Democratic lawmakers are hoping to force Republicans to remove Bill Pulte from his new side-gig as acting director of national intelligence.
Senator Mark Warner told Senate Majority Leader John Thune to get Pulte removed or risk Democrats withholding their votes for Donald Trump’s long-term extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Punchbowl News reported Wednesday.
FISA expires in just nine days, leaving Republicans with a short window to force Pulte out.
Democrats aren’t alone: Republican lawmakers have also expressed their concerns about Pulte. “Well, we don’t need a weaponized DNI, we need professionals there,” Thune told reporters Tuesday.
Pulte has none of the military or intelligence background necessary to lead ODNI. He’s made a name for himself by being Trump’s pitbull, recklessly targeting the president’s political enemies and making himself wildly unpopular in the process.
By positioning Pulte as a dealbreaker for FISA, Democrats believe they’re doing Republicans a favor, Punchbowl News reported. If there’s one thing that Democrats and Republicans can agree on, it’s hating Bill Pulte.