By DAVID KLEPPER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The general counsel for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Monday warned the attorney for an anonymous government employee not to directly share a top-secret complaint about Gabbard’s handling of classified material with members of Congress.

Related Articles

Trump administration’s changes to the CFPB cost Americans $19B, a new report says

Governors tackle rising cost of living with relief checks, tax cuts and housing policy

Trump’s immigration crackdown is straining federal courts. Judges are raising the alarm

US snowboard star Chloe Kim calls for unity after Trump bashes teammate over immigrant crackdown

Ghislaine Maxwell appeals for clemency from Trump as she declines to answer questions from lawmakers

The letter to attorney Andrew Bakaj is the latest escalation in the back-and-forth accusations over the classified complaint, which alleges that Gabbard withheld top-secret material for political reasons.

Two inspectors general for the intelligence community reviewed the claim and found that particular allegation did not appear to be credible. Gabbard has denied any wrongdoing and said she did all she could to ensure the report reached Congress.

Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees have blasted Gabbard’s office over the handling of the complaint, questioning why it took eight months for it to be sent to select members of Congress as required by law.

Here’s what to know about the complaint and the next steps:

What is known about the complaint

The anonymous author of the complaint works for a U.S. intelligence agency and in May filed a report claiming that Gabbard withheld classified information for political reasons. Gabbard oversees the coordination of 18 intelligence agencies.

The complaint made two allegations, according to a memo sent to lawmakers by the current inspector general, Christopher Fox: The first is that the “distribution of a highly classified intelligence report was restricted for political purposes,” while the second accuses Gabbard’s general counsel of failing to report a potential crime to the Justice Department.

In June, the inspector general at the time, Tamara Johnson, found that the claim Gabbard distributed classified information along political lines did not appear to be credible, Fox said in the memo to lawmakers. Johnson was “unable to assess the apparent credibility” of the accusation about the general counsel’s office, Fox wrote.

The watchdog said he would have deemed the complaint non-urgent, meaning it never would have been referred to lawmakers.

“If the same or similar matter came before me today, I would likely determine that the allegations do not meet the statutory definition of ‘urgent concern,’” Fox wrote.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets reported that the complaint stemmed from a call between two foreign nationals that mentioned someone close to President Donald Trump and was intercepted by the National Security Agency. The news reports, which cited anonymous sources, said the discussion involved Iran and that Gabbard notified the White House personally, while the complaint accused her of blocking the NSA from reporting the interaction to other agencies. The AP could not immediately confirm the reports.

The NSA declined to offer details about the complaint Monday, saying in a statement that it works closely with the FBI and others to investigate the mishandling or disclosure of classified information.

Gabbard’s office warns attorney

Bakaj, a former CIA officer and an attorney for the person making the complaint, offered to meet with certain lawmakers or their staffs to discuss the allegations and his concerns about Gabbard’s review.

ODNI’s general counsel warned against that in its letter Monday, noting that Bakaj or his client could face criminal charges if they improperly revealed classified material during the briefing.

“The highly classified nature of the underlying complaint increases the risk that you or your client inadvertently or otherwise breaks the law by divulging or mishandling classified information,” the general counsel’s office wrote. “You may have other means of appearing in front of Congress, but this is not it.”

Bakaj did not immediately respond to questions Monday about the letter.

Under federal law, intelligence whistleblowers are entitled to ask to refer their complaints directly to key lawmakers even if the inspector general finds them non-credible, so long as they deem the allegations urgent. That determination was made by the original watchdog, but the complaint didn’t reach lawmakers until last week.

Copies of the top-secret complaint were hand-delivered beginning last week to the “Gang of Eight” — a group comprised of the House and Senate leaders from both parties as well as the four top lawmakers on the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Additional meetings for the remaining members are tentatively set for Wednesday.

Democrats decry delay as GOP backs Gabbard

Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he will push Gabbard for more answers about the underlying complaint and why it took so long to get the report to lawmakers.

The number of redactions make it hard to evaluate the allegations, he said.

“The fact that this sat out there for six, seven, eight months now and we are only seeing it now, raises huge concerns in and of itself,” Warner said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

The Republicans who lead the intelligence committees are backing Gabbard, making it less likely the panels take further steps to investigate the complaint.

“It seemed like an effort by the president’s critics to undermine him,” Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s chairman, wrote Saturday on X.

Intelligence chief responds to critics

Gabbard noted in a lengthy social media post Saturday that Johnson was appointed interim inspector general for the intelligence community during President Joe Biden’s administration.

