There is a man whose second wife is a beautiful woman from a country that was a former member of the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). In his business he is surrounded by and he owes significant amounts of money to Russian interests. He occupies a high U.S. governmental office but is totally secretive about his past. He holds Russian President Vladimir Putin near and dear to his heart. Yet this man holds the highest national security clearance in the nation and has access to all our national security briefings.

Where have the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Drug Enforcement Administration Office of National Security Intelligence, Department of the Treasury Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Department of Energy Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Army Military Intelligence, Office of Naval Intelligence, Marine Corps Intelligence, and Coast Guard Intelligence all been over the last four years?

Four years and 17 federal intelligence agencies. Did any single one of them vet him in the national security interests of the nation? The whole of Russia is laughing in amusement.

LANCE A. HEITZ,

Presque Isle