White House whistleblower says 25 security clearance denials were reversed during Trump admin...

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post


White House whistleblower says 25 security clearance denials were reversed during Trump administration

By Rachael Bade April 1 at 10:00 AM

A White House whistleblower told lawmakers that more than two-dozen denials for security clearances have been overturned during the Trump administration, calling Congress her “last hope” for addressing what she considers improper conduct that has left the nation’s secrets exposed.

Tricia Newbold, a longtime White House security adviser, told the House Oversight and Reform Committee that she and her colleagues issued “dozens” of denials for security clearance applications that were later approved despite their concerns about blackmail, foreign influence, or other red flags, according to panel documents released Monday.

Newbold, an 18-year veteran of the security clearance process who has served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, said she warned her superiors that clearances “were not always adjudicated in the best interest of national security” — and was retaliated against for doing so.

“I would not be doing a service to myself, my country, or my children if I sat back knowing that the issues that we have could impact national security,” Newbold told the committee, according to a panel document summarizing her allegations.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/white-house-whistleblower-says-security-clearance-denials-were-reversed-during-trump-administration/2019/04/01/9f28334e-542c-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html

[Firestorm49]

1. Then what's the point of the vetting?

You either trust in your procedures and abide by the conclusion, or you screw the process over in a selfish, ignorant fascist manner.

Just out of curiosity, have any democratic presidents ever overridden the security clearance vetting?

[NewJeffCT]

7. If there have been overrides for any president before Trump

I'm pretty sure they would have been rare and an exception made for a good, documented reason - not more than 2 dozen done at the whim of Donny Dollhands

[ck4829]

43. Good question.

[watoos]

2. Yes Yes Yes

a newsworthy story to prove me wrong that cnn and msnbc are only slightly better than Fox.

I'm going to sit back and wait for cnn and msnbc to move this issue to the top of the heap.

Meanwhile, one of the people who was given his clearance by daddy-in-law, in return for getting bailed out for his devil tower, is going to give SA nukes in return. This issue is related to Kushner being given security clearance and not earning it right?

[lagomorph777]

4. Massive Russian spy ring operating in the White House.

This is insane. Cuff them all and cart them off to Gitmo.

[Stuart G]

16. Right now at 1:28 ET 4/1/19...This is the top story at CNN

https://www.cnn.com/

[gldstwmn]

55. He and Kremlin Barbie are most certainly on the list.

We deserve to see a full list of names.

[TexasBushwhacker]

3. 25?!!! N/t

[elleng]

12. ZACLY!!!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. tRump doesn't fucking care or he is actively an agent for foreign powers. . . . nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

20. Every time he pulls this shit I just think WWOD?

What Would Obama Do? Can you imagine if he had? Instead they make a major case about a bike helmet, a tan suit and Michelle's bare arms!

[tblue37]

28. And Dijon mustard, Swiss cheese on a Philly cheesesteak, and arugula. nt

[druidity33]

32. Well...

I have to agree to the arugula part. That shit is disgusting. It shows how strongly i feel about that given i chose my 5000th post to say it. I never plant Mesclun mix or "salad greens" mix anymore... damn arugula is a force. Even 5% in the mix TAINTS EVERYTHING!

just sayin'

[TexasBushwhacker]

34. It must be one of those things that some people taste

and others don't. I hate cilantro but have no problem with arugula.

[redstatebluegirl]

35. I am with you. I made the mistake of planting a mix a few years ago and got arugula YUCK!

[ck4829]

49. It's insane

[ScratchCat]

5. This should be THE only story

being covered right now and the media shouldn't quit until Trump resigns.

[BigmanPigman]

36. In a normal universe it would be.

We are in Hell and have been for over two years.

[ck4829]

44. Yep

[rainin]

6. Does she reveal anywhere who the 25 were? That would be the real story.

People snooze when they hear a number...as shocking as it is. Name them!

[orleans]

21. from the cnn link

"The memo does not specify the names of the individuals whose security clearances were initially denied -- only to be overruled by the White House. But it does provide some detail about situations involving two senior White House officials and another who used to work for the National Security Council."
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/01/politics/security-clearances-house-oversight-committee-tricia-newbold/index.html

[tblue37]

30. Gorka, maybe. nt

[ck4829]

45. Yeah, there's no way that quack wasn't one of them

[Kablooie]

8. Sigh. One more thing that would trigger instant impeachment for any other president.

For this president it will be "yawn, what else is new?"

[Maxheader]

9. Bush and cheny and scooter

and winger admins in general don't give a shit about those undercover...those that might get outed from irresponsible use of high security clearances.

If ever there was a real "national emergency"..

[duforsure]

10. Just a matter of time

Before its exposed trump approved them all to lie and leave out all russian contacts off their security clearance forms. They all didn't do it with out his ok first.

[pdsimdars]

11. It sould be nice if everyone in media asked every Republican are they for national security or not

[RANDYWILDMAN]

14. could it be....

all those people who are NOT involved the Collusion/conspiracy!

[pdsimdars]

19. It's now about collusion/conspiracy. . . it's about security clearance, they weren't qualified

and he gave them clearance anyway. The REASON they were unqualified was because of something in their past. If their past makes them a security risk, they should not ignore the professionals and do it anyway. SO, are those GOPers SERIOUS about national security or not?
It's not a matter of "well, they are a risk, but I LIKE THEM ANYWAY." that is not security.

