Grand Canyon Times

Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) this week asked the former Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center if he had “concerns” about “reported business dealings of Hunter Biden with individuals linked to the Chinese Communist Party.”

“I’m not sure I could actually opine of what I've read in public reporting,” replied William Evanina, currently the founder and chief executive officer of The Evanina Group, “but I could say that, (tactics, techniques, and procedures) of which foreign entities are utilized against Americans and family members is tried and true, and very predictable and reportable."

Crane’s question came during a House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence hearing on “Confronting threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to the U.S. Homeland.”

“Did you find the reports, whether you believed them or not, did you find those reports concerning just with all of your knowledge in this space and how you've seen this type of thing play out,” asked Crane.

“Yes, sir,” said Evanina. “I think when you look at what's been reported publicly about the potential tactics and techniques that were displayed publicly about the potential for penetration to a family member of the United States president, is something that most intelligence services try to do regularly."

Evanina was the first-ever Senate-confirmed director of the NCSC after having served in the role since 2014. He previously was the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency’s counterespionage group and assistant special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington Field Office.

Crane, 43, was first elected to represent Arizona’s Second Congressional District in Nov. 2023. He defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-Prescott), winning 54 percent to O’Halleran’s 46 percent.  

A Yuma native, Crane graduated from Cibola High School and attended Arizona Western and University of Arizona before dropping out a week after the September 11 attacks to enlist in the U.S. Navy. He served as a Navy SEAL from 2001-2014.

Arizona’s Second Congressional District includes all of northeast Arizona, including Flagstaff, Sedona, Prescott, Grand Canyon National Park, and the Navajo Indian Reservation as well as Maricopa, Casa Grande, Coolidge and Florence in south suburban Phoenix.