Who?
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) — Chair, Senate Intelligence Committee
LISTEN: Laslo & Warner
Ask a Pol asks:
Any thoughts on this upcoming public Senate UAP — aka, UFO — hearing being planned by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)?
Key Warner:
“Let me do a little research, and I’d be happy to share my thoughts after I do that,” Warner exclusively tells Ask a Pol.
ICYMI — Gillibrand wants Senate UFO hearing
Caught our eye: Asked about incursions over Langley…
Warner holds up a peace sign, turns around and walks away…
Follow-up: Laslo’s email seeking clarity from Warner
Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.
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Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Mark Warner
SCENE: Warner’s walking through the Capitol’s basement when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into him and proceeds to hop an elevator with him. As the interview wraps up, the Intel Chair refuses to say a word, flashes a peace sign to Laslo, then turns and joins his fellow Democrats for their weekly party lunch.
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NOTE: Laslo was heading home but turned around upon spotting Warner, so initially his mic is off…
Matt Laslo: Gillibrand tells me she’s “…planning a UAP hearing in the Senate, either July or September.”
Warner’s eyes are expressive, if blank, as if he’s learning something new. It’s quickly evident he’s not talking, so Laslo fills the void.
ML: “She wants to have AARO [All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office] come in. She said she want’s AARO to explain to the American public how they've tracked some of these unknown objects, but then also to get into the ones that they can’t identify. It seems like you're pretty convinced that the ones they can't identify are nothing anyone should worry about?”
Laslo laughs at Warner’s silence as a Senate attendant directs people in the background.
Mark Warner: “Let me do a little research, and I’d be happy to share my thoughts after I do that.”
ML: “Well, have these — I mean, [Sen. Tim] Kaine brought it up to the Joint Chiefs, the intrusions over Langley with all the drones.”
OOPS ALERT: Laslo misspoke; Kaine pressed the commanders of USNORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM on incursions over Langley earlier this year.
MW: “Yeah, that is something….”
ML: “[Sen. Mark] Kelly brought up Luke Air Force Base. But they’re convinced that these are foreign nations. So I mean, are we gonna have that conversation with the American people?”
Intel Chair Mark Warner stands there silent until he holds up a peace sign.
ML: “Peace?”
Warner then turns and enters Democrat’s weekly ‘policy’ lunch, as Laslo describes the scene into his mic.
ML: “Peace sign from the Chair.”
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The last hearing Gillibrand headed with AARO, she was basically the only senator there. I wonder if the same thing happened at that meeting, where she planned this hearing but then didn't let the chair know until last minute so basically none of the other senators showed up.
Now - the question is - is Gillibrand purposefully trying to have other senators avoid being at the hearing, or not?
Seems more like “deuces” like “Im done here cya” to me.
I have read that Sen Warner behind the scenes is an active opponent of UAP disclosure and the Schumer amendment. I believe Gillibrand acts as a front person for the MIC disinformation campaign. AARO is a joke.
Interesting to get the context now regarding the peace sign. Is he saying that leveling with the American people will bring peace? Or if you want peace, don't poke the bear of international espionage?