[FoxNews] Steven Black, the director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN), was abruptly reassigned.
Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, leads GOP lawmakers asking why director was apparently reassigned after 11 years.
The letter, sent to DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm, states that on Oct. 17, Steven Black, the director of the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN), was abruptly reassigned to a "senior adviser" role within the Energy Department without explanation.
"We are also aware that a study conducted by an outside contractor, which the Department has had in its possession since April, outlines disturbing findings as to the state of counterintelligence across the Department, to include the national laboratories," Risch wrote.
The letter – which was signed by Republican Sens. John Barrasso, Marco Rubio, Steve Daines, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Tom Cotton, Jerry Moran, John Cornyn and James Lankford – said if Black presided over the DOE-IN during a time when there were "serious shortcomings with regard to counterintelligence," then Black shouldn't be in any office with national security assignments.
Barrasso is a ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources committee and Rubio is the Committee on Intelligence's vice chairman.
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