Research Briefing

Where In The World Is Janet Napolitano?

Despite Numerous Failings Before And After Christmas Day Attack, Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary Too Busy To Testify

Rep. Chris Carney (D-PA): “I Am Very Dismayed That The Secretary Herself Isn't Here. I Mean It's Probably Fair To Ask — Where The Hell Is Secretary Napolitano?” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

QUESTION: WHERE WAS JANET NAPOLITANO ON JANUARY 27?

WAS SHE IN EUROPE? Napolitano Originally Said She Was In Europe. “Napolitano had originally told Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) that she needed to miss the hearing because of a trip to Europe to discuss aviation security.” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

• But Napolitano Was In The Country Two Days Before The Hearing. “Napolitano initially begged off the original hearing, citing a trip to Europe — but she was in the country two days before the committee met.” (Glenn Thrush, “Napolitano In Closed-Door Meeting With Dems,” Politico, 2/3/10)

WAS SHE AT A THINK TANK? Then, According To “Person Familiar With The Situation” Napolitano Skipped The Hearing To Meet With A Think Tank In Washington, DC.  “At the moment the homeland security secretary might have been testifying about the biggest security breach on her watch -- before the major House committee tasked with investigating the matter, she was in her office consulting with members of an unspecified think-tank, according to a person familiar with the situation.” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

OR WAS SHE JUST TOO TIRED? “In Fact, The secretary Returned Home Monday [From Europe], And Was Reportedly Still Tired Two Days Later -- If Not Quite Cancel-All-My-Appointments-Tired.” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

Napolitano’s Spokesperson Refused To Discuss The Secretary’s “Non-Public Schedule” When Questioned. “Kudwa said Napolitano ‘is ready and willing’ to appear before Congress. She would not say what Napolitano was doing at the time of the hearing, citing a department policy of never discussing the secretary's non-public schedule.” (Pam Benson, “Napolitano Criticized For Not Attending House Hearing,” CNN’s Political Ticker Blog, 1/27/10)

And Another DHS Official Claims Napolitano Was “Very Well-Prepared” For The Hearing She Did Not Attend. “Another DHS official said Napolitano initially declined the offer to testify today due to an expected scheduling conflict, but that conflict ultimately didn't materialize. In the meantime, Lute made sure she was ‘very well-prepared’ for today’s hearing, according to the official.” (Mike Levine, “DHS Secy On Hot Seat: Was It Warranted?” FOX News, 1/27/10)

ANSWER: NOT AT CAPITOL HILL HEARING TO TESTIFY ON OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S FAILURES SURROUNDING CHRISTMAS DAY ATTACK

Obama Administration’s Response To Attempted Christmas Day Terror Attack Was “Myopic, Irresponsible And Potentially Dangerous.”  “[The Obama administration had three options: It could charge him in federal court. It could detain him as an enemy belligerent. Or it could hold him for prolonged questioning and later indict him, ensuring that nothing Mr. Abdulmutallab said during questioning was used against him in court… It is now clear that the administration did not give serious thought to anything but Door No. 1. This was myopic, irresponsible and potentially dangerous.” (Editorial, “Did The Obama Administration Blow An Opportunity In The Flight 253 Case?” The Washington Post, 1/23/10)

• And “Turns Out To Have Resulted Not From A Deliberative Process But As A Knee-Jerk Default To A Crime-And-Punishment Model.”  “[T]he decision to try Mr. Abdulmutallab turns out to have resulted not from a deliberative process but as a knee-jerk default to a crime-and-punishment model… According to sources with knowledge of the discussions, no one questioned the approach or raised the possibility of taking more time to question the suspect. This makes the administration's approach even more worrisome than it would have been had intelligence personnel been cut out of the process altogether.” (Editorial, “Did The Obama Administration Blow An Opportunity In The Flight 253 Case?” The Washington Post, 1/23/10)

Christmas Day Bomber Read Miranda Rights After Just Fifty Minutes Of Interrogations. “He talked to agents for about 50 minutes on the day of his arrest. Doctors interrupted the interrogation to sedate him and treat his injuries. When Abdulmutallab awakened, he stopped cooperating, officials said, and it was then that agents advised him of his Miranda rights against self-incrimination.” (Richard A. Serrano and Greg Miller, “Officials Say Bomb Suspect Talking Again,” The Los Angeles Times, 2/3/10)

• But Director of National Intelligence And Napolitano Not Consulted About Decision To Mirandize Abdulmutallab.  “At congressional hearings last month, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano admitted they had not been consulted about the decision to Mirandize Abdulmutallab.” (Mike Allen and Kasie Hunt, “Underwear Bomber Talking Again,” Politico, 2/2/10)

Decision To Put Christmas Day Attempted Bomber In “Civilian Tribunal” Denied U.S. Intelligence Agencies Valuable Information In Weeks After Attack. “Abdulmutallab was ... in a civilian tribunal where the first step was to get him a lawyer who promptly put an end to his disclosures ... The point is less where Abdulmutallab will eventually be prosecuted than what use could have been made of him as an intelligence source. No consideration whatsoever appears to have been given to where Abdulmutallab fits in the foreign contingency operation ...” (Michael B. Mukasey, Op-ed, “What Does The Detroit Bomber Know?” The Wall Street Journal, 1/6/10)

Now Government Is Forced To Negotiate For Information. “Authorities are inching toward an agreement that would secure cooperation from the suspect in the failed Detroit airliner attack, according to two sources familiar with the case, even as fresh details emerged about the intense and chaotic response to the Christmas Day incident.” (Carrie Johnson, Walter Pincus and Spencer S. Hsu, “Authorities Seek Deal With Detroit Suspect On Cooperation, Guilty Plea,” The Washington Post, 1/29/10)

• Abdulmutallab “Sees That There Are Incentives Provided By Criminal Justice System To Cooperate,” Including “A Reduced Prison Sentence.” (Mike Allen, “Bombing Suspect Talks To FBI,” Politico, 2/2/10)

Even Obama’s Director Of National Intelligence Admits Administration Failed To Treat Christmas Day Bomber As High Value Terror Suspect. “Dennis Blair, the Director of National Intelligence, told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that he was not asked whether the suspect should have been treated as a high-value terror suspect upon landing in Detroit and handled first by the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, (HIG) which the Obama administration created last year. ‘That unit was created exactly for this purpose, to make a decision on whether...a certain person who’s detained should be treated as...a case for federal prosecution.’ Blair said.” (Jason Ryan and Zach Wolf, “Feds Mislabeled Christmas Bombing Suspect,” ABC News, 1/20/10)