Gabbard, Patel Deny Election Order, Tensions Rise

0:00On March 18th, an Ascended Intelligence Committee hearing this week, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Cash Patel told. Lawmakers they knew nothing about a reported draft executive order. That order would have used emergency powers to give the president more control over US elections. The buzz started with a Washington Post story from last month. It described pro-Trump activists sharing ideas with White House officials. They pointed to suppose a Chinese meddling in the 2020 election as the reason for the push. Democrats on the panel turned up the heat. Vice Chairman Mark Warner questioned Gabbard about joining an FBI raid in Fulton County Georgia back in January. Agents there grabbed 2020 election documents, which Warner called baseless conspiracy chasing. Gabbard pushed back, saying she only observed the operation at the president's request. She stressed it was not a law enforcement role for her and that no warrant details were shared. Senator John Assoff from Georgia asked if she touched any ballots after photos showed

1:03her near an FBI truck, but she insisted it was empty. Trunks shot down emergency talk over midterms back in February. Yet these exchanges highlight ongoing tensions around election safeguards and federal involvement.