US Representative Pete Hoekstra, (Republican, Mich.), the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, asked the Director of National Intelligence Ombudsman to investigate the Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis report on “rightwing extremism” for evidence of unsubstantiated conclusions and political bias.
Congressman Hoekstra stated:
“This report has significant analytic shortcomings and does not deserve to be called an intelligence product… Our nation’s veterans and hardworking families that may be facing tough times should not be viewed as a threat and neither should citizens who oppose out-of-control federal spending and tax hikes.”
The House Intelligence Committee is responsible for authorizing funding for DHS Intelligence and Analysis, as well as conducting oversight of the office. Hoekstra sent his letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano with a copy sent to Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair. The DNI Ombudsman’s office is responsible for reviewing concerns about the quality and potential politicization of intelligence analysis.
Hoekstra was dismayed by the report’s sweeping generalizations about returning combat veterans and the suggestion that they would be susceptible to joining violent extremist groups. Hoekstra, who has sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to protect the rights of parents to raise their children, was also disappointed by the report’s assertion without substantiation that unemployed parents may foster “rightwing extremist” beliefs in their children.
Hoekstra added:
“Beyond apologizing for its obviously offensive references, the administration needs to get to the bottom of how and why a report like this was written, and put standards in place to keep it from happening again.”
You may download or view Congressman Hoekstra's letter to Napolitano as a PDF here.
You may download or view a copy of the DHS report as a PDF here.
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