John Kirk (J. Kirk) Weibe is a former intelligence official with the United States National Security Agency, ^[1] conspiracy theorist, ^{[2] [3]} and whistleblower. ^[4] Kirk managed data programs and criticized the NSA's data-collection policies during the Barack Obama administration. ^[5] He made the false claim that it was not true that Russia interfered with the 2016 US election. Weibe argued that Russia was not behind the DNC server hacking. ^[6]

Weibe would go on to spread conspiracies about QAnon ^[7] and claims of election fraud in 2020 United States presidential election ^[8]

Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kirk grew up in northern Indiana, near Lake Michigan. After graduating high school Weibe enlisted in the United States Air Force and spending four years with the intelligence branch from 1963 – 1967. After the Air Force Kirk attended Indiana University, receiving a master's degree in the Russian language in 1974. Kirk then took a position in the National Security Agency (NSA), retiring in October 2001 ^[9]

Whistle blowing

In September 2002, Kiebe, along with William Binney and Edward Loomis, filed a request for the U.S. Defense Department Inspector General (DoD IG) to investigate the NSA for allegedly wasting "millions and millions of dollars" on Trailblazer ^[10] Wiebe developed a competing system, ThinThread, which was shelved when Trailblazer was chosen instead. ^[11] The Whistleblower's complaint noted Trailblazer's ineffectiveness and unjustified high cost compared to their alternative ThinThread. ^[12]

Conspiracy Theories

Russian Election Interference

As a member of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity Kiebe would claim that U.S. intelligence community's assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election was falsifed, and that the Democratic National Committee e-mails were leaked by an insider instead. ^{[13] [14]}

Kiebe and VIPS colleagues argued argued that the metadata in files associated with the DNC hack were altered to add Russian fingerprints, and that file transfer rate proved they were transferred locally ^[15]

The memorandum from Kiebe et al. was promoted by Breitbart and Fox News. President Donald Trump would then request Mike Pompeo to meet the report authors. ^[16] The theory was later debunked and it was proved VIP's director Blinney was given fabricated data from a Pro-Russian outlet. ^{[17] [18]}

QAnon

Kirk Wiebe was a major voice in spreading QAnon. ^[19] He would appear on podcasts spreading QAnon theories like movies such as I am Legend were really secret documentaries. ^[20]

According to David Troy many members of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity were essential in spreading QAnon lies. ^[21]

2020 US Presidential Election Fraud

J. Kirk Wiebe was very involved in spreading false conspiracies about election fraud in the 2020 United States presidential election. ^[22] Wiebe would appear with LaRouche members in Stop the Steal round tables ^[23] Conspiracy conspirasists would insist in court filings that tools developed by Wiebe proved massive voter fraud. ^[24]

Wiebe would go on to work with Mike Lindell to prove election fraud. Wiebe would state that Lindell did not have evidence to back up his claims. ^[25]

References