Who?
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
EDITOR’S NOTE: This Gillibrand interview is in two parts, so Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo added a little narration to tie the two disparate hallway chats together.
Interview I — classified portion of Gillibrand’s Nevada trip
Interview II — UAP-focused (starts around 4:06 mins)
Ask a Pol asks:
“In the House they’re investigating the UAP issue and whether Northrop Grumman and Lockheed are part of the ‘cover-up.’ Did that come up at all?”
Sen. Gillibrand’s public schedule Feb. 21, 2024:
“Everything I was doing was classified”
“I know the allegation. Did not come up in my review,” Gillibrand tells us. “Everything I was doing was classified that was Air Force-related. But what I was doing in Nevada after and California after, was for my campaign.”
Caught our ear:
“I’m very concerned about UAPs, particularly drone technology, aircraft technology that is constantly around our military sites, and it’s a form of ubiquitous surveillance that causes great concern for me,” Gillibrand exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “And we need to know, is it Russia, China, Iran or other? Because it’s highly relevant that we can function at military bases, but, also, it’s important that we can protect secrets and it’s important that we have air superiority and domain awareness.”
Caught our other ear:
“I’m hoping that in this year’s defense bill (NDAA) we can add more resources for sensors and detection,” Gillibrand tells us.
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LISTEN: Laslo & Gillibrand
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Below find rough transcripts of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interviews with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT I — Gillibrand’s classified Air Force tour in Nevada
SCENE: Gillibrand just cast a vote on the Senate floor and is heading for the closest elevator, when she’s surprised to bump into Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo.
Matt Laslo: “Hey senator.”
Kirsten Gillibrand: “Oh hey.”
ML: “Separate topic.”
KG: “Yeah.”
ML: “I’m wondering about your trip to Nevada with the Air Force.”
KG: “Excellent.”
ML: “What [were] the topics de jour? I was a little surprised to see you out there.”
KG: “Manufacturing.”
ML: “Manufacturing?”
KG: “Yeah.”
ML: “Cause, you know, in the House they’re investigating whether…”
KG: “I was in Nevada and California, and so I got to tour a couple of different manufacturers, and what they’re doing for the Air Force is very exciting.”
ML: “Cause in the House they’re investigating the UAP issue and whether Northrop Grumman and Lockheed are part of the ‘cover-up.’ Did that come up at all?”
KG: “Yeah, I know that allegation. I know the allegation. Did not come up in my review.”
ML: “No?”
KG: “But I was very grateful to see the excellent work that our military’s doing.”
ML: “Yeah? Was that campaign stuff for your colleagues?”
KG: “Everything I was doing was classified that was Air Force-related. But what I was doing in Nevada after and California after, was for my campaign.”
ML: “You guys have so much fun with your classifications.”
KG: “I know!”
ML: “Have fun, ma’am! Preciate ya.”
TRANSCRIPT II — Gillibrand on UAPS
Matt Laslo: “On?”
Kirsten Gillibrand: “On the record? Yeah.”
ML: “Well, what the hell was that thing flying over US airspace?”
KG: “Which one?”
ML: “Just recently.”
KG: “Oh, I didn’t see it.”
ML: “They announced it in the past — it just came up for like a day in my feed, and then went away.”
KG: “I don’t known about it.”
ML: “That’s so intriguing.”
KG: “I’ll look into it.”
ML: “Cause it kinda reminded me of…”
KG: “So I’m very concerned — this is on the record — I’m very concerned about UAPs, particularly drone technology, aircraft technology that is constantly around our military sites. And it’s a form of ubiquitous surveillance that causes great concern for me. And we need to know, is it Russia, China, Iran or other? Because it’s highly relevant that we can function, as military business, but, also, it’s important that we can protect secrets and it’s important that we have air superiority and domain awareness.”
ML: “Yeah.”
KG: “All of these things are of high concern to me, and I’m hoping that in this year’s defense bill (NDAA) we can add more resources for sensors and detection.”
ML: “Oh, interesting. I’ll ask you more about that next week.”
KG: “Yep.”
ML: “Have a good one, ma’am.”
Gillibrand hopped an elevator off the Senate floor just as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s longtime Chief of Staff walked past — the day after McConnell announced he’s stepping down from leadership after November’s elections.
ML: “How are you?”
McConnell’s Chief: “I’m good.”
ML: “A little relieved?”
They both laugh.
ML: “Good to see you.”
Sen. Gillibrand: "I’m very concerned about UAPs...constantly around our military sites"