Former National Security Official Calls For People To Act If Trump Strips Security Clearances

[babylonsister]

https://www.politicususa.com/2018/07/23/former-national-security-official-calls-for-people-to-act-if-trump-strips-security-clearances.html

Posted on Mon, Jul 23rd, 2018 by Jason Easley
Former National Security Official Calls For People To Act If Trump Strips Security Clearances


A former senior national security official told MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace that people need to act if Trump moves to strip security clearances away from former officials who criticize him.

Video @ link:

Wallace said, “A former senior intelligence officially spoke to today following the White House threat called today’s announcement a watershed moment of the Trump presidency and said, quote, if we have come to a point when we use the stripping of security clearances to deny free speech, we have crossed an American line and people need to act. He also said of the individuals named by the White House today who he knows well, quote, the danger here is that while traditionally former directors have not entered the political debate, they have been called Nazis by this president and these guys feel there is a need to protect the community because Trump has crossed lines that create danger. This former official added, quote, the standard for stripping clearances is the disclosure of classified information, and none of these individuals have disclosed classified information. They’re doing no more than exercising their first amendment right to criticize a sitting president.”

The White House floated the idea today of taking away the national security clearances of former CIA director John Brennan, former FBI director James Comey, Michael Hayden, Susan Rice, former acting director of the FBI Andrew McCabe, and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. All of these people have two things in common. They either investigated the Russia scandal, or they have criticized Trump.

If the president does start taking away security clearances, it will be a move intended to silence criticism of him from within the intelligence community. Donald Trump is a threat to the First Amendment and national security.

He is threatening to abuse presidential power to silence criticism, and if he follows through, Congress and the American people must be prepared to act.

[Achilleaze]

1. Stand up for the USA

Block KGOP-republican-russian kristo-fascist efforts to weaken and destroy American democracy.

[Xipe Totec]

2. I think former officials should simply surrender their clearances voluntarily in protest.

They hold them only in case the current administration might need their advise on sensitive matters.

They don't need the security clearances; the government needs them to have them.

So screw them.

[hlthe2b]

4. How the hell is THAT helping anything?

You suggest yet more appeasement from those with honor to those who have none and seek unquestioned power.

[Xipe Totec]

7. Its not appeasement; it's a fuck you, I don't need no stinking clearance. nt

[hlthe2b]

8. I could not disagree more. n/t

[Xipe Totec]

9. you're entitled, even if you don't have a clearance. nt

[hlthe2b]

11. what the hell does me not having a clearance (assuming I don't) have to do with my comments?

This isn't about ME!

[Xipe Totec]

14. That not having a clearance has never prevented anybody from having an opinion

Is your anger getting in the way of understanding a simple premise?

These senior former government officials don't need to have clearances and taking them away is not going to shut them up. It's a stupid move on the Dumpster's part to even consider this petty move and it's only going to backfire. By renouncing a secret clearance you not only take away his toy, but you turn his stupid move against him.

[hlthe2b]

17. I'm tired of some always wanting to appease these corrupt people instead of fighting.

and clearly laying out for the American people exactly what they are doing.

Your argument is just that IMO. Yes, that make s me angry. I'm not willing to appease these people.

[Docreed2003]

26. Many of these individuals

Are able to parlay their clearances into civilian jobs. By stripping their clearances, Trump is not only acting in an unprecedented fashion to attack critics, he's stripping these individuals of potential civilian jobs.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

31. Yes, exactly.

When I was in the service, I held a secret clearance. I had the lowest level of clearance anyone could have, but without it, I could not have held the job I held. It was something I worked for; something I had. It was not something that I would have given up willingly.

If Rand Paul and Trump get away with this, then the First Amendment has no meaning.

I took my training at NAS Memphis, by the way, but I haven't been back to Memphis in decades.

Thanks for the post.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

32. Semper Fortis, mahatmakanejeeves.

I was there too, for "A" school, The sign said "Welcome to Millington" on both sides of the sign.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

35. That's the place, the Naval Air Technical Training Center.

I was there for AV "A" and TD "A" schools.

I think the streets have been paved since I was there.

Best wishes.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

36. Not only have they paved the streets,

but the covered wagons are gone, too.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

38. Get outta here. At least they still have tumbleweeds blowing through town, right? NT

[Haggis for Breakfast]

39. Nope.

They rounded them all up and sent them to NAS Kingsville, TX !!

[trueblue2007]

3. another reason to take to the streets. trump abuse of presidential power

[northoftheborder]

5. This may be the step that creates the crumbling of the Trumpism infecting the Congress.......

We need to start tripling down on our rep. contacts............

[0rganism]

6. we can rule out congressional action, which leaves the American people

congress won't act because a majority either agrees with the Trump agenda or fears the consequences of opposing it
which leaves We The People
who elected this defective congress in the first place

so i'm not feeling a lot of hope on this one...

