Upon leaving Friday’s classified SCIF briefing, Congressional UAP Caucus co-chair Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) was frustrated with all the secrecy hiding in plain site within the nation’s intelligence community.
“Someone would ask a question, but then someone, they would give a very unanswer-answer. Then somebody else would ask it more specific, and then they would give a better answer. And I’m tired of that stuff, just give us the answer,” Burchett said.
“That kind of shows that you lawmakers are learning the right way to ask,” I point out.
“Yeah. It does,” Burchett said. “But we shouldn't have to go through that many hoops.”
Burchett was excited to see a broad bipartisan coalition of mostly House Oversight Committee members attend the briefing, united around their demand for transparency.
“At one time there were 16 people in there,” Burchett said.
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LISTEN: Laslo & Burchett
Matt 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 Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Tim Burchett
SCENE: This Burchett exchange starts with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC)—which is published here—but after Mace breaks off to go vote on the House floor, Laslo starts his brief, if informative, 1-on-1 with Burchett.
Matt Laslo: “How are you feeling after that?”
Tim Burchett: “I don’t know. More the same. I'm tired of the runaround. I mean, you gotta ask specific questions and…”
Burchett says hi to a lawmaker exiting an elevator to the House floor.
TB: “Someone would ask a question, but then someone, they would give a very unanswer-answer. Then somebody else would ask it more specific, and then they would give a better answer. And I’m tired of that stuff, just give us the answer. Quit with all the…”
ML: “But that kind of shows that you guys are learning as you go?”
TB: “Do what?”
ML: “That kind of shows that you lawmakers are learning the right way to ask.”
TB: “Yeah, yeah. It does, but we shouldn't have to go through that many hoops.”
ML: “Who do you want to hear from the fields have another public hearing?”
TB: “Can I talk off the record?”
ML: “Yeah.”
SILENCE: Burchett asks to go Off the Record, which Laslo grants because Burchett provides solid, actionable information OTR (unlike some senators *ahem* who ask for OTR in order to hide).
ML: “Does this bolster your case for a [UAP] Select Committee?”
TB: “Not yet. I'm not really worried about all that. It was Black folks, white folks, Democrats, Republicans, Jews. It was beautiful.”
ML: “And some who hold gavels, some who don't, right?”
Burchett nods.
TB: “At one time there were 16 people in there.”
ML: “Really?”
TB: “Yeah.”
ML: “So you feel like that sends a message?”
TB: “Yep.”
Burchett starts heading in to the House floor to vote.
ML: “Now does that…?”
Laslo finally notices Burchett’s out.
ML: “Preciate you sir. Have a good weekend.”
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