The '''Gang of Eight''' ('''Go8''') is the civilian oversight board of elected officials who oversee the U.S. [[intelligence community]]. The Gang of Eight consists of: 1. The [[Speaker of the House]], 2. The Minority Leader of the House, 3. the Majority Leader of the Senate, 4. the Minority Leader of the Senate, 5. the Chairperson of the House Permanent Committee on Intelligence, 6. the minority leader from the same committee; 7. The Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee and 8. the minority leader of the same committee. It is the modern extension of the [[advise and consent]] clause of the [[U.S. Constitution]] that applies to covert activities.
The Go8 oversight process was largely the result of the [[Church Committee]] and post-[[Watergate]] reform era. [[Executive branch]] rocedures for briefing congressional leaders on covert activities in the 21st century were modified based on recommendations of 9/11 Commission. However, the [[Obama administration]] dispensed with legislative oversight of the intelligence community and converted the surveillance apparatus of the United States intelligence community into a domestic spying system on American citizens, political opponents, targeting [[conservative]]s, conservative movements, and Republicans up to the level of presidential nominee.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/07/04/preview-the-fourth-branch-of-government/</ref>
The Go8 formerly were briefed on every covert operation that our various intelligence agencies carry out. They were directly responsible for oversight of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA), the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) and the [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] (ODNI).
The Go8 were responsible for overseeing all executive office policy as it relates to intelligence gathering and corresponding activity. Everything the White House, CIA, NSA, and U.S State Department does is approved by these eight members who are accountable to the U.S. electorate. These eight representatives are the intelligence oversight “check” within the constitutionally established check and balance inside our federal government. In short these eight elected representatives are in charge of all oversight of all U.S. intelligence operations, open and covert.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/07/12/day-four-the-fourth-branch-of-government-the-intelligence-branch/</ref>
==116th CongressCrossfire Hurricane==The FBI did not deliver full briefings to all Go8 members when Operation [[Croosfire Hiurricane]] began; briefings were held days apart and not simultaneously. Some members received different briefings from others. Some briefings were given to staffers and not the sitting member holding office. No full briefings on the FBI's activities were ever given to all members.
As a result of [[2018 Midterm elections]], the Gang of Eight for the 116th Congress consisted of [[Nancy Pelosi]] (D) – Speaker of House, [[Adam Schiff]] (D) – Chair, HPSCI, Senator [[Mitch McConnell]] (R) – Senate Majority Leader, Senator [[Richard Burr]] (R) – Chair, SSCI, [[Kevin McCarthy]] (R) – Minority Leader House, Senator [[Chuck Schumer]] (D) – Senate Minority Leader, [[Devin Nunes]] (R) – Ranking Member HPSCI and Senator [[Mark Warner]] (D) – Vice Chair, [[SSCI]].