Thread by @jseldin

NEW: @DNI_Ratcliffe blames leaking lawmakers for end to in-person #Election2020 security briefings

"We've had a pandemic being leaked out of the intelligence community & I'm going to take the measures to make sure that that stops" @DNI_Ratcliffe tells Fox News' @MariaBartiromo

"We're not going to do a repeat of what we did a month ago" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "Yet within minutes of one of those briefings ending, a # of different members of Congress went to a # of different publications, leaked classified information, again, for political purposes"

"That simply isn't true that #Russia is a greater nat'l security threat than #China" adds @DNI_Ratcliffe

"I'm going to continue to keep the promises that I made. I'm going to continue to follow the law" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "I reiterated to Congress, look, I'm going to keep you fully and currently informed as required by the law"

"I'm privileged to see more intelligence than anyone else in the country other the president" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "#China is the greatest threat that we face"

"I don't mean to minimize #Russia. They are a nat'l security threat" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "But the threats that we face from #China are significantly greater...anyone who sees intelligence knows that"

"Anyone who says otherwise is politicizing intelligence for their own narrative" add @DNI_Ratcliffe

"#Russia wants a seat at the table of the int'l order" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "#China wants to sit at the head of the table"

Chinese initiatives "designed to challenge US superiority in every respect...and really set the rules, standards & norms for the int'l marketplace"

#COVID19 - "This virus very clearly, we assess w/high confidence, originated in #Wuhan #China" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "we also know that this virus was allowed to spread form China bcs of the Chinese Communist Party & their officials...They downplayed it within their own community"

"Ultimately, they engaged in a campaign to deflect blame from #China" per @DNI_Ratcliffe, citing notion of "proximate cause"

"But for #China's actions, this virus could have been contained to China"

"They're a bad international actor & that's why they shouldn't be allowed to set international standards instead of the #UnitedStates" per @DNI_Ratcliffe

"#China's using a massive & sophisticated influence campaign that dwarfs anything that dwarfs anything that any other country is doing" per @DNI_Ratcliffe

#Election2020 security: "I want to reassure the American ppl-it would be difficult for anyone, #China #Russia #Iran to change actual vote tallies" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "We have a decentralized system across this country about counting votes"

"Talk about influence and malign foreign influence, what #China's doing that no else is doing is that they're engaging at the local, state & federal level" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "#Beijing is threatening economic ruin in for instance districts where members of Congress are..."

"...threatening ruin to businesses, factories, & jobs unless members of Congress support pro-#China policies or oppose policies of the administration, this administration that are tough on China" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "It's something that should concern every American"

"#China #Russia #Iran, other actors, are all trying to interfere or influence our elections for their own gain" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "So I don't want to say this is only about China"

#China-#Election2020 "They're expressing preferences for Vice President Biden over President Trump bcs President Trump has been tough on China" @DNI_Ratcliffe tells @FoxBusiness' @MariaBartiromo "China has enjoyed a $500 billion trade surplus the the president won't tolerate..."

#Election2020 briefings for Congress: "We'll do what's required by law. Those members who are entitled to the briefings & classified information will still get that information" per @DNI_Ratcliffe

"What we won't be doing is all member briefings"

"We've tried that and the information hasn't been protected" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "So we've implemented procedures where we'll primarily brief through written materials but then we'll also provide briefings to the members who are entitled to it as we've done before"

"We're going to do what we're supposed to do but what we're also going to do is protect information from getting leaked for political purposes...I won't stand for it" per @DNI_Ratcliffe

#China tries to lobby businesses, politicians "but where they're not successful there, then they covertly coerce, intimidate, bully, they use middlemen &proxies to try to try to influence & ultimately blackmail in some cases or extort elected officials, business leaders & others"

.@DNI_Ratcliffe tells @FoxBusiness he will declassify more documents re #Durham investigation

"The question now is, did the @FBI have a proper predicate to begin a counterintelligence investigation at all?" he says "It's also the issue I'm continuing to look at"

"But I'm not going to prejudice John Durham's work" per @DNI_Ratcliffe "So we've had to coordinate with his office about the timing...but I'm optimistic I'll be declassifying additional documents soon"

.@DNI_Ratcliffe says he has spoken w/#Durham but that "he's not sharing his findings"

Why aren't leaks from Congress being investigated / prosecuted?

"When I become aware of intelligence community information that is disclosed unlawfully I do what's called a crimes report. I've done that now on a number of occasions" per @DNI_Ratcliffe

Prosecutions up to @FBI

"I'm going to continue to inform Congress and the public about those threats" per @DNI_Ratcliffe re: #China
"Unfortunately we are in a very political situation...I'm going to continue to put out the correct narrative"