Having a security clearance does not mean you have automatic access to all classified information. You have to have a need to know specific information. Thus, comments that Kushner has access to all security information are incorrect. Same holds true for the president.
Imagine… the absurdities of it all; you have to wonder who’s doing the “oversight’ on those members of the House Oversight and Reform Committees. Or wonder if they haven’t gone the way of those old Biblical Inquisitions, or mock tribunals in search of vindictive vengeance for all guilty of socialist heresy.
Imagine… vindictive hypocrites orchestrating mock tribunals based on the pompous lies of ‘deep state’ conspirators; or entertaining the whims and regurgitated lies of disgruntled attorneys. Talk about a fractured democracy or a socialist coup détat pilfering the system while rising from the Potomac swamp.
Imagine… while the President of this Nation was on foreign land negotiating the terms of nuclear disarmament with a third world despot. Vindictive hypocrites orchestrated mock hearings, where a disgruntled attorney aided by a political operative associated with ‘deep state’ conspirators regurgitated fact, fiction and pompous lies.
Imagine… the intricacies of it all, the only act of treachery politically correct zealots and political fixers haven’t violated in their sorted efforts to regain political power while marginalize our President, is the stuff anarchists eventually resort to when their regurgitating lies of disgruntled ‘deep state’ coup conspirators. Talk about a hoax, vindictive vengeance and colluding!
A commenter asks, rhetorically:
"Why not do a polygraph on all important members of the Trump administration regarding russia collusion?"
Why not require a polygraph of everyone, for any reason at all?
Answer: Some people don't like to take polygraphs. I, for example, don't like to. With stubborn people like that, one must ask: "What right does the government have to require a polygraph? (Or, in this case: "What right does the House have to require the President to give it information?" That question inevitably requires that the "asked" scurry back to the Constitution to look for that authority.
That's what I did, and I didn't find any. Can you, or is Trump entirely justified in not providing the requested information?
The White House has asked, in effect:
"Why do you want this information?"
Valid question. The executive branch has long cooperated with the legislative branch (Congress) to provide information that the legislative branch may find useful to do what it exists to do: pass laws.
But Congress has no authority to pass any laws restricting the President's right to grant a security clearance to anyone the President may think should receive one. It's hard even to imagine that any court will ever rule that Congress has the right to restrict security-clearance grants in the executive branch. Hence the White House's question.
This House Committee -- or anyone else, official or not -- may warn the executive branch that it should not grant a security clearance to someone that intelligence agencies say should not get one, and may tell the President that he has made a terrible mistake in granting a security clearance to one or more persons. Indeed, But the President has no obligation to cooperate in that effort. Maybe the President will choose to do so, but he's not required to.
It's pretty clear to me that Trump chooses not to do so, and it's all but impossible to imagine that he'll ever be forced to. That being so, won't this House committee just look weak and silly when Trump's denial is upheld?
As far as I know, Trump himself never applied for, or was granted, a security clearance. It occurred to me that Trump would have never gotten a security clearance except by election to the office of president. The reasons are obvious. His foreign entanglements, debts, conflicts of interest, etc. are very likely far worse than Jared's. This puts our nation in a very precarious position. We need to have a law that requires that candidates for president are screened for and pass security clearance qualification.
Nobody seriously disputes this, but so what?
"It's obvious Jared was given special treatment..."
It's the President's call. Wisely or not, Trump was entirely free to ignore everyone else and order that Kushner be granted a security clearance. Before Trump, Obama was too. Before Obama, Bush was too. Every President has been free to order that a security clearance be granted to whomever he or she wants, regardless of what intelligence agencies or anyone else may recommend. The President may require that applicants follow procedures, or not, and the President may ignore, or accept, the views of others on the matter.
I have no idea whether Kushner has transferred sensitive information to anyone else for his personal benefit, as many have speculated without basis (though, frankly, I doubt it). But it's up to the President to take that into account when he or she grants a security clearance. It's not up to me, or you, or some House committee, or Congress as a whole, or anyone else. Anyone can "warn" the President, or insist that he's made a terrible mistake, but it's his call.
This strikes me as obvious. Am I missing something here? Does someone else have a say in this? If so, where can I find this authority?
Where does all this stop? Like him, or not, Trump was duly elected. It’s apparent the collusion narrative is dead and gone.
