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Congress & It's Spooks From Intelligence Agencies 2018 To 2026

Toxic ReverendJun 26, 2026, 8:54:25 AM

Sections I to III, each with a separate Reference Citation

Section I: The "Arctic Frost" From Our Spooky Government, In The U.S.A.

Quoted from a story posted by Julian Assange March 10, 2018. Just before his Internet access was taken away in the Embassy of Ecuador in London, by the Ecuadorean government. Of which took effect on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Julian Assange's Tweet is ARCHIVED {B} and the article titled

"The CIA Democrats", Part 1" {A} was linked into the posting.

The story {A} started with (and I quote);

An extraordinary number of former intelligence and military operatives
from the CIA, Pentagon, National Security Council and State Department
are seeking nomination as Democratic candidates for Congress in the 2018 midterm elections. The potential influx of military-intelligence personnel into the legislature has no precedent in US political history.

End of quote.

Details, with profiles of the Spooky Congressional candidates are all in the articles of reference {A}. But that was the news in 2018.

The Arctic Frost From Our Spooks In Congress

"Spooks in Congress" generally refers to the highly publicized "Arctic Frost" controversy, where the FBI and former Special Counsel Jack Smith used covert subpoenas to access the geolocation and phone records of members of Congress and hundreds of Republican figures during their post-2020 election investigations . [1, 2, 3]

The "Arctic Frost" Operation

The Allegations: Senate investigators, led by Sen. Chuck Grassley, revealed that "Arctic Frost" was the internal codename used for a broad federal inquiry into the events surrounding the 2020 election.
The Targets: The probe secretly swept up the private communications of at least 10 Republican Senators and Representatives, as well as over 400 Republican groups and individuals.
The Pushback: Critics and Republican lawmakers have strongly condemned the surveillance as an unconstitutional fishing expedition. Congressional committees are probing the DOJ, the FBI, and major telecommunications companies (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) over a lack of transparency and the use of secret non-disclosure orders to bypass congressional oversight. [2, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Congressional Leadership Response

Oversight Hearings: The Senate Judiciary Committee continues to hold hearings to uncover how these subpoenas were issued and why affected congressional offices were kept in the dark.
Committee Inquiries: The House Judiciary Committee is probing the DOJ's forensic handling of confiscated devices, such as Rep. Scott Perry's cell phone, which was seized during the investigation .
Follow the Facts: You can track updates and read official statements directly from the Senate Judiciary Committee. [7]

After the Reference Citation of A, B and 1-10 for Section I is;

Section II: How Many Spooks Are Now In The Congress & Senate

with an updated article with 13 References concerning the number of Spooks holding elected Government Offices during 2026. All of whom seemed to have been provided an excellent "War Chest" of finances to get them there.

Section III Foxes Guard The Chicken Coop

delves into congressional oversight of intelligence agencies and congressional legislation attempting to rein in domestic surveillance programs, with another Reference Citation.

References for Section I {Above}. A & B, 1-10:

A: The CIA Democrats: Part one Intro

By Patrick Martin

World Socialist Web Site 7 March 2018

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/03/07/dems-m07.html

Archived: One of Julian Assange's last tweets right before his

Internet Access was taken away. The Tweet DOES make mention

of reference A by Julian Assange March 13, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180313043102/https:/twitter.com/JulianAssange/status/972558449706979328

[1] https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-171/issue-208/senate-section/article/S8597-1

[2] https://brecheen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1496#:~:text=Congressman%20Josh%20Brecheen%20stated%2C%20%22the%20Biden%20Administration,political%20opponents%20by%20authorizing%20covert%20surveillance%20on

[3] https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/icymi-arctic-frost-was-an-overreach-of-monumental-proportions-and-consequence-cannot-be-dismissed#:~:text=Arctic%20Frost%20itself%20may%20have%20been%20partisan,be%20rooted%20in%20principle%2C%20not%20party.%20According

[4] https://nypost.com/2025/11/09/opinion/arctic-frost-spies-snooped-on-congress-rein-in-the-spooks/

[5] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZv6P-zxj99/#:~:text=when%20I%20walk%20into%20these%20arenas.%20you,can't%20make%20it%20past%20that%20girl%20h

[6] https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-demands-answers-from-telecom-companies-who-turned-congressional-phone-records-over-to-jack-smith#:~:text=Which%20means%2C%20under%20the%20contract%2C%20Verizon%20was,to%20a%20subpoena.%20And%20according%20to%20the

[7] https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/senate-judiciary-committee-plans-series-of-arctic-frost-hearings-for-2026#:~:text=and%20this%20year%20has%20released%20thousands%20of,who%20sounded%20the%20alarm%20to%20me%20about

[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEd0ASx3wRU

[9] https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/senate-judiciary-committee-plans-series-of-arctic-frost-hearings-for-2026#:~:text=Learn%20more%20about%20Grassley's%20Arctic%20Frost%20oversight:,for%20Full%20Disclosure%20of%20Jack%20Smith%20Subpoenas.

