1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to vote against the nomination of Jay Clayton for Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The DNI oversees the most sensitive functions of our national security apparatus, coordinating 18 intelligence agencies.This role requires a leader with deep, demonstrated expertise in intelligence operations, tradecraft, and non-partisan analysis. Mr. Clayton, while an accomplished corporate attorney and federal prosecutor, lacks the professional national security and intelligence background necessary to navigate the complex interagency landscape he would be tasked with leading. Furthermore, Mr. Clayton’s recent public comments regarding election integrity are deeply concerning. The DNI’s mandate is to protect our nation from foreign threats, not to involve the intelligence community in domestic election administration or to validate partisan narratives regarding voting procedures. By suggesting that current systems are inherently flawed, Mr. Clayton has demonstrated a disregard for the strictly non-partisan role of the DNI. His rhetoric appears aimed at political alignment rather than objective national security oversight. It is clear that Mr. Clayton is being presented as a "qualified" choice only in contrast to previous, less experienced choices. This "lesser of two evils" standard is unacceptable for the safety and integrity of the United States. We deserve a cabinet composed of individuals chosen for their deep, proven, and relevant expertise in the specific fields they are meant to oversee. There are numerous qualified, traditional national security experts and principled conservatives with the background required to handle this position with the gravity it demands. The intelligence community must remain independent of political pressure and partisan agendas. I urge you to reject this nomination and demand a candidate whose resume reflects the seriousness and high-level intelligence experience required to protect our nation. I look forward to hearing your position on this nomination.