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Rumors from the media have been circulating for well over a year now that Jared Kushner’s security clearance was either bogus or rushed through the system. Now the New York Times has THE story! John Kelly was ordered to give Kushner a security clearance. And with that, Democrats are pouncing.
Here’s “the scoop:”
“President Trump ordered his chief of staff to grant his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, a top-secret security clearance last year, overruling concerns flagged by intelligence officials and the White House’s top lawyer, four people briefed on the matter said.
Mr. Trump’s decision in May so troubled senior administration officials that at least one, the White House chief of staff at the time, John F. Kelly, wrote a contemporaneous internal memo about how he had been “ordered” to give Mr. Kushner the top-secret clearance.
The White House counsel at the time, Donald F. McGahn II, also wrote an internal memo outlining the concerns that had been raised about Mr. Kushner — including by the C.I.A. — and how Mr. McGahn had recommended that he not be given a top-secret clearance.”
Of course CNN was ALL over this story.
And we are supposed to believe James Clapper?? This is the guy who openly committed perjury in front of Congress. So we are supposed to believe him and the fish wrap called the New York Times? RIIIGHT.
Yet the Democrats must POUNCE!
Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff blathers:
Schiff on the NYT Kushner report: "The revelation … is the latest indicator of the President’s utter disregard for our national security and for the men and women who sacrifice so much every day to keep us safe. There is no nepotism exception for background investigations."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 1, 2019
Eric Swalwell on the NYT Kushner report: "I’m concerned the President has jeopardized our national security by putting clearances in the hands of unscrupulous people … We will work to ensure clearances are granted based on trust, not by blood or bond."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 1, 2019
For all the media and Democrats pouncing on the story, perhaps you need to read past the headline. You see, Maggie and crew admit several paragraphs in that the story isn’t quite what it’s cracked up to be.
“The decision last year to grant Mr. Kushner a top-secret clearance upgraded him from earlier temporary and interim status. He never received a higher-level designation that would have given him access to need-to-know intelligence known as sensitive compartmented information.” [Emphasis Added]
Oh, well. That sheds a different light on the headlines now doesn’t it? Remember, the issue regarding Jared Kushner’s security clearance dragged on for more than a year. So, let’s add this to the mix.
“”The full scope of intelligence officials’ concerns about Mr. Kushner is not known. But the clearance had been held up in part over questions from the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. about his foreign and business contacts, including those related to Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Russia, according to multiple people familiar with the events.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Mr. Kushner was part of a group that met with a Russian lawyer who went to Trump Tower claiming to have political “dirt” on Hillary Clinton. And during the presidential transition, Mr. Kushner had a meeting with the Russian ambassador at the time, Sergey I. Kislyak, and the head of a Russian state-owned bank. When he applied for a security clearance, he did not reveal those meetings.””
AH HA!! Trump Russia Collusion!!
There are a lot of people quoted in this New York Times story…anonymously of course.
What is Jared Kushner’s current role in the Trump Administration? Essentially he is a Senior Advisor to Trump. He is currently tasked with dealing with issues such as Israeli-Palestine peace discussions, and is leading the WH Innovation office. Does he need a full super secret tippy top level security clearance for this work? Not necessarily.
Elijah Cummings (D-MD), fresh off the extreme debacle that was the Michael Cohen hearing had to do some pouncing of his own.
In response to the NYT Kushner report, Elijah Cummings threatens to subpoena the White House for records on its security clearance processes: "It may become necessary to consider alternative means to compel compliance." pic.twitter.com/wRyanAM0jV
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 1, 2019
As noted above, there have been consistent issues with Jared Kushner’s security clearance as per the FBI and CIA. Given what we now know about the FBI along with McCabe and Comey, the question needs to be asked. Who among the upper echelons of the FBI has been stonewalling and/or slow walking Kushner’s security clearance and for what reasons? If their only answer is Trump, then the problem is them, not Jared Kushner.
Feature Photo Credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States [Public domain] via Wikimedia, cropped and modified
GWB says: Israeli-Pakistan peace discussions
Is this an issue I didn’t know about? Or did auto-corrupt “fix” something for you?
the President’s utter disregard for our national security
You mean like when he appointed a known anti-American demonstrator as Secretary of State?
Oh, wait … that was a different President…….
he did not reveal those meetings
They don’t even specify whether he failed to reveal them in his questionnaire or in interviews. And, I think at least one of those meetings was public knowledge – so there’s a question of the necessity to reveal it. (BTW, standards are a bit wobbly, too – I’ve been told alternately yes and no on reporting the ~20 shares of Daimler stock I own, and differing amounts of reveal about the one German friend I have. Investigators will tell you different things.)
If Kushner doesn’t need to know, then I’m a little baffled why he needs a TS at all. (Does he need one for access to the situation room?) A Secret should be adequate for what he’s doing.
Nina Bookout says: My brain was saying one thing and typing another. Fixed it! Thanks GWB! 😉
“I” and “P”, “I” and “P” no wonder the brain can trip.
On topic – they REALLY want to go there? With the jihadist that they just put on Foreign Affairs?
SFC D says: “The decision last year to grant Mr. Kushner a top-secret clearance upgraded him from earlier temporary and interim status.”
Yeah, that’s pretty much how it works for any government clearance. And a TS takes time, making regular trips out of the country and meeting with foreign business leaders slows it down even more. I’ve seen new Soldiers waiting 12-14 months for a TS. The President (any President) saying “make it so” is not going to speed things up.
And Elijah, you have absolutely no “need to know” on this clearance or any other. You don’t have the clearance to look into this clearance, nor should you. Assclown.
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