She included a detailed timeline that she said shows she acted quickly to ensure the complaint reached Congress. Gabbard wrote that she was aware of the complaint in June and believed the investigation had ended after it was found non-credible, only for the inspector general’s office to inform her in December that the complaint had to be reviewed, redacted and sent to members of Congress.

“I took immediate action to provide the security guidance to the Intelligence Community Inspector General who then shared the complaint and referenced intelligence with relevant members of Congress last week,” Gabbard wrote.

She also accused Warner and the media of trying to use the complaint to smear her name.

“To truly lower the cost of living, the city must start using automated compliance checks to approve housing, retrofit, and energy projects in real-time.”

A home under construction on Staten Island. (Adi Talwar/City Limits)

On his first day in office, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the launch of the Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development (SPEED), a task force to remove bureaucratic and permitting barriers that drive up costs and slow housing construction. Less than two weeks later, in her State of the State address, Gov. Kathy Hochul called for modernizing permitting systems across state agencies to help tackle the affordability crisis.

To truly lower the cost of living, the city must start using automated compliance checks to approve housing, retrofit, and energy projects in real-time—a move that would rapidly speed deployment and save New Yorkers money. 

The existing permitting process is broken. While many municipal departments allow permits to be submitted online, the actual review of those documents remains a painfully slow process with long wait times and unpredictable outcomes. Many permits are kicked back to the applicant to correct minor errors, often taking months to complete the entire process. For a homeowner trying to install a heat pump or solar panels, these delays act as a hidden tax, making essential clean energy upgrades more expensive and difficult than they should be. There is a better way! 

The future of construction and renovation lies in automated compliance and fast, if not instant, project approvals. New technology can perform this task on virtually any clean energy upgrade and residential retrofit with 100 percent accuracy. Unlike basic digital portals that just store and distribute files, automated compliance technologies verify that a project meets every rule as the application is being filled out and ensures that every submission is correct and complete the first time around, effectively acting as a project prescreening service. This shift allows for immediate verification, ensuring that project outcomes are predictable from day one.

Automating permitting technology is already delivering results in cities across California and Colorado. For example, the city of Bakersfield has adopted automated permitting for nine permit types, including solar panels, residential re-roofing, and water heaters, slashing the time required for plan review from several weeks to just a few seconds. And in Colorado, the administration has adopted a state-level permit submission platform, which allows instant permitting for projects in dozens of cities, providing builders and homeowners with real-time feedback that allows them to fix errors instantly rather than waiting weeks for a rejection letter. This standardized approach also removes the inconsistencies inherent in human interpretation, ensuring the law is applied consistently to every applicant.

The New York State Legislature is currently considering S5781, which would require automated permitting for residential solar projects in jurisdictions across the state. If enacted, this bill will help property owners save more than $2,000 on the cost of installing a new residential solar system and between $1,300-$2,300 on electricity bills each year. What’s more, automated permitting systems can be set up at no cost to local governments, making this a win-win policy decision. 

Passing this measure will be a vital step, and it is important that the law remains technology-agnostic to allow for constant improvement. By focusing on automated compliance rather than a specific software platform, the state can encourage a competitive market that delivers the best possible tools for New Yorkers.

New York City has the power to lead on this issue right now, even before state intervention. The Mamdani administration can integrate automated compliance into the city’s existing building systems today. Starting with high-volume and high-value projects like renewable energy retrofits would provide an immediate win for the climate and a blueprint for fixing the broader housing crisis. This is a practical, scalable way to make the city more affordable.

Ultimately, an affordability agenda is only as strong as the system that implements it. Moving to automated permitting is more than just a technical fix; it is a way to make the government work more effectively for the people it serves while ensuring our regulations help build a sustainable and affordable future rather than standing in the way. 

Patrick McClellan is the policy director at NY League of Conservation Voters. Leila Banijamali is CEO at Symbium.  

The post Opinion: Automated Permitting is Vital to the Mamdani’s Housing Agenda appeared first on City Limits.

MILAN, Italy  — Caroline Harvey and Joy Dunne each had a goal and two assists, Gwyneth Philips stopped 20 shots in her Olympic debut, and the United States defeated Switzerland 5-0 in the women’s hockey tournament on Monday.

Alex Carpenter, Hannah Bilka and Haley Winn also scored, and the Americans improved to 3-0 a day before the tournament favorites close their Group A preliminary round schedule against border rival Canada.

Captain Hilary Knight had two assists to increase her Olympic career point total to 31 — one short of matching the U.S. record set by Jenny Potter.

Canada faced Czechia later in the evening, a game in which the defending Olympic champion’s captain Marie-Philip Poulin did not return after limping off in the first period. It’s not clear if Poulin — nicknamed “Captain Clutch” for scoring three Olympic gold medal-clinching goals — will be available to play on Tuesday.

