Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has issued a statement walking back comments she made Monday suggesting that the White House was the source of recent national security leaks. Mitt Romney referenced Feinstein’s Monday comments in a foreign policy speech on Tuesday.
“I stated that I did not believe the president leaked classified information,” Feinstein said in Tuesday’s statement, according to The Hill. “I shouldn’t have speculated beyond that, because the fact of the matter is I don’t know the source of the leaks.”
“I’m on record as being disturbed by these leaks, and I regret my remarks are being used to impugn President Obama or his commitment to protecting national security secrets,” Feinstein also said. “I know for a fact the president is extremely troubled by these leaks. His administration has moved aggressively to appoint two independent U.S. attorneys. There is an investigation under way, and it is moving forward quickly.
On Monday, Feinstein said at a World Affairs Council forum that “the White House has to understand that some of this is coming from their ranks.”