[FreepFryer]

10. How long do you think u can personally, unilaterally rule out congressional action?

Tomorrow is always another day...

[0rganism]

12. at least until 2nd week of November

and that depends a lot on election outcomes

[FreepFryer]

13. I would suggest a lot can happen between now and November, majorities notwithstanding.

I’m not waiting for november.

[0rganism]

16. and i wish you the very best of luck

seriously.
a toast to Good Fortune For All Of America.

[gratuitous]

15. Who is this former senior intelligence official?

And THIS is what finally got this official off his or her dead and dying ass to denounce Trump - the threat to revoke security clearance for (presumably) other former intelligence officials? Consider what Trump has gotten a pass on, and this is not an exhaustive list by any means, that this unnamed senior intelligence official let slide until (at long last) now:

Meeting privately with Russian spies in the Oval Office
Calling the independent media the enemy of the people
Denigrating gold star families and the sacrifice of their loved ones
Meeting privately with Vladimir Putin without any other government officials

So, what prompted this formerly somnambulant official to stir and anonymously, discreetly, ruminate against Trump? A close personal friend finally get caught in the cross-hairs? Is there anyone left who can speak up for former intelligence officials? Or have all other responsible citizens been discounted to such a degree that our complaints are no longer entertained in the political discourse? How's it feel to be on your own, former senior intelligence officials? You didn't stick up for large swaths of the citizenry when our rights were being curtailed; now it's your turn. Who's left to join their voice to yours?

[babylonsister]

18. Apparently a pal of Nicole's. You make very good

points; what took him so long and why remain anonymous, especially if he's a former?

[Mr.Bill]

20. Bravo! Great post.

And then they came for him.

[George II]

19. Note to trump: don't piss off the people associated with those who protect you.

[sandensea]

21. Dubya used to do this as well, as I recall.

Two rotten despots just in the last 18 years.

[Sophia4]

27. And both selected by the electoral college having lost the popular vote.

[sandensea]

28. Isn't that something?

History, it's said, repeats itself. First as tragedy, then as farce.

[burrowowl]

22. Dump has to be stripped of his security clearance as well

as all Repukes!

[lpbk2713]

23. Their clearances interfere with Trump lying.

And he just can't have that. Not when he has been
proven to be the most lying president in history.

[AllaN01Bear]

24. he would be violating the free speach of individuals .

[LudwigPastorius]

25. Just imagine what powers Trump is exercising against his enemies that haven't made the papers yet.

True, most in the intelligence agencies despise the fucker, but, he's still their boss.

[Scurrilous]

29. K&R

[blue-wave]

30. "They're doing no more than exercising their first amendment right to criticize a sitting president"

Absolutely correct. The thing is, bullies and thugs never really care about the rights or the lives of others. As is typical of extremely narcissistic sociopaths, only they matter and to hell and even death for anyone who disagrees with them.

Trump threw out a feeler today. He wants to know how far he can push his crushing our rights. If he wins this battle, this might not be far behind:

Means Used by the Nazi Conspirators in Gaining Control of the German State (Part 10 of 55)

https://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/document/DOCNAC9.htm

(1) On 30 January 1933, Hitler became Chancellor of the German Republic. (2 After the Reichstag fire of 28 February 1933, clauses of the Weimar Constitution guaranteeing personal liberty an freedom of speech, of the press, of association and assembly, were suspended. The Weimar Constitution contained certain guarantees as to personal freedom (Article 114), as to inviolability of the home (Article 115), and as to the secrecy of letters and other communications (Article 117). It also had provisions safeguarding freedom of speech and of the press (Article 118), and of assembly (Article 123), and of association (Article 124). The Reich President was authorized, "if public safety and order in the German Reich are considerably disturbed or endangered," to take steps to suspend "the Fundamental Rights" established in Articles 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153. (Article 48

(2) (2050-PS) On 28 February 1933, the Nazi conspirators, taking as their excuse a fire which had just destroyed the Reichstag building, caused to be promulgated a Decree of the Reich President suspending the constitutional guarantee of freedom. This decree, which purported to be an exercise of the powers of the Reich President under Article 48 (2) of the Constitution, and which was signed by the Reich President, Hindenburg, the Reich Chancellor, Hitler, the Reich Minister of the Interior, Frick, and the Reich- Minister of Justice, Guertner, provided in part: "Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications, and warrants for house-searchers, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed."

[Takket]

33. media should call this for what it is

he is a petty little mewling baby upset that someone isn't nice to him and this is how he is lashing out.

[H2O Man]

34. Recommended.

Thank you for this.

[area51]

37. "... exercising their first amendment right to criticize a sitting president."

I like what Theodore Roosevelt had to say.