Who?
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) — Co-chair, Congressional UAP Caucus
What?
Burchett joined Ask a Pol’s Live Listening with Laslo session on our Discord channel. The congressman wasn’t able to log into Discord, so we called an audible, got out some duct tape and Laslo moderated questions from Ask a Pol subscribers with the congressman on speakerphone.
Ask a Pol subscriber asks: “Are you crafting a whistleblower protection measure?”
“Yeah. We talked about that,” Burchett tells Ask a Pol subscribers. “We’re working with some legal people and try to get something a little better than what's out there…”
Key Burchett:
David Grusch gave a list of cooperative and hostile witnesses, what have they done with this list?
“That'll be part of the next hearing, some of those folks. I'm afraid to give out too many names, because, as you know, what happened the last time we had like 12 people that were coming in. We ended up with three,” Burchett exclusively tells Ask a Pol subscribers. “We had some people that were scared…”
Confirmed: UAP Caucus wants Tim Gallaudet to testify
“…there's a Navy admiral who's been real vocal here lately,” Burchett says. “He was involved in in an incident — I can talk about it now cause he's talked about it on the national news — there was a sighting and he was in this chain of information…”
Any update on UAP Caucus trying to hire David Grusch?
“We are not cleared to have any budget like that,” Burchett says. “But I don't know what that would that would get us anyway…”
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Burchett remains dubious of Schumer’s UAPDA
“I don't think that's a good idea,” Burchett says.
What do you make of Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) introducing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s UAPDA amendment to the NDAA?
“I just I don't see it doing much. He’s a Democrat,” Burchett says. “Again, I just want disclosure. I don't want all the bureaucracy. I'm sick of it. 50 pages or 60 pages of bureaucracy to say ‘release it.’ Obviously, they're putting something in there where they're not going to be releasing it…”
ICYMI
Laslo & Burchett: ROUGH RUNDOWN
Please make sure and check the tape!
On UAP Caucus questioning secretary of Department of Energy (roughly 2:08 mark)
“She’s lying or she's inept,” Rep. Burchett tells Ask a Pol subscribers.
Any update on next UFO hearing? (roughly 5:34 mark)
“We just got to get a set date and start focusing on that,” Burchett says. “I'm going to be working on that this week.”
UAP Caucus wants to hear from Tim Gallaudet (roughly 8:30 mark)
“…there's a Navy admiral who's been real vocal here lately,” Burchett says. “He was involved in in an incident — I can talk about it now cause he's talked about it on the national news — there was a sighting and he was in this chain of information…”
Any update on UAP Caucus trying to hire David Grusch? (around 12:10 mark)
“We are not cleared to have any budget like that,” Burchett says. “But I don't know what that would that would get us anyway…”
UAPDA (around 14:44 and again around 18:29 mark)
“I don't think that's a good idea,” Burchett says. “All they gotta do is say ‘US national defense’ and then they stop everything. And that's, you know, sort of where we're at…”
What do you make of Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) introducing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s UAPDA amendment to the NDAA? (around 20:00 mark)
“I just I don't see it doing much. He’s a Democrat,” Burchett says. “Again, I just want disclosure. I don't want all the bureaucracy. I'm sick of it. 50 pages or 60 pages of bureaucracy to say ‘release it.’ Obviously, they're putting something in there where they're not going to be releasing it…”
Burchett’s over SCIF briefings (20:53 mark)
“You bring somebody into the SCIF and they tell you something, then it is secret, and they're not allowed to [discuss it],” Burchett says. “And that is the way they lock this stuff down…”
Question on Burchett’s reelect & UAPs
Exchange roughly 21:44 mark.
Question on unaccounted for Pentagon spending and UAPs
Exchange roughly 22:37 mark.
Question on registration of UAP Caucus as official congressional caucus
Exchange roughly 26:30 mark.
Question on whether it’s legal for lawmakers to divulge classified information while speaking on the House or Senate floor
Exchange roughly 27:20 mark.
Question: “What about field hearings?” (roughly 28:47)
“Anybody can do a field. But it's getting people to show. Where you would do it,” Burchett says. “The trick is to do it someplace where they don't want you there, and you're going to disclose some valuable information by doing it. And we talked about it, but I just don't know that that’s where we need to be. I'm going to have to have another meeting. Since you’ve given me so many ideas…”
“Are you crafting a whistleblower protection measure?” (roughly 30:02 mark)
“Yeah. We talked about that,” Burchett tells Ask a Pol subscribers. “We’re working with some legal people and try to get something a little better than what's out there…”
Feels like less pushback this year than last to a UAP hearing? (roughly 33:26 mark)
“Because the UFO community stood up, and they stood up strong on this thing,” Burchett tells Ask a Pol subscribers.
Ask a Pol audience member asks:
Grusch gave a list of cooperative and hostile witnesses, what have they done with this list? (roughly 36:22 mark)
“That'll be part of the next hearing, some of those folks,” Burchett replies. “I'm afraid to give out too many names, because, as you know, what happened the last time we had like 12 people that were coming in. We ended up with three,” Burchett recalls. “We had some people that were scared….”
UAP subcommittee? (roughly 37:09 mark)
“It's gonna be tough, you know, with elections going on. So I'm a little concerned about that. I don’t want to put any of our members in jeopardy because of this…,” Burchett says. “The UAP/ UFO community, they have a wealth of knowledge…but they're not, you know, they're not setting the woods on fire to help us get elected here.”
How important is this issue, really? (roughly 38:29)
“It's incredibly important. Tens of millions of your tax dollars are being spent on an issue that they say does not exist. And when government thinks that we can handle it, that's when we really need to double down and find out exactly what they're doing with that money, and what's going on,” Burchett tells Ask a Pol subscribers.
Best BBQ in Knoxville? (roughly 39:29 mark)
(response initially inaudible) Burchett’s backyard with his homemade barbecue sauce, of which he divulges a rough recipe.
“It reminds me of my momma, and that’s the best there is,” Burchett says.
Laslo signing off (roughly 42:31 mark)
“Thank you so much for working with us through all the glitches,” Laslo says. “I called the audible and I just moderated your questions, so I know I missed a lot of questions, please send them in, because I want to ask your questions to your lawmakers. Let's keep these jackasses accountable…”
Burchett: Grusch's list of cooperative & hostile witnesses will "be part of the next hearing"