Some of the 51 “Spies Who Lie” were active CIA contractors when they claimed files from first son Hunter Biden’s laptop had “the classic earmarks” of Russian disinformation ahead of the 2020 election — a fact that was uneasily noted inside the agency at the time, new records acquired by The Post show.
Former CIA acting director Michael Morell, who previously told Congress he organized the Oct. 19, 2020, letter to give Joe Biden a “talking point” ahead of a debate against then-President Donald Trump, was a contractor at the time, the agency recently confirmed to Congress.
Former CIA inspector general David Buckley also was a contractor at the time of the letter, according to an interim report from two House committees investigating the matter.
Records suggest that at least two other letter-signers may have had active contracts at the time.
The terms of their contracts and compensation were not immediately clear and the House panels believe additional letter-signers may have been contractors — even though the letter described the signers as “former” officeholders.
“This frustrates me. I don’t think it is helpful to the Agency in the long run,” a CIA official whose identity was redacted wrote on Oct. 20, 2020 — the day after the letter was distributed to Politico — with a link to the outlet’s story.
