Day: March 12, 2026

John Brennan is reportedly the target
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As of March 12, 2026, former  #CIA Director  #JohnBrennan is reportedly the target of a high-pressure criminal investigation led by the Department of Justice ( #DOJ), specifically the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida. [1, 2]
The most recent developments include:

Intensified Pressure for Indictment (March 2026): Top DOJ officials are reportedly pressuring career prosecutors in Miami to bring criminal charges against Brennan. This follows a failed push in January 2026 to secure a case, which career prosecutors resisted due to concerns that the evidence was “relatively weak”.
Congressional Referral (October 2025 – February 2026): House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan officially referred Brennan to the DOJ for criminal prosecution on October 21, 2025. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed receipt of this referral during a February 11, 2026, hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.
Core Allegations: The referral and subsequent probe focus on allegations that Brennan “willfully and intentionally” made false statements to Congress during 2023 testimony. Specifically, investigators are looking at whether he lied about the CIA’s use of the Steele dossier in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian election interference.
Grand Jury and Subpoenas: Prosecutors have issued two rounds of subpoenas to various witnesses. Brennan’s legal team confirmed in December 2025 that he had been formally advised he is a target of a grand jury investigation.
Allegations of “Irregular Activity”: Brennan’s lawyers have accused the DOJ of “irregular activity,” including judge shopping (attempting to steer the case to specific judges like Aileen Cannon) and improper leaks to the media.
Revocation of Security Clearance: On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order revoking Brennan’s security clearance, citing his involvement in the 2020 letter regarding Hunter Biden’s laptop. [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]

Brennan has consistently denied any wrongdoing, calling the referral “ludicrous” and characterizing it as a political attempt to “rewrite history”. [16, 17]

[1]  cnn.com
[2]  local3news.com
[3]  judiciary.house.gov
[4]  mezha.net
[5]  cnn.com
[6]  cnn.com
[7]  judiciary.house.gov
[8]  foxnews.com
[9]  foxnews.com
[10]  facebook.com
[11]  youtube.com
[12]  clearinghouse.net
[13]  nytimes.com
[14]  youtube.com
[15]  en.wikipedia.org
[16]  youtube.com
[17]  reuters.com

News:
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Legal and Investigative Updates Investigation of Former Directors: Former CIA Director John Brennan has been referred for criminal investigation regarding potential false statements to Congress during the Trump-Russia probe.

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

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Legal and Investigative Updates
Investigation of Former Directors: Former CIA Director John Brennan has been referred for criminal investigation regarding potential false statements to Congress during the Trump-Russia probe.

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

#CIA Operations:  #Iran,  #China
CIA Operations: Iran, China, Venezuela  gemini.google.com/share/77d3…
GS – AI Overview
Recent CIA news as of March 2026 focuses on leadership changes, internal investigations, and restructuring under the new administration. Key headlines include criminal referrals for former officials, potential workforce cuts driven by Elon Musk, and controversies surrounding investigations into “Havana Syndrome”. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Developments (March 2026):

Criminal Investigations: The Department of Justice is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey, following referrals from CIA Director John Ratcliffe regarding their actions during the Trump-Russia probe.
Restructuring & Staffing: The agency is facing significant changes, including potential workforce cuts and a hiring freeze, with reports of  being involved in “government efficiency” talks affecting the intelligence community.
Havana Syndrome Controversy: A former officer has criticized the CIA’s investigation into “Anomalous Health Incidents” (Havana Syndrome), alleging that the investigation was improperly handled and that officials tried to prove the illnesses were not caused by a foreign adversary.
Leadership Appointments: Josh Simmons has been confirmed as the new CIA General Counsel.
Operations & Security: Reports indicate the agency has been involved in gathering intelligence in Venezuela and on Iranian nuclear sites. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Operational & Historical News:

Aldrich Ames: Former CIA officer and convicted spy Aldrich Ames died at age 84.
CIA Labs: The agency has launched CIA Labs, a new in-house research and development arm to address future intelligence challenges. [6, 10]

AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses

[1]  facebook.com/cnn/posts/justi…
[2]  politico.com/news/cia
[3]  facebook.com/60minutes/video…
[4]  cbsnews.com/news/targeting-a…
[5]  cbsnews.com/tag/central-inte…
[6]  bbc.com/news/topics/c50znx8v…
[7]  cia.gov/stories/press-releas…
[8]  independent.co.uk/topic/cia
[9]  theguardian.com/us-news/2025…
[10]  cia.gov/stories/news/

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

Systemic mycosis (fungal infection) in elderly – treatment – Google Search  google.com/search?q=Systemic…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

Systemic mycosis (fungal infection) in elderly – Google Search  google.com/search?q=Systemic…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

#IntelligenceServices –  #AI Review
#Counterintelligence

Book Summary and Discussion
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Created March 12, 2026 at 08:35 AM

Counterintelligence Reform Proposal Summary
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Created March 11, 2026 at 12:50 PM

CIA Effectiveness: Experts’ Views
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Created March 11, 2026 at 11:19 AM

U.S. Counterintelligence: A 5-6 Assessment
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Created March 11, 2026 at 10:44 AM

U.S. Counterintelligence: A 5-6 Assessment
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Created March 11, 2026 at 10:40 AM

Assessing Counterintelligence Effectiveness and Usefulness
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Created March 11, 2026 at 10:22 AM

Patel’s Counterintelligence Reforms: Efficiency vs. Disruption
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Created March 11, 2026 at 09:56 AM

Espionage Mystery and FBI Leadership
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Created March 11, 2026 at 09:42 AM

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

#FBI  #CIA
#Counterintelligence at Its Core: Assessing and Preventing Foreign Espionage Kevin P. Riehle –
Gemini:  Counterintelligence Book Summary and Discussion
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Google Search
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AI Mode
Counterintelligence at Its Core: Assessing and Preventing Foreign Espionage is a book by Kevin P. Riehle, scheduled for release in May 2025. The work positions counterintelligence (CI) analysis as a unified strategic function essential for achieving “decision advantage” over adversaries. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Core Themes and Content
Riehle argues that CI analysis is not just about catching spies but is the “core” of the discipline. Key elements include: [5, 6]

The Intelligence Cycle: The book explains how to exploit, disrupt, or manipulate an adversary’s intelligence cycle to gain a strategic edge.
Strategic Decision Denial: It provides a blueprint for “frosting the adversary’s window,” ensuring their strategic vision of your own operations remains distorted.
Analytical Frameworks: Riehle outlines four specific types of analysis and their roles in threat assessment, cyber operations, and strategic planning.
Historical and Modern Case Studies: The text applies CI principles to the early Cold War, the Soviet Union, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. [1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Book Structure
The book is organized into three primary parts: [4, 9, 11]

Defining and Approaching CI: Establishes definitions and identifies four types of CI analysis.
Strategic Application: Examines CI’s role in anticipating conflict and analyzes specific case studies (Soviet Union, Russia, and Ukraine).
Challenges and Priorities: Concludes with future priorities for the CI community. [1, 4, 10, 11]

About the Author
Dr. Kevin P. Riehle is a scholar and former practitioner with over 30 years of experience in the U.S. intelligence community. [12, 13]

Professional Background: He served as a counterintelligence analyst and a Navy Reserve intelligence officer, finishing his government career as a professor at the National Intelligence University.
Academic Role: He is currently a lecturer at the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS) in London.
Other Works: He has authored several books on Russian intelligence, including Soviet Defectors: Revelations of Renegade Intelligence Officers (2020) and The Russian FSB: A Concise History (2024). [12, 14, 15]

Would you like to know more about the specific types of analysis Riehle details or his other works on Russian intelligence?

[1]  amazon.com
[2]  barnesandnoble.com
[3]  intelligence.streamlit.app
[4]  tandfonline.com
[5]  tandfonline.com
[6]  tandfonline.com
[7]  search.worldcat.org
[8]  tandfonline.com
[9]  degruyterbrill.com
[10]  amazon.com
[11]  books.google.com
[12]  brunel.ac.uk
[13]  youtube.com
[14]  wilsoncenter.org
[15]  greydynamics.com

Gemini:
Counterintelligence Book Summary and Discussion  gemini.google.com/share/d2d9…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026

Counterintelligence Book Summary and Discussion  gemini.google.com/share/d2d9…

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Mar 12, 2026