By Eric Mack | 18 March 2022

Democrats, complicit former intelligence analysts and their friends in the media effectively used disinformation to sway the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden's favor, an "infuriated" former acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell alleged on Newsmax.

"It's infuriating to see people manipulate intelligence for political gain and then have all of the newsrooms in Washington, D.C., completely ignore it," Grenell told Friday's "Spicer & Co.," pointing to the Hunter Biden laptop story in October 2020 — mainstream media outlets are beginning to acknowledge the laptop's existence after earlier skepticism about the narrative.

"This is what happens in Third World countries, Sean," Grenell added to host Sean Spicer. "This is when propagandists protect the ruling party. We have a huge crisis, and there's a big collective yawn in all of Washington, D.C."

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Grenell took particular aim at then-Politico reporter Natasha Bertrand for a 2020 story built upon what he called a "phony" letter from 50 former intelligence analysts, instead of reporting on the New York Post's claims of Biden corruption with Ukraine, Russia and China.

"I can tell you unequivocally that there wasn't a single piece of raw intelligence," Grenell, then the acting DNI, said of the intelligence analysts. "They were not briefed. None of these 50 people were briefed on anything to do with that laptop. They made it up.

"They manipulated intelligence for political gain, and we talk a lot about not weaponizing government and how certain people have manipulated intelligence, but from the beginning I have been saying these 50 former intelligence officials who signed this letter, they manipulated their responsibility and intelligence."

Grenell called on a Republican-led Congress — should the GOP retake control in the midterm elections — to aggressively investigate the matter.

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/ricgr...br=010102jp36q9