House Intelligence Committee

The United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also known as the House Intelligence Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives.

Maher Bitar Council for House Intelligence Committee Democrats

According to Natasha Bertrand of Politico in an article dated January 21, 2024 titled "He helped Adam Schiff impeach Trump. Now he’s joining Biden’s NSC." Maher Bitar served as Adam Schiff’s "top legal adviser" and "is close with national security adviser Jake Sullivan". He also served as the general counsel for House Intelligence Committee Democrats.

"Adam Schiff’s top legal adviser is joining President Joe Biden’s National Security Council as its senior director for intelligence, a key role that serves as the day-to-day connective tissue between the intelligence community and the White House.

Maher Bitar, who has served as the general counsel for House Intelligence Committee Democrats since 2017 and played a key role during the first impeachment of former President Donald Trump, is set to begin in the new job in the coming days, said two people familiar with the move. His official title will be senior director for intelligence programs.

The hiring will mark a return for Bitar to the NSC. He served as its director for Israeli and Palestinian affairs during the Obama administration and as a deputy to Samantha Power while she was at the NSC. He also worked as a foreign affairs officer at the State Department. Bitar is close with national security adviser Jake Sullivan from their time together at the State Department, said another person familiar with their relationship.

“I am thrilled to see him in his new post, though we will certainly miss him on the committee,” Schiff told POLITICO. Schiff described Bitar as a “superb choice” for the role, adding that he has an “extraordinary” breadth of talent and expertise when it comes to the intelligence community and understands the challenges it faces after being “battered” by Trump for four years. “I can’t think of anyone more suited to the role than Maher,” Schiff said.

[...]

"Bitar served as a senior member of the House impeachment team during Trump’s first impeachment, alongside Dan Goldman who worked as the impeachment manager’s top lawyer. Goldman called Bitar “a brilliant lawyer” and said his experience on the committee would give the new NSC insight into the changes in the intelligence community over the last four years...

First Muslim on the House Intelligence Committee

From Politico By Lauren French January 13, 2015:

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced in a closed-door meeting January 2015, she would name the first Muslim lawmaker to the House’s Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

A senior Democratic aide said Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana would be named in the “coming days” to the key national security-focused panel. Pelosi (D-Calif.) told lawmakers of the appointment during the members’ weekly caucus meeting.

Carson would be the first Muslim to serve on the committee and was the second Muslim to be elected to Congress. He already serves on the Armed Services Committee and worked for the Department of Homeland Security’s Fusion Center — the clearinghouse established by the federal government to streamline data sharing between the CIA, FBI, Department of Justice and the military.

The intelligence committee will most likely tackle a series of high-profile international crises during the 114th Congress, including the threat of Islamic militants and Ukraine.

Luis V. Gutierrez Addresses CAIR Chicago

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez addressed CAIR - Chicago’s 8th Annual Banquet, "A Future Without Bigotry" March 3, 2012.

Thank you Gerald for your generous introduction and to Ahmed Rehab and the entire Chicago-CAIR family and you, their supporters. I appreciate the recognition and this very welcoming hometown audience and this chance to talk about our continued partnership for human rights, civil rights, and treating people with basic dignity and decency...

I will not go into detail about the Intelligence Committee because a lot of it is secret and classified. Can you imagine the clip on Fox News? "Democratic Congressman briefs Islamic group on classified intelligence matters"…They would do a breaking news special report and it would drive the news for three days.

But what I can tell you is that in my position on the House Intelligence Committee, and particularly on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence, I have worked to counter the false narrative that "Muslim" and "Terrorist" are synonyms in the English language.