The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Committee (HPSCI) seems to be the place where UFO (or UAP) measures — and investigations — go to die on Capitol Hill.
After Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s own UAP — or UFO — amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was gutted in secret, there’s been lots of finger-pointing at the opaque HPSCI. Rightfully so, it seems.
While we’re still investigating who exactly successfully lobbied behind closed-doors to dismantle Schumer’s own bipartisan UAP measure — and whether the opposition came purely from members of Congress or was from unknown entities in the executive branch — we wanted to lay out what we know about the leaders of HPSCI.
HPSCI Chair Turner fears Ask a Pol (9-27-2023)
The chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), continues to hide from Ask a Pol’s simple UAP questions.
Turner’s feelings may still be hurt from the intense light we shined on his sugar daddy’s in the defense and aerospace industries.
Que sera sera.
HPSCI Ranking Member Himes (6-21-2023)
Throughout this year, Ask a Pol’s published numerous telling, if short, exclusives with the top Democrat on HPSCI, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) — a self-described skeptic on the issue of UAPs.
Last year, Himes was a part of the House Intelligence Committee’s UAP hearing where he was assured the government has never recovered extraterrestrial matter by Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray and Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security Ronald S. Moultrie.
“I was assured by all of the various units that there was no material,” Himes told Ask a Pol back in June. “No organic or inorganic material that they were hiding or anything else, so I’m skeptical.”
In the wake of UFO whistleblower David Grusch’s explosive July testimony, when members returned from their month-long August recess, House Oversight Committee members struggled to be granted access to a SCIF or Secure Compartmentalized Information Facility.
While Congressional UAP Caucus members needed permission from leaders on either the Intelligence or Armed Services Committees, throughout the fall Himes exclusively told Ask a Pol that UAPs had not come up between him and Chair Turner.
“No discussion at all,” Himes told us this fall.
The UAP Caucus eventually gained access to a SCIF, without the help of HPSCI leaders who continue mocking the issue in spite of the serious allegations from whistleblowers — allegations they’ve yet to publicly refute.
This week Himes turned heads when he engaged with Nicholas G. on X about UAPs.
After his initial failed attempt at humor, Himes then pulled the veil back a tad on why he leads with dad jokes instead of answers when it comes to UFOs.
“I’m happy to engage on this topic,” Himes tweeted on X. “I think I probably know as much about it as any member of Congress. But my experience is that this community has fixed conclusions that it won’t alter. And anything at odds with those is vilified in personal and brutal terms. Hence my humor.”
Himes seems to be the one with “fixed conclusions,” though.
In spite of David Grusch’s new, head-turning allegations this year, Himes hasn’t investigated the charges even as he laughs them off. Rather, Himes is singing the same tune he has been, no matter what an increasing number of veterans, pilots and whistleblowers inside the government continue trying to report to Congress.
A subscriber sent us the below (THANK YOU! Keep em coming, fam) 2022 interview Himes did after the Intelligence Committee held the first public UFO hearing in 50 years.
The interview’s not with journalists or researchers, but rather with tabloid fanboys Chris Evans — who played Captain America — and Mark Kassan — executive producer of Celebrity Charades.
Even with their supposed star power, the clip doesn’t have many views, even as it answers many questions about where Himes is on the topic.
Himes talks UAPs with Chris Evans & Mark Kassen (06-21-2022)
“I've been digging in—and, you know, the government has to show me everything as a member of the Intelligence Committee—I'm sad to report that there are no aliens at Roswell,” Himes laughs to the Hollywood hosts. “We don’t have any definitive proof of extraterrestrial activity.”
Throughout the softball interview, Himes laughingly mocks “little green men” roughly 7 times in 13 minutes.
“The real risk here and the reason the Pentagon and the intelligence agency’s really focused on this stuff is not because, you know, we might get little green men running around New Jersey,” Himes says. “The reason they do that is, because if one of our foes has technology that we don't know about it, we want to know about it ASAP. And, like I said, that's what they're doing. There's not a couple of guys in the Pentagon who are dedicated to finding those little green men in New Jersey.”
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).
The curious case of Jim Himes, Mike Turner & HPSCI's opposition to UFO inquiries