CNN anchor Jim Sciutto said Wednesday on CNN’s “Newsroom” that President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 presidential election could put America at risk for a terrorist attack like the 9/11 attacks.
Co-anchor Poppy Harlow asked, “Yes or no, are the actions of the president is taking now putting this country in danger?”
Former Bush administration assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith said, ” “Clearly, it’s not great for our democracy.”
Sciutto said, “Yep, that’s it fair. Let’s put some teeth on that if we can for a moment because they are sitting members of Congress who were around in their positions at the time of 9/11, and the 9/11 commission report specifically cited the shortened transition after the 2000 election for having an impact on national security. I’m quoting here, ‘It hampered the new administration in identifying, recruiting, clearing and obtaining Senate confirmation of key appointees.’ The fact is we have experienced for how shortened transition makes a difference in national security. Why aren’t we hearing from Republicans about that, granting that potential danger?”
Goldsmith said, “I mean you’re absolutely right, the 9/11 commission were in a situation very analogous to this, where the General Services Administration would not certify the winner and therefore delayed access by the president-elect to intelligence briefings and early pre-clearances for classified information. They said that that was one of the reasons that may have led to 9/11, and we’re going to be doing basically the same thing because they’re not allowing the Biden– president-elect Biden to have access to these resources. I can’t explain why some Republicans are acting this way. Maybe they don’t understand the implications. It’s a very dangerous game that they’re playing.”
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