The Sacramento Bee: Washington State Congressman has 'holy crap' moment

By Rob Hotakainen

Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington state called it a “holy crap” moment.

It came when Larsen, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, learned that President Donald Trump had put his close adviser, Steve Bannon, on the National Security Council.

Larsen said it was a mistake to “radically reorganize” the council by removing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence from permanent status on the council’s principals committee and putting Bannon in their place.

Larsen responded by introducing a bill called the Ensuring Sound Military and Intelligence Advice Act of 2017. He said it would preserve the role of professional military and intelligence advice in the nation’s most important national security decisions.

“This is indeed a ‘holy crap’ moment,” Larsen said. “Replacing trusted military and intelligence advisers with someone accountable only to the president is extremely reckless. For the sake of national security, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence must have a role on the National Security Council that is at least equal to that of political hires such as Steve Bannon.”