Exclusive–Senate Intel Chair on Obama’s Pallets of Cash to Iran: ‘It Keeps Getting Worse’

The Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence told Breitbart News Thursday the more he learns about the reality of President Barack Obama’s Iran deal the more shocked he becomes at its reckless disregard for the safety of Americans.

“The Obama Administration and Secretaries Clinton and Kerry insisted that the Iranian deal was beneficial to the United States, and proceeded with the deal despite warnings from experts and the wishes of the American people,” said Sen. Richard Burr (R.-N.C.), who is a direct descendant of the family of Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson’s first vice-president and the man who shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel July 11, 1804 at dueling grounds in Weehawken, New Jersey.

“Now, we learn that the administration sent pallets of cash to the Iranians, a designated state sponsor of terrorism,” he said. “This decision from day one was a bad one for the American people and it keeps getting worse.”

In addition to Secretary of State John F. Kerry, Burr said he blames former first lady Hillary R. Clinton for her role in the Iran deal as Obama’s first secretary of state. “This has been and will continue to be a bad deal for the United States. The administration, including President Obama and Secretary Clinton, is responsible for leading America into a deal that will arm Iran, the number one state sponsor of terrorism.”

“It alarms me as the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee that something of this magnitude was not briefed to me–not only prior to the exchange, but since the exchange,” the senator said.

Instead of hearing from the White House, as would be expected, Burr said he found about it in the paper. “Only through, in this case, The Wall Street Journal did the American people know the truth about what was committed by the American government to the Iranian government.”

The WSJ reported Tuesday: “Wooden pallets stacked with euros, Swiss francs and other currencies were flown into Iran on an unmarked cargo plane, according to these officials. The U.S. procured the money from the central banks of the Netherlands and Switzerland.” The paper also reported that the shipment of cash coincided with Iran’s release of four of its America hostages.

The president, speaking at the White House Cabinet Room, gave a lengthy statement about the resolution of the negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its nuclear program and the return of the hostages from their “lonely cells,” but he did not spell out how pallets of cash sweetened the deal.

“The United States and Iran are now settling a longstanding Iranian government claim against the United States government,” he said Jan. 17 from the White House. “Iran will be returned its own funds, including appropriate interest, but much less than the amount Iran sought.”

The president seemed to be saying that by thawing Iranian assets and by paying the Iranians interest, America was coming out ahead on the deal.

“For the United States, this settlement could save us billions of dollars that could have been pursued by Iran,” he said. “There was no benefit to the United States in dragging this out. With the nuclear deal done, prisoners released, the time was right to resolve this dispute as well.”

Burr said his Democratic opponent needs to update North Carolina voters on her support of Obama’s Iran deal.

“Deborah Ross has yet to weigh in on the recent news regarding Iran and there has been no indication that her support for the Iran deal has waned after these recent revelations,” he said.

“Her silence is another example of her being woefully inexperienced on matters of national security and foreign policy.”