[10] https://judiciary.house.gov/media/in-the-news/house-judiciary-committee-probes-doj-ig-offices-involvement-arctic-frost-lawfare#:~:text=The%20House%20Judiciary%20Committee%20is%20probing%20the,alleged%20involvement%20in%20the%20agency's%20Biden%2Dera%20lawfare

>>>

Section II:

How Many Spooks Are Now In The Congress & Senate

Because of some of the recent posting the X Social Media Platform, I did a search for

"how many Democrats and Republicans in the Congress and Senate are former intelligence and military operatives from the CIA, Pentagon, National Security Council and State Department"

The following is a copy of the preliminary results of that search:

Section II an updated article with 13 References concerning the number of Spooks holding elected Government Offices during 2026. All of whom seemed to have been provided an excellent "War Chest" of finances to get them there.

The vast majority of former intelligence/security operatives serving in Congress are Democrats, as the Democratic Party actively recruited candidates with military and intelligence backgrounds for key congressional seats in recent election cycles. [11, 12, 13]

But there is no single official aggregate tracking the exact number of lawmakers with backgrounds spanning every single one of these specific agencies (CIA, Pentagon, NSC, and State Department). The most accurate estimates show fewer than 20 members across both chambers have direct professional experience as intelligence or national security operatives. [1, 2, 3]

In Membership of the 119th Congress: A Profile, the Congressional Research Service reports a total of 98 military veterans in Congress (including 80 in the House and 18 in the Senate), with a partisan split of 72 Republicans and 28 Democrats. [3, 4, 5, 6]

While many of these veterans served in the armed forces without joining the intelligence or diplomatic agencies, a smaller, highly specific subset of lawmakers has backgrounds in the CIA, Pentagon, National Security Council, and State Department. Notable examples include:

Former CIA/Intelligence: In the House, Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is a former CIA operations officer, and Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) previously worked as a CIA analyst and National Security Council staffer.
Former Pentagon Officials: Senator Slotkin also served as the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.
State Department: Several members possess diplomatic backgrounds, such as Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who worked in Honduras for the State Department's USAID. [2, 3, 6]

This bears repeating;

You can track the current rosters, committee assignments, and professional biographies of all lawmakers using the U.S. Congress Members Directory or by reviewing the full Membership Profile report.

In Reference:

[1] https://ballotpedia.org/Gang_of_Eight#:~:text=The%20Gang%20of%20Eight%20has%20historically%20referred,U.S.%20House%20and%20U.S.%20Senate%20Select%20Com

[2] https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46705#:~:text=In%20the%20117th%20Congress%2C%20the%20current%20party,Representatives:%20222%20Democrats%20(including%204%20Delegates)%2C%202

[3] https://www.congress.gov/members#:~:text=Edwards%2C%20Chuck%20%5BR%2DNC%2D11%5D%20Elfreth%2C%20Sarah%20%5BD%2DMD%2D3%5D%20Ellzey%2C,%5BD%2DTX%2D16%5D%20Espaillat%2C%20Adriano%20%5BD%2DNY%2D13%5D%20Estes%2C%20Ron%20%5B

[4] https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48535/R48535.2.pdf#:~:text=Military%20Service%20At%20the%20beginning%20of%20the,served%20or%20were%20serving%20in%20the%20milit

[5] https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/01/02/breaking-down-the-number-of-veterans-in-the-119th-congress/#:~:text=Nine%20women%20veterans%20will%20serve%20in%20Congress,72%20Republicans.%20Congress%20will%20have%2046%20Army

[6] https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47470#:~:text=*%2044%20Senators%20with%20previous%20House%20service;,education%2C%20including%20teachers%2C%20professors%2C%20instructors%2C%20school%20fundraiser

[7] https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawfare-podcast-abigail-spanberger-and-elissa-slotkin-cia-congress#:~:text=Only%20twice%20in%20history%20have%20two%20women,the%20second%20was%202020%E2%80%94both%20of%20them%20featurin

[8] https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-cia-david-petraeus-678bcd0b339cb471ecabdc670bed57f7#:~:text=1%20of%205%20%7C%20Abigail%20Spanberger%20spent,just%20named%20to%20one%20of%20two%20c

[9] https://www.facebook.com/christinaloreynews/posts/dont-let-her-smile-fool-you-elissa-slotkin-served-three-tours-in-iraq-alongside-/1421853606428547/

[10] https://www.facebook.com/SenatorLankford/posts/it-was-great-meeting-with-jay-clayton-today-as-us-attorney-for-the-southern-dist/1586799679477782/#:~:text=A%20case%20in%20point%20is%20Elissa%20Slotkin%2C,National%20Security%20Council%20in%20the%20Obama%20W

[11] https://www.facebook.com/SenatorLankford/posts/it-was-great-meeting-with-jay-clayton-today-as-us-attorney-for-the-southern-dist/1586799679477782/#:~:text=If%20the%20Democrats%20capture%20a%20majority%20in,predicted%2C%20candidates%20drawn%20from%20the%20military%2Dintelligence%20apparatu

[12] https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/03/09/dems-m09.html

[13] https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/08/07/bhiv-a07.html#:~:text=Two%20CIA%20Democrats%2C%20Abigail%20Spanberger%20and%20Elissa,Site.%20Contact%7CAbout%7C%20Two%20CIA%20Democrats%2C%20Abigail%20Spanb

>>>

Section III

Foxes Guard The Chicken Coop

Delves into congressional oversight of intelligence agencies and congressional legislation attempting to rein in domestic surveillance programs, with another Reference Citation.

Congressional Intelligence Oversight Committees

"Spooks"—slang for intelligence officers or operatives—intersect with the United States Congress through two primary dynamics: congressional oversight of intelligence agencies and congressional legislation attempting to rein in domestic surveillance programs. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Congressional Intelligence Oversight Committees Congress exercises direct, albeit heavily classified, oversight of the U.S. Intelligence Community (CIA, NSA, FBI, etc.) through two dedicated committees:

The House: The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) provides direct oversight, budgeting, and authorization for intelligence agencies.
The Senate: The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) fulfills the same mandate in the upper chamber.
The SCIF: Most of these committees' work, including hearings and intelligence briefings, takes place behind closed doors in secured rooms known as SCIFs (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities) . [6, 9]

Surveillance and Privacy DisputesCongress frequently locks horns with the intelligence community regarding warrantless surveillance, intelligence abuses, and privacy. High-profile legislative battles include:

FISA & Section 702: The debate over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)—specifically Section 702, which permits the surveillance of foreign targets abroad but inherently sweeps up Americans' data.
Surveillance Accountability Act: Bipartisan pushes in the House have aimed to close legislative loopholes that allow intelligence agencies to bypass the Fourth Amendment and access personal metadata without a warrant.
Whistleblower Investigations: Committees hold hearings and protect whistleblowers who reveal covert, multi-decade surveillance or unexplained programs . [16, 17]

Oversight Limitations

Because the intelligence community operates in the shadows, these committees face inherent challenges. Lawmakers frequently rely on staff members with previous careers in the intelligence community, raising concerns over whether the committees are receiving objective oversight. [6, 18, 19]

To explore historical congressional investigations into intelligence abuses, read about the landmark Church Committee proceedings. For recent congressional actions and public hearings on covert actions, consult the official Congress.gov database. [5, 20, 21]

In Reference:

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiFcWOHLqsI#:~:text=hello%20thank%20you%20for%20showing%20up%20uh,because%20there%20have%20been%20so%20many%20ero

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDXxmIOyjbQ#:~:text=so%20I%20spent%20a%20lot%20of%20time,and%20so%20that's%20hard%20right%20that's%20really

[3] https://nypost.com/2025/11/09/opinion/arctic-frost-spies-snooped-on-congress-rein-in-the-spooks/#:~:text=United%20States%2C%20the%20justices%20ruled%20that%20the,calls%2C%20and%20that%20a%20physical%20intrusion%20was

[4] https://federalnewsnetwork.com/all-news/2012/04/pentagon-spooks-get-own-spy-service/#:~:text=Washington%20(AP)%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Pentagon%20is%20rebranding,to%20work%20alongside%20CIA%20officers%20to%20gath

[5] https://www.npr.org/2009/08/28/112325699/the-nation-shedding-light-on-spooks-and-secrets#:~:text=But%20a%20growing%20chorus%20of%20voices%2C%20some,positions%20in%20Congress%2C%20have%20begun%20to%20r

[6] https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/spooks-on-the-hill-senate-house-intelligence-panels-rely-heavily-on-ex-spies/#:~:text=From%20the%20Miami%20Herald:%20%E2%80%9CThere%20are%20big,of%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Arthur%20Rizer%2C%20a%20national%20secu

[7] https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL30740.html#:~:text=These%20committees%20were%20granted%20the%20authority%20to,Government%2C%20including%20NSA.%20They%20became%2C%20along%20w

[8] https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/08/john-ratcliffe-trump-intel-power-play-123452#:~:text=John%20McLaughlin%2C%20who%20was%20serving%20as%20acting,it%20was%20being%20debated%20in%202003%2D2004.%20But

[9] https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45191#:~:text=Similar%20notifications%20pre%2Ddate%20the%20establishment%20of%20the,Briefings%20were%20used%20to%20inform%20relevant%20congressional

[10] https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/01/29/congress-readies-push-to-rein-in-the-nations-spooks/#:~:text=For%20more%20than%20a%20year%2C%20Congress%20has,down%20terrorists%20while%20still%20protecting%20Americans'%20p

[11] https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-law-on-wiretapping/