Thread by @ClimateAudit

1/ A thread on an issue in Atkinson's Aug 24 letter compassrosepllc.com/wp-content/upl… to DNI purporting to find WB Complaint"credible"

2/ on page 2, Atkinson purports to cite definition of "urgent concern" under 5 USC 3033(k)(5)(G)(i) - see below - but his quote omits an important phrase: "does not include differences of opinions concerning public policy matters"

3/ there was a footnote (8) to Atkinson's quote, stating that WB's Classified Appendix "appears to contain classified information involving... ". This footnote appears to be an attempt to connect Complaint to "classified information" - a required element to be "urgent concern"

4/ Trump admin declassified nearly all of Classified Appendix. In first section, WB observed that "some officials voiced concerns internally that this would be an abuse of the system and was not consistent with the responsibilities of the Directorate for Intelligence Programs"

5/ Trump admin had been burned by leaks of calls with foreign leaders and Trump therefore increased security. CIA operative WB argued that Trump's increased security was "not consistent" with NSC responsibilities. That is obviously a difference of opinion on PUBLIC POLICY and

6/ therefore not an "urgent concern" within the definition. So this doesn't satisfy the required element.

7/ in the other section, WB discusses two incidents. He makes interesting point that, if incidents "represent genuine policy deliberations and decisions formulated to advance U.S. foreign policy and national security", there is "a reasonable case that the facts are classified".

8/ it's worth pointing out that WB (and ICIG Atkinson) disregarded seemingly obvious point that Trump's conversations with foreign leaders are much more entitled to be considered "classified"

9/ WB's 2nd classified information was that, according to "officials", Trump didn't "want to meet with Mr. Zelenskyy until he saw how Zelenskyy "chose to act” in office". Nothing wrong with that. WB wildly speculated that this connected with Lutsenko-Giuliani issues.

10/ this seems like a very thin connection to classified information if it's being relied on to show that there is a "flagrant problem" within jurisdiction of DNI "involving classified information"

10/ the other item in unredacted Classified Appendix is shown below: an OMB instruction on July 18 that the President had issued "instructions to suspend all U.S. security assistance to Ukraine". The CIA might disagree with this, but it's not their call.

11/ it's not at all obvious to me that increased US arms shipments to Ukraine is a wise policy. Reagan's wise ambassador to Soviet Union, Jack Matlock, would say no.

Perhaps this is the CIA's real reason for trying to get rid of Trump.