Senator Harry Mason Reid (D-NV, 1987-2017) — Senate Majority Leader 2007-2015. The most powerful senator of his generation and the key political figure behind AATIP’s funding. AATIP ORIGIN STORY: Reid had a longstanding friendship with Robert Bigelow — Las Vegas hotel magnate and UAP researcher. Bigelow shared Skinwalker Ranch data and National Institute for Discovery Science findings with Reid over years. When DIA scientist James Lacatski returned from his Skinwalker Ranch encounter in 2007 with a compelling case for a classified UAP program, he needed a political sponsor. Lacatski connected with Bigelow, who connected with Reid. Reid brought in Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK, who said he’d seen a UAP as a WWII pilot). The three secured $22M in the Defense Authorization Act — hidden under “Advanced Aerospace Weapons Systems Application Program.” JUST ONE PROPOSAL WAS RECEIVED: BAASS (Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies). The entire chain from Skinwalker to classified UAP program to $22M to BAASS to Capella database to AATIP to Elizondo to NYT to congressional hearings runs directly through Harry Reid’s political relationships. 2021 LETTER: Senator Reid wrote to NBC News: “As one of the original sponsors of AATIP, I can state as a matter of record Lue Elizondo’s involvement and leadership role in this program” — directly contradicting Pentagon statements denying Elizondo’s AATIP role. Reid died December 28, 2021, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.