00:00The Iranian Threat Mission Center has seen an increase of 43% in arrests for Iranian spy actors,
00:06so the Iranian Threat Mission Center has never been stronger.
00:09The mission, as I stated, has never been stronger when you see a 43% increase in counterintelligence arrests
00:13and 21% increase in cyber arrests against the Iranian Threat Mission Center.
00:18My focus is on providing the American people as strong as the FBI is possible.
00:22I don't work on timelines, I work on evidence that's presented to me.
00:25So, my specific question is that there was a report that came out in February from CNN
00:31that the FBI had let go or fired dozens of agents and staff members from a counterintelligence unit tasked with
00:38monitoring Iran.
00:40And apparently the reason, at least reported in the press, was that these individuals had been involved
00:45in the investigation of classified document handling from President Trump at Mar-a-Lago,
00:50and that this was the reason why they were summarily let go.
00:55First of all, are you aware of those firings, and do you concur with the rationale or reason for those
01:01firings?
01:02I'm aware of that, and I know there's a pendency of litigation, so I'm not able to comment on them.
01:07Did you yourself order those firings?
01:10The FBI, every time there is someone who violates their code of conduct or ethical standard,
01:15conducts an internal investigation with the careers there, and they present a decision point to me.
01:21The Iranian Threat Mission Center has seen an increase of 43% in arrests for Iranian spy actors,
01:27so the Iranian Threat Mission Center has never been stronger.
01:29So I'm not asking about, I'm asking about whether those people were fired because they were involved
01:36in the investigation of the document handling by President Trump, not for any behavior issues.
01:42Is that your understanding as well?
01:44Again, ma'am, I can't comment on them because those are in pending litigation.
01:49I guess I'm a little stymied here, Director, because it feels as though right literally when there was a possible
01:56pending war,
01:57or I'm outside of this intelligence circle in many ways, even though I serve on the Intelligence Committee.
02:04You collectively must have been aware when these firings happened that there was a meaningful chance
02:09that the U.S. might be engaged with a war in Iran, and having these very expert, super-qualified folks
02:17summarily dismissed at this time, it just feels like an odd choice in timing.
02:21Were you aware at the time that this was going down, that this may end up weakening the mission
02:26and the readiness of that group?
02:28The mission, as I stated, has never been stronger when you see a 43% increase in counterintelligence arrests
02:33and 21% increase in cyber arrests against the Iranian Threat Mission Center.
02:38My focus is on providing the American people as strong as the FBI is possible.
02:42I don't work on timelines.
02:44I work on evidence that's presented to me.
02:45I guess my concern is that it feels as though, and I very much honor the tone and tenor of
02:51this hearing,
02:52that this is about making sure that we depoliticize what is the most important thing that we all do,
02:59which is keep us safe.
03:01And it feels as though this issue is a political issue,
03:05and I just am worried that we are taking really good, really qualified people
03:10and picking fights with one another across party lines,
03:15rather than making sure that we protect ourselves and keep ourselves safe.
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