Do the Dems intend to just keep digging until they find some petty reason to try to impose their will on the people? We elected the President, and Congress, to implement policies, legislate, and lead, not investigate at the cost of all else. This is to the point of being ridiculous, and in direct conflict to the will of the voters. If you don’t like Trump VOTE HIM OUT IN 2020. Until then, Congress needs to do their damn jobs. Pass legislation, address real issues in thei country. This partisan resistance simply for the sake of resistance is pathetic. If the Dems have a better way of doing things then show us. Provide some details, and not just vague promises and talking points. All I hear is what is wrong with Trump’s ideas, not what is right with the Democrats ideas. Does anyone on here really want socialism, open borders with unvetted immigration, higher taxes, and the end of the use of fossil fuels in 10 years? How’s that going to work out in the long run?
2
Trump was elected with the help of Russian interference, so it’s questionable whether he was duly elected. He had 3 million votes less than Clinton did, and now he’s only “governing” to his base of about 40% of Americans. Why not research what the Dems have done - voter rights and gun legislation to start with, of the latter 90% of Americans want. The republicans skirted their duty in the Cohen hearing. They went to kill the messenger rather than get to the truth and provide oversight of Trump and his family’s involvement in other countries, possible tax fraud and lying to Congress. Of course Democrats want to vote him out of office. And we should all be concerned after Cohen stated he fears if Trump loses the election, there will not be a peaceful transition of power. Not much else needs to be said after that.
8
@Lisa Rigge "Trump was elected with the help of Russian interference,"
Well, that would be bad, I agree. But Trump denies it. We hired Mueller to see whether there's any evidence of it. So far, none. Do you know something you're not telling us?
@TheRealJR60 it’s not only about the collusion element. It’s about Trump, the Trump administration, the Trump campaign and the Republican enabler’s criminality. Trump is a suspected money launder and everyone else associated with him is involved in an obstruction and a cover-up.
It's bad enough that when Jared Kushner first applied, he left several glaring omissions on his National Security Clearance form, didn't correctly disclose financial and investment information, and was twice flagged by none other than White House Security -- but he managed to get it anyway.
And now we're supposed to believe that Donald Trump had nothing to do with it?
8
Trump never made the transition from Trump Tower to the Oval Office.He occupies the office but insists on gathering around him loyalists and lackeys.He does not trust government institutions and instead trusts his “gut”.Unfortunately , the FBI and CIA have to approve people who work in the Oval Office-Trump’s “gut” is not reliable.Cummings and the House Oversight Committee need to make certain that there is security at the highest levels of our government.
7
It is important to know why the clearance was not given until Trump ordered the issue of clearance. They need to call those two officials who held up the clearance to testify. We do not know how much of the classified information accessed by Kushner and how much of it is passed on to the foreign agents. Saudi Arabia guy Salman must be having hold on Kushner. Saudi Arabia, Russia, China and North Korea are all in together making Trump to dance with Republicans playing background chorus.
1
@Kodali
That's private information protected by law. The public doen't need to see it.
Mr. Schiff called Mr. Trump’s actions 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.”
I am not a betting man, but I would bet the farm that this will not be the last "indicator of [Donald Trump's] utter disregard for our national security. . ."
When history looks back and judges this turbulent time in our country's existence, it will ask the question of why it took so long to end the presidency of such a tyrant and liar as Donald Trump.
It's too bad the Democrats could not sweep the Senate like the party did with the House this past mid-term election. Republican majority leverage there still acts as a bulwark to bolster up this man in the White House.
5
If it can be proven definitively that Mr. Trump ordered a top secret clearance for Kushner against the recommendations of the CIA and other Intelligence experts, and then that Kushner shared top secret intelligence with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who then used the information to punish his detractors, that is yet another impeachable offense. Whether Trump lied about it is neither here nor there. He is on record lying about almost everything in the world. The fact that he intervened for a family member and the result was a serious security breach is something else altogether. While we are organizing hearings, let's have one to investigate Kushner's alleged sharing of US intelligence with the Saudis.
3
Perhaps it is time to add to the requirements for becoming President at least the following :
1) ability to pass a top secret security clearance at the highest level
2) provision of all federal, state and local tax returns for the previous 25 years
6
The sad reality is that even after Trump, Kushner and the rest of the ClownFest, who are now occupying the White House leave, they will remain a serious security threat to this nation. These people know many of the this country’s secrets and none of them is above selling that info to the highest bidder.
6
Truer words were never spoken:
"Everyone is waiting for that one smoking gun ... "
Maybe it will come. Maybe Mueller will deliver it. Maybe not. I hope we'll soon see one way or the other.
If Trump deserves to be impeached, he should be impeached. If he's physically or mentally unfit to be President, he should be removed via the 25th Amendment (though that is not a substitute for impeachