[AnimalMuppet]

Clapper lied because he considered the program (the one he lied to defend) to be in the security interest of the US. One could see, from his point of view, why he could think this. (I think it's too narrow a view, but I can see how he could have tunnel vision in this area.)

Does the intelligence community have reason to believe that lying about Russian attempts to manipulate a US presidential election are justified? For them to believe that, they'd have to believe either that Trump is an existential threat to the US, or that Russia must be countered starting immediately.