IC Oversight & Policy — 2026-06-28

Washington Post Reveals Leaked Memos Showing Former DNI Gabbard Took Policy Direction From Reclusive Religious Guru

BLUFDocumented concealment of an outside principal directing a sitting member's legislative conduct constitutes exactly the undisclosed foreign-influence vector DNI vetting is designed to surface.

The Washington Post on June 21 published an investigation reporting that Tulsi Gabbard, between 2011 and 2017, repeatedly used language from unsigned memos that former campaign staffer Rebecca Saltzburg attributes to Chris Butler, leader of the Hawaii-based Science of Identity Foundation 1. Saltzburg provided the Post roughly 25,000 pages including hundreds of memos directing Gabbard on legislation, policy positions, and TV talking points; a June 25 Post follow-up found her using memo wording nearly verbatim in 24 of 32 reviewed interviews 123. Sunil Khemaney, identified as Gabbard's adviser and senior SIF figure, attributed the materials to himself, other advisers, and state senator Mike Gabbard, while an SIF spokesperson dismissed Saltzburg as a "malicious liar" 14.

Analysis
Deliberate anonymization of the memos, structured to obscure Butler's authorship, indicates the parties understood disclosure would have been disqualifying. That predetermination, spanning 2011–2017 and predating Gabbard's 2021 confirmation, is what transforms the matter into a counterintelligence concern for oversight bodies regardless of Butler's precise role. The 25,000-page production and verbatim matches across 24 of 32 reviewed interviews make coincidental collaboration with named advisers difficult to sustain. Khemaney's attribution to himself, other political advisers, and Mike Gabbard is consistent with the authorship pattern and cannot be ruled out, as both the Post's investigations stand on single-origin evidence without independent corroboration.

5 sources

Tulsi Gabbard, her guru and the mysterious messages that helped shape her political career - The Washington Post
3 times Tulsi Gabbard used talking points from mysterious memos almost verbatim - The Washington Post
Tulsi Gabbard reportedly took political orders from her 'guru.' Here's what we know - Snopes
Leaked Documents Show Gabbard Family's Deep Ties To Sect Leader - Honolulu Civil Beat
New in SpyWeek: Pulte Signals ODNI Elections Role, Gabbards Guru Unmasked - SpyTalk