GOP Intel chair: Ronny Jackson's drug use 'unrelated to the handling of classified' docs

CBS/screen grab

House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-OH) dismissed concerns that a Republican member of his committee used drugs while serving two presidents in the White House.

During a Sunday interview on Face the Nation, CBS host Margaret Brennan asked Turner about reports that Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), a former White House doctor, used alcohol and Ambien while on an overseas trip where he was in charge of caring for a president. Jackson reportedly also made sexist comments about women, according to the reports.

"Dr. Ronny Jackson was demoted by the Navy because a Pentagon Inspector General report found that he had been taking sedatives while providing medical care to two U.S. presidents," Brennan told Turner. "That kind of compromising behavior would be disqualifying for most people when it comes to receiving a security clearance or having any access to the nation's secrets."

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"I'm aware of those reports," Turner replied. "As you just indicated, they are unrelated to the handling of classified information."

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"And certainly, the individuals in his district believe that those issues are resolved," he continued. "And we're going to be certainly working with the Speaker and with Mr. Jackson so that, again, that he is a very productive member of our committee."

Turner vowed that House Speaker Mike Johnson would "enforce the rules" and remove Jackson from the Intelligence Committee "if there are any incidences."

"These seats could be filled by Republicans with national security backgrounds who don't have these kind of compromising situations over their heads," Brennan noted.

Watch the video below from CBS or at the link..