chair @MarkWarner

"We are better prepared..." he adds, noting efforts by @CISAgov @NSAGov @ODNIgov & even @Facebook @Google @Twitter

"What we have not done yet, though, is I think, make the level of disclose that we need to make to the American public" per @MarkWarner "I am going to continue to push the administration to get this information out in a way that protects sources and methods"

#Election2020

"Just because we have not seen the #Russia|ns ramp up Aug 4 does not mean we won't see further activity a month from now" per @MarkWarner

"The American public needs to be informed about some of the Russian disinformation campaigns that are taking place right now"

#Election2020

Asked what #Russia #China #Iran are doing to impact #Election2020, @MarkWarner says "That is the job of the director of nat'l intelligence to take this information & move it through a declassification process & inform the American public..."

"...But I do feel very very strong that the 1st document that was put out was not sufficient" per @MarkWarner "I have been assured this has been the 1st step in what will be a number of disclosures" about foreign meddling w/#Election2020

"We've gotten much better at the electoral level-the actual machines, the tabulations, the voting systems" per @MarkWarner, but says there are still concerns about the voter registration systems/data

#Election2020 #MailInBallots - "We are hearing horror stories from around the nation where it seems as if the postal system is being gummed up almost on purpose" per Senate Intel Vice Chair @MarkWarner

"There are some real questions that need to be answered by the new Postmaster General, who seems his best qualification is he is very much a Trump loyalist" per @MarkWarner

"I'm almost more concerned, in terms of vote by mail, abt what's going on within the running of our postal system domestically than I am at this moment in time about a foreign government trying to interfere with somehow the mail system" per Senate Intel Vice Chair @MarkWarner

#Russia bounties-#Afghanistan - "We have had briefings on this. I have not been fully satisfied w/those briefings" per @MarkWarner "There was clearly public testimony that there was I believe at least as late as March meetings held on this subject on the chief deputies level"

Declining quality of US intelligence - "This is a concern of mine" per Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner "The mantra of the IC [intelligence community] is to 'speak truth to power' but we've seen under this president anyone who speaks truth to power gets fired"

"Some of the remaining leaders have not continued to show the level of independence that I would like" per @MarkWarner "We need to restore their independence"

"There is a growing fear in the [intelligence] community that if you speak truth to power, if you highlight what the #Russia|ns are doing right now in an election that might be embarrassing to this White House it could cost you your job" per Senate Intel Committee's @MarkWarner

.@MarkWarner says acting Senate Intel Committee Chair, Republican @marcorubio agrees w/need to restore independence to the intelligence community

"We're trying to send that signal but it is a challenge"

"The biggest thing we could do to return independence to the IC [intelligence community] is change who lives in the White Hose" per @MarkWarner

"The constant berating by the White House of the IC, I think has an effect on morale. I think it has an effect on the ability to recruit and retain some of the best" per @MarkWarner