Philips’ shutout was shared by Ava McNaughton, who stopped one shot upon entering the game with under two minutes left. The U.S. has allowed just one goal in three outings and posted consecutive shutouts following Aerin Frankel’s 11-save outing in a 5-0 win over Finland on Saturday.

Switzerland dropped to 1-2 in being shut out for the second straight outing following a 4-0 loss to Canada on Saturday. Andrea Braendli was sharp in stopping 45 shots, including 35 of the first 37 she faced before the Americans scored three times on six shots over the first 7:42 of the third period.

Winn opened the scoring 6:04 in, by driving to the front of the net and redirecting in Harvey’s centering pass. Dunne score 5:52 into the second period by forcing a turnover behind the Swiss net and then banking in a shot off the skate of Switzerland defender Stefanie Wetli.

Philips made several big saves in the first period despite facing only six shots. She kicked out her left skate just in time to stop a shot from Ivana Wey in the opening minute. Some 12 1/2 minutes in, Philips got her glove up to foil Rahel Enzler, who was set up on the doorstep.

Host nation Italy secured a place in the quarterfinals for the first time by beating Japan 3-2.

Germany followed by claiming its spot in the next round with a 2-1 overtime win over France.

Both Italy and Germany improved to 2-1 and joined Sweden (3-0) in completing the three Group B nations to clinch a quarterfinal berth. Japan and France were eliminated from contention.

Italy advanced in just its second Olympic appearance, both as the host, after going 0-4 at the 2006 Turin Games and finishing last among the eight-team field.

“I think this is everybody’s dream coming true,” Italy’s Canada-born goalie Gabriella Durante said. “Hopefully this just grows hockey in Italia that much more for little girls all over the country.”

Related Articles

Olympic women’s hockey: Knight ties mark as U.S. blanks Finland

Women’s hockey: Team USA wins Olympics opener

Frost come up short in second consecutive OT loss to Montreal

Utah Mammoth to host the 2027 NHL Winter Classic against the Colorado Avalanche

World Juniors: U.S. ends tourney in disappointing fashion

By JOHN HANNA and ERIC GAY

EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — The first center for dispersing sterile screwworm flies from U.S. soil in decades opened Monday in Texas, part of a larger effort to keep the flesh-eating parasite they spawn from crossing the Mexican border and wreaking havoc on the American cattle industry.

Related Articles

Catherine O’Hara died from a pulmonary embolism. Cancer was the underlying cause

Person is shot in a high school in Maryland and a suspect is in custody, police say

Trump’s immigration crackdown is straining federal courts. Judges are raising the alarm

US military boards sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after pursuit from the Caribbean

Trial against Meta in New Mexico focuses on dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled the new facility on a former Air Force base near Edinburg, Texas. It will allow the U.S. to disperse millions of sterile male New World screwworm flies bred in Mexico or Panama on both sides of the border.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is building a new $750 million factory nearby for breeding sterile flies, but Rollins said construction on the fly factory won’t be done until the end of 2027. The USDA also is spending $21 million to convert a fruit fly breeding facility in far southern Mexico into one for breeding screwworm flies starting this summer.

The sterile male flies would mate with wild females, who mate only once in their weekslong adult lives. Their eggs, laid in open wounds or on mucous membranes, would then not hatch into the flesh-eating maggots that can infest livestock, wild mammals, household pets and even humans.

“It’s a real testament to the all hands on deck — federal state and local — the fact that we do not have the pest in our country yet,” Rollins said.

In November, the USDA opened a facility in Tampico in central Mexico for dispersing Panama-bred flies. However, it is about 330 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We knew we needed a short-term, gap-filling solution, which is exactly what we are cutting a ribbon on today,” Abbott said.

The Mexican cattle industry has been hit hard by New World screwworm fly larvae infestations, and the U.S. has closed the border since July to imports of cattle, bison and horses.

A similar program breeding sterile male flies had largely eradicated the pest from American soil by the early 1970s, except for a limited, short-lived outbreak in the Florida Keys in 2017 and its appearance recently when officials blocked a horse being imported from Argentina into Florida until the animal was fully treated, Rollins said.

The U.S. shut down its fly factories after eliminating the pest from its soil, and sterile males have been bred since in the Western Hemisphere only at a single facility in Panama, which can produce about 117 million a week. The new fly factory in Texas would be designed to produce 300 million a week.

The USDA also announced last month that it is offering up to $100 million in grants for projects designed to improve fly breeding, create new fly traps and lures, and produce treatments for infestations.

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas.