Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) needs more information.
That’s whether discussing her own UAP (UFO) amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the incoming head of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)—an office she helped create—or how to set up an interview with UFO whistleblower David Grusch.
“I need to look into it. I need to figure out what's going on. I don't know yet, so I'll give you more later, as soon as I figure more things out,” Gillibrand exclusively shrugged to Ask a Pol.
UFOs are one thing. Crypto’s a different story altogether.
As you’ll hear at the end of our exclusive with Gillibrand, when her new stablecoin measure comes up, the senator perks up and is her usual knowledgeable self.
Will the read Senator Gillibrand please stand up?
Back in June, in an exclusive with us at Ask a Pol, Gillibrand came out forcefully on the side of transparency, demanding answers to Grusch’s serious claims to The Debrief—that the federal bureaucracy was hiding Special Access Programs—or SAPs—from Congress.
“The allegations are very serious,” Gillibrand told us at the time. “We’re trying to schedule a meeting with the whistleblower, so we can ask him questions directly. And then we are also going to try to schedule meetings with the people he mentions in his whistleblowing complaint.”
Since then, Grusch flew to Washington, testified publicly in front of the House Oversight Committee and has sat for countless interviews.
Despite the seemingly easy access to Grusch—who has not stopped blowing his proverbial whistle—Gillibrand has said she hasn’t been able to get a meeting with the former intelligence officer.
Huh.
Maybe Tucker Carlson’s more powerful than a US senator? And not just any senator, but one who enjoys the rare—just 6 of 100—privilege of sitting on both the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.
While he’s on his way out, Gillibrand says she did have a good one-on-one with outgoing AARO Director Sean Kirkpatrick.
Nothing in the calendar, but she expects to meet with his replacement in the New Year.
“Not yet, but I will,” Gillibrand tells us. “But I had a long debrief with Kirkpatrick. It went very well. So I'm gonna meet the new guy, and we’ll assess what the status is because I wasn't sure about it.”
Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps, asking your questions at the Capitol. @Ask_a_Pol (or @askpols).
Ask a Pol is a new, people-powered press corps, asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol. Follow us on the socials @Ask_a_Pol (or @askpols on Insta).
Ask a Pol’s entire raw Gillibrand interview is accessible to all, while the transcript is for Ask a Pol subscribers. Luv ya, fam!
SUBSCRIBER-only TRANSCRIPT
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s interview with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, slightly edited for clarity.
Matt Laslo: “How do you think this UAP amendment came out?”
Kirsten Gillibrand: “I need more information.”
ML: “Did you see Schumer's floor speech?”
KG: “I did, and I need more information about that.”
ML: “Have you met Kirkpatrick’s new replacement?”
KG: “Not yet, but I will. But I had a long debrief with Kirkpatrick. It went very well. So I'm gonna meet the new guy, and we’ll assess what the status is because I wasn't sure about it. I didn't know about Chuck [Schumer]’s speech, but I happened to be there. So I’m gonna assess it.”
ML: “It feels like the mood’s changed on the issue related to Grusch stuff.”
KG: “How do you see it changed?”
ML: “It’s just—less interest. There's not much of an investigation going on over here, it doesn’t seem.”
KG: “No. I need to look into it. I need to figure out what's going on. I don't know yet, so I'll give you more later, as soon as I figure more things out.”
ML: “Crypto?”
KG: ““We're doing a new amendment, just on stablecoin.”
ML: “Yeah.”
KG: “And we’re going to introduce it, I think this week or next week. This week, I hope.”
ML: “Why the narrow focus?”
KG: “Because the broad bill is great, but no one's having hearings on it. And we're hopeful if we have a discreet bill on one issue, maybe we can get a hearing in the Banking Committee on it.”
ML: “Have you talked to McHenry? I was just talking to him.”
KG: “Yes.”
ML: “He—do you see leverage there with the House?”
KG: “We met with both McHenry and Waters over our consensus bill on stablecoin, in the hopes that this bill will be a good representation of where the House could go together.”
ML: “Yeah? I’ll be watching. Appreciate ya all.”
Gillibrand walks towards Senate floor to cast a vote.
ML: “Happy holidays!”
KG: “You too.”
EXCLUSIVE – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: "I need to figure out what's going on"