Former Trump adviser Laura Loomer has blasted the White House for a “lack of vetting” following a report claiming that Tulsi Gabbard was advised by a reclusive guru from a Hindu breakaway group while in Congress. Chris Butler, leader of the Science of Identity Foundation, allegedly provided hundreds of memos with policy advice to Gabbard between 2011 and 2017, sparking questions about how she rose to her top intelligence role.
Gabbard’s tenure as Director of National Intelligence ended suddenly two days before a Washington Post expose was published, allowing her to spend more time with her husband who has been diagnosed with rare bone cancer. Critics including Trump allies have questioned the vetting process that allowed Gabbard to hold such a high position.
Loomer claimed that Gabbard was “forced” on Trump by former supporter-turned-critic Tucker Carlson and confidant Roger Stone, while whistleblower Rebecca Saltzburg shared over 25,000 pages of emails with The Post, which contained memos from Butler. Critics have raised concerns about the loyalty and vetting process for members of Science of Identity, a fringe breakaway group within the Hare Krishna movement.
The Washington Post report has sparked heated debate among media pundits and analysts, with some questioning how Gabbard’s views on Syria and other policy issues were shaped by the memos. Gabbard has not publicly responded to the allegations, while her then-chief of staff called the attacks on her faith and loyalty “anti-Hindu bigotry.”
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tulsi-gabbard-guru-memo-congress-b3000749.html