Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee today about the ongoing threats facing the nation and what we’re doing about them. We took a detour, however, thanks to Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who wanted to know why Ms. Gabbard was in Fulton County, Georgia, last January. The FBI seized ballots, which led to many state and local officials looking more than a bit queasy.
Gabbard tried to answer Warner’s question, but he wasn’t satisfied, looking rather annoyed. The DNI chief said that her agency has purview and overview over the FBI and DHS. She was sent by Trump to oversee and observe only the FBI’s activities. She did not take any law enforcement action, which Warner did not want to hear. They’re fishing for another abuse of power charge for impeachment should things go the Democrats’ way in 2026. Not that we didn’t know, but this could be one of many areas Democrats probe if they regain the majority:
Democrat Senator Mark Warner SPIRALS on Capitol Hill over DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s involvement in the FBI’s Fulton County election operation.
— Overton (@overton_news) March 18, 2026
Warner tried a gotcha question, but Gabbard FIRED BACK with statutes, leaving him stumbling after each answer.
WARNER: “Director Gabbard, the… pic.twitter.com/eAAkoWte2l
WARNER: “Director Gabbard, the whole country knows that you were recently involved in an FBI operation to seize ballots in Fulton County, Georgia.
“Yet this was despite the fact that the warrant showed no foreign interference or nexus. Matter of fact, the warrant was based entirely on conspiracy theories that have already been examined and rejected repeatedly.
“Now, where is the authority for you to involve yourself in a domestic law enforcement activity?”
GABBARD: “Thank you, vice chairman. I appreciate the question.
“As you know, I’ve addressed every issue you’ve raised in detail in a letter, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to do it in this forum.
“As you stated, Congress provided by statute ODNI with the responsibility of election security and counterintelligence in 2021.
“As you also know, ODNI has purview and oversight—”
WARNER: “Ma’am, could you…could you…I know the history very well, but could you address—”
GABBARD: “I’m addressing the question.
“ODNI also has purview and overview over two domestic-related agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, both of which have purview over election security responsibilities, to ensure the integrity of our elections.
“I want to correct one of your statements that you’ve made multiple times, which is false.
“I did not participate in a law enforcement activity, nor would I, because that does not exist within my authorities.”
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Democrats are very nervous about all these election integrity measures being pushed, and we know why.
The seizure itself was the subject of mediation, as the county claims these documents were improperly seized, but that arrangement has collapsed (via CBS News):
A federal judge says a mediation between Fulton County and the U.S. government over the FBI's seizure of hundreds of boxes of ballots and other records from the county's election hub has been unsuccessful.
In a ruling last month, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee said he would like Fulton County and the federal government to mediate the dispute instead of going to court.
Boulee gave the two parties a deadline to agree on a mediator and come to the table, but with the deadline approaching, officials say neither side was ceding any ground.
[…]
Boulee is now ordering both sides to file new briefs specifically about the federal government's attempt to quash a subpoena requiring an FBI agent to testify at a future hearing. The judge has given the U.S. government a deadline of March 18, with Fulton County's deadline two days later
If the judge decides to deny the federal government's request not to have a hearing, it will proceed on March 27 at 9 a.m.
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