The leading intel committee member, Democratic Rep. Jim Himes, stated on Sunday that he had “real concerns” over the Biden administration’s openness on the unexplained objects that have been fired down recently.
Himes, a member of the “Gang of Eight,” which includes the chairmen of the House and Senate intel committee, said lawmakers were given a “very comprehensive briefing” about the Chinese spy blimp.
This blimp was gunned down over water this month in a talk that aired on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
Even Democrat Rep. Jim Himes — ranking member of the House Intel Committee — says he has "real concerns about why the administration is not being more forthcoming with everything that it knows" about the spy balloons and other objects traversing the country. pic.twitter.com/m6CZGU27o3
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 12, 2023
Briefings
Himes recognized information might be limited, but he voiced worry that the government has not been as transparent regarding the unknown objects that were shot down.
These were shot down over Canadian and Alaskan-controlled airspace on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The United States believes the unknown objects fired down over Canadian and Alaskan airspace on Saturday were balloons smaller than the Chinese surveillance balloon shot down on February 4.
That’s according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
In an appearance with ABC’s “This Week,” Schumer said national security advisor Jake Sullivan informed him on Saturday night, many hours after the downing of the unidentified flying object in Canadian airspace.
When asked on “Meet the Press” if he believed the administration was being uncooperative or whether there was a circumstance in which it lacked sufficient information, Himes responded he had not yet received a briefing on the subject.
Himes responded, “I really can’t answer that question since I haven’t been informed. I received an extensive briefing on the first Chinese balloon and I believe the decision-making process was excellent.”
“We now own a resource that we will use to gather intelligence. The judgment call, in my opinion, was sound.”
On Meet the Press, Jim Himes, the ranking member of the intelligence committee, tries to tamp down suspicions of an "alien invasions," though he hasn't been briefed on the 2 most recent shoot downs of objects pic.twitter.com/9oC05efh82
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 12, 2023
Speculations
Himes remarked that before it was seen floating above Montana this month, no one had heard of the Chinese surveillance balloon. NBC News first reported the U.S. kept an eye on the high-altitude surveillance system as it passed over the country for many days.
“There might be explanations for it. People will use worry and other emotions to fill the informational vacuum,” according to Himes. “I wish the administration had been a little more prompt in sharing what information they do have with us.”
On order from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a U.S. fighter plane shot down an unidentified object above Canada, according to officials on Saturday. White House and Pentagon sources acknowledged on Saturday that President Biden was consulted before making the decision.
This month, three objects have been shot down over northern America. The third one was this one.
A “high-altitude object” flying above the Arctic and Alaskan airspace was shot down by American forces on Friday. The U.S. does not know who controls the item, which National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby declined to refer to as a balloon.
This article appeared in The Political Globe and has been published here with permission.
