Dayton Congressman under fire for publicly raising national security alarm

Quickly, White House officials scurried to explain the Ohio Republican’s warning. The threat, it turned out, related to intelligence that Russia recently acquired a not-yet-operational, space-bound anti-satellite weapon that could have nuclear capabilities.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that U.S. officials are analyzing the information on the weapon and have consulted with allies and partners on the matter and clarified that the weapon poses no threat to human life.

“First, this is not an active capability that’s been deployed and though Russia’s pursuit of this particular capability is troubling, there is no immediate threat to anyone’s safety,” said Kirby, who has noted the anti-satellite weaponry would be in breach of the Outer Space Treaty, signed by Russia and 129 other countries. “We’re not talking about a weapon that can be used to attack human beings or cause physical destruction here on Earth.”

Kirby characterized the House Intelligence Committee’s message as regrettable — a sentiment echoed by many on Capitol Hill, given the apparent lack of immediate threat posed by Russia’s anti-satellite weaponry.

Several attempts by this news organization to reach Turner’s office for comment have gone unanswered.

On Thursday, Turner released a statement clarifying that he was not solely responsible for the message to his colleagues (in fact, it was supported 23-1 in committee), but the statement largely failed to address why the high-ranking legislator thought it necessary to warn the public.

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told reporters that he respected Turner’s decision to warn Congress about the weapons, but noted that he expressed concern about taking the message public, as Turner did.

“My concern was specific that if we did that, we would be staring into a whole lot of cameras and microphones,” Himes told reporters and camera crews outside a secure D.C. briefing room. “And here we are.”

Himes called the threat “pretty standard stuff” in terms of the national security threats that the intelligence panel regularly deals with. “This is not a threat for today, tomorrow, next week or next month,” he reiterated.

Some on Capitol Hill were harsher in their criticisms of Turner’s public warning.

Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles called on the House to investigate Turner’s statement. According to Politico, Ogles wrote a letter to House leadership describing the warning as reckless and accused Turner of leveraging his position to bolster support for legislative priorities that include more aid to Ukraine and renewing controversial surveillance power here in the states.

According to Russia’s state-run Tass news service, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the intelligence a “ruse” being used to encourage more Ukraine funding.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, said Turner’s message was more-or-less “gaslighting” Americans, reported MSNBC.

But not all on Capitol Hill disagreed with Turner’s public warning.

“He’s the chair of the Intelligence Committee and I respect his judgment,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, told reporters this week, recorded by the Associated Press. “I don’t criticize him, no.”

She added, “Any light that can be shed on the danger that Russia is to the world is important to recognize.”