Classified Whistleblower Complaint Against Intel Chief Gabbard Stalled for Eight Months, Sparking Transparency Concerns

By Mediaite Staff

WASHINGTON — A classified whistleblower complaint alleging wrongdoing by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been stalled within the intelligence community for eight months, creating a standoff between Congress and the spy agency over transparency and procedure.

The complaint, filed with the Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) in May 2023, is deemed so sensitive that even the whistleblower’s legal counsel has been denied access. According to officials familiar with the matter who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, the document is stored in a secure safe, with warnings that its disclosure could cause "grave damage to national security."

Federal law typically requires the ICIG to assess a complaint's credibility within 14 days and, if deemed urgent and credible, forward it to the congressional intelligence committees. That process appears to have broken down in this case, with lawmakers only notified of the complaint's existence in November and still awaiting its transmission.

The allegations are reported to implicate not only the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) but also another federal agency. The situation is further complicated by potential claims of executive privilege, which could involve the White House.

"From my experience, it is confounding for [Gabbard’s office] to take weeks – let alone eight months – to transmit a disclosure to Congress," the whistleblower's attorney, Andrew Bakaj, told the Journal. He accused ODNI of obstructing the process by failing to provide clear guidance on secure transmission protocols.

ODNI has forcefully pushed back against those accusations. A spokesperson acknowledged the complaint relates to the director but dismissed it as "baseless and politically motivated." The office stated that its staff have provided necessary guidance to "support the eventual transmission of appropriate details to Congress."

Good-government experts and former officials expressed alarm at the unprecedented delay, noting it undermines the whistleblower protection system established after intelligence failures in the early 2000s. The controversy emerges as Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman turned independent, continues to draw scrutiny for her unorthodox public appearances, including her presence at an FBI raid on a Georgia election office last week.

Reaction & Analysis:

Elena Rodriguez, National Security Fellow at the Brennan Center: "This delay isn't just bureaucratic inertia; it's a failure of accountability. The whistleblower system exists precisely to bypass chain-of-command when serious allegations arise. Stalling for eight months effectively nullifies that safeguard."

Mark Thorson, Former CIA General Counsel (2009-2011): "While the sensitivity described is notable, the timeline is extraordinary. The ICIG and ODNI have established procedures for handling even 'grave damage' materials. The lack of movement suggests either unprecedented complexity or deliberate foot-dragging."

Rep. David Chen (R-AZ), House Intelligence Committee member: "This is a cover-up, plain and simple. If the complaint were truly 'baseless,' they'd be rushing it to us to prove it. Stonewalling for three-quarters of a year tells you everything you need to know about what's in that safe."

Priya Sharma, Legal Director, Government Accountability Project: "The whistleblower is left in legal limbo, and Congress is left in the dark. This case tests whether the system has any teeth when the accusation points to the very top of the intelligence community."