Philip H. Gordon, Kamala Harris's national security advisor, appears to have concerning ties to an Iranian influence operation that has sparked a full investigation of the Biden-Harris government's special envoy to Iran, Robert Malley.
In a letter on Wednesday, Senator Tom Cotton and Representative Elise Stefanik allege Gordan is tied to Ariane Tabatabai, a senior Defense Department official accused of participating in an Iranian influence operation.
Subscribe here "Before joining your office, Mr. Gordon co-authored at least three opinion pieces with Ms. Tabatabai blatantly promoting the Iranian regime's perspective and interests," Cotton and Stefanik's letter states.
It continues: "In a March 2020 piece, Mr. Gordon and Ms. Tabatabai claimed continued sanctions on Iran would create 'catastrophe' in the Middle East. In another, they wrote sanctions could lead to new Iranian efforts to 'lash out with attacks on its neighbors, and on Americans and American interests in the Middle East.'"The Republican lawmakers ask Harris for details regarding the circumstances of Gordon's employment by the Office of the Vice President.
These include whether she was aware of his ties with Ariane Tabatabai and the Iran Experts Initiative-a foreign influence operation controlled by the Iranian regime's Foreign Ministry-at the time of his hiring.
In addition to questions regarding her national security advisor, Cotton and Stefanik pressed Harris regarding Tabatabai's ongoing employment at the U.S. Department of Defense.
The National Pulse reported in September that Tabatabai was able to obtain a security clearance and serve as an aide to Biden's special envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, before moving to the Defense Department.
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