[ck4829]

48. Indeed

[MadDAsHell]

13. From a legal standpoint I'm not sure whistleblowing applies here.

The pResident has the final say on it, unfortunately, even if we don't like his decisions. The PR side is different of course, but it seem "whistleblower" is being used incorrectly here.

[htuttle]

37. It's whistleblowing since the white house has been trying to cover it up

I remember a Congressional committee requesting information on this topic from the Trump administration, and getting denied recently.

on edit:
Here's the reference from early in March:

On Tuesday, the White House rebuffed a request from House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, who asked for documents pertaining to the security clearance process. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said the committee's request for the information was "without legal support, clearly premature, and suggests a breach of the constitutionally required accommodation process."
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/05/politics/ivanka-trump-security-clearance-pressure/index.html

[ck4829]

46. *We* have the say, Trump isn't some king or man-god

[Stuart G]

15. This is major news...25..?? White House Security?? Thank You for posting..

I wonder who those 25 were that could not pass "security tests"?

[stuffmatters]

23. I bet John Bolton, Nat'l Sec Director,(!) is one of them

Always mystified me how he got clearance with his near paranoid, wingnut,int'l grifter past.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. She has been retaliated against for being patriotic and blowing the whistle. . . . nt

[DeminPennswoods]

22. Yes, suspended 2 weeks without pay

nt

[Stuart G]

25. In some ways, this suspension is terrrible. But this will make it worse for the a***oles in the

White House. Stupid is, what stupid is.

[Kurt V.]

29. Whistle blowers are not treated kindly and that's an embarrassment.

Like reality winner. makes me so mad

[MadDAsHell]

38. "Retaliation" is a legal term that doesn't apply here.

Whistleblower protection against retaliation is when you report illegal behavior. In this case, the behavior she's reporting (poor security decision clearance decisions) is highly undesirable but unfortunately perfectly within the scope of the pResident's authority. It's the equivalent of an insider reporting that Drumpf spends too much time on Twitter. Concerning to be sure, but legallly irrelevant.

I can see why she and her lawyers will want to try to make a whistleblower/retaliation argument but it's a very thin thread legally.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

40. Thanks for the insight on a key point. . . . nt

[stuffmatters]

24. This is today's most imp't story of the day. Explains how we got Kusher selling Saudis nukes

among many other nightmare consequences to our national security.

[democratisphere]

26. Wonder if Russian agents have security clearances?

[Stuart G]

27. Here it is......CNN: "Trump pressured staff to give clearance to his daughter...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/05/politics/ivanka-trump-security-clearance-pressure/index.html

[orangecrush]

31. 25 impeachable offenses.

[MadDAsHell]

39. This administration has committed numerous impeachable offenses. This is not one of them.

Last edited Tue Apr 2, 2019, 12:31 AM - Edit history (2)

It's bad PR for sure, but can't really to anywhere legally since making shitty clearance decisions is within the pResident's authority.

[Perseus]

33. There has to be more oversight on the president, and I don't mean the orange buffoon only

I think that what I have learned from a corrupt president is that the position carries too much power, and that should not be. I am not sure what needs to be done, but something needs to be done.

The rules must assume that a very corrupt person may take on the presidency because so much power is dangerous to the republic.

If power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, what does that leave when they person taking over the position is already absolutely corrupt? which is the case with the orange buffoon, a person who came to power with a proven record of corruption.

The AG must also have set rules that prevent situations like the one with the Muller report. I know he has and he is breaking some of them, but the consequences need to be tougher to prevent a corrupt AG to bend them.

It is a terrible situation because it can become a vicious cycle where the watcher watches the other watcher, and so on in a circle, until the last watcher watches the first watcher.

And last but not least, the "policy" about not indicting a sitting president must be removed. It was an opinion and nothing else, the media and some politicians have made it into a "policy" which is not, it was just an opinion and nothing else, but the opinion must be scratched as it does not serve as policy or rule. Imagine if Barr came up with his opinions to try to convert them into policy.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

41. Good points. Republicons love monarchies. tRump obligingly loves playing a monarch. . . . nt

[kwijybo]

42. They should be in jail

I've had a clearance (not at that level, even). They either lied on the SF86 (but Jared revised his like 3 times and still wasn't granted one), had blackmail issues that wouldn't clear up (financial issues, drug problems, pee tape issues, etc), or close ties with foreign intelligence services. I've heard the CIA is the holdup, which scares me.

At best, I'd have been denied a clearance for those problems. Jailed for lying on the SF86.

[ck4829]

47. They really should

[ck4829]

50. K&R

[moondust]

51. Goodbye, allies.

This kind of irresponsible behavior may cause some allies to limit their intelligence sharing if they no longer feel confident it will remain secure. That just helps the world's bad guys and autocrats, but maybe that was the plan all along.

[Mc Mike]

52. She drew the line at Sergei Lavrov.

[IronLionZion]

53. Don't you feel safer knowing that people who were denied clearance have access

to America's national security secrets and intelligence?

At least these are nice white Americans, amirite?

The disappointing truth is that far too many Americans support denying people security clearances based solely on the brown-ness of their skin and not on their ability to pass extensive background checks, interviews, references, etc. I've dealt with this my whole career. Clearance jobs just aren't very diverse.

[gldstwmn]

54. You mean establishing back channel communications with

a foreign sovereignty on WhatsApp is a bad idea?