Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., criticized Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, on Sunday for her defense of the Air National Guardsman suspected of leaking a large number of classified documents.
Greene defended the alleged leaker, Jack Teixeira, 21, in two tweets last week. The far-right lawmaker, who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, claimed the Biden administration was «the real enemy» and had «He lied to us from the beginning.»
«If you’re a member of the military intelligence community and you don’t agree with American policy and you think you’re going to be okay when it comes to leaking classified information, you’re going to go to jail,» Graham said in «This Week» from ABC News.
«It’s one of the most irresponsible statements I could make,» he added, condemning Greene’s comments.
Graham said he was concerned about the US’s ability to gather information following the leak of Pentagon documents, adding that the military is «less safe» because of what the alleged leaker did.
“There is no justification for this,” Graham said. «And for any member of Congress to suggest that it’s okay to leak classified information because they agree with the cause is terribly irresponsible and puts America in grave danger.»
Teixeira was arrested last week at a home in North Dighton, Massachusetts, more than an hour from the military base where he worked. He made his first appearance in court a day later and was charged with possessing classified documents related to national security and possessing national defense materials. The charges carry a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
NBC News obtained more than 50 of the leaked documents, many of them labeled «Top Secret,» the highest level of classification. The classified documents reveal details of US spying on Russia’s war machine in Ukraine and secret assessments of Ukraine’s combat power, as well as intelligence gathering on US allies, including South Korea and Israel.
Several lawmakers expressed concern on Sunday shows about the leak of classified documents.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, DN.Y, who sits on the Intelligence and Armed Services committees, said there will be a briefing with all senators this week and both panels will hold hearings on the matter.
“And the Intelligence Committee will also have a thorough investigation. We are intensely focused on how we keep our secrets safe,” Gillibrand said in CNN’s «State of the Union.» “And I have a lot of questions about, why were these documents lying around? Why did this particular person have access to them? Where was the custody of the documents and who were they for?
“We need to know the facts. We need to know who this airman was, why he felt he had the authority or the ability to show confidential documents, secret documents to his friends,” he added. “It seems that he was extremely immature and someone who did not understand the weight and importance of these documents. So we need to figure it out and put in place the proper protections.”
Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said it’s too soon for people to praise or condemn the alleged leaker because an investigation has not yet concluded.
“I want to know, I think like every other American, who was in charge. And each side right now: one side calls him a traitor, the other side calls him a hero,» Mace said in an interview on «Fox News Sunday».
«But neither party has the information or data to be able to make that decision yet because there hasn’t been an investigation and we haven’t even had our first classified briefing, which will take place later this week when we go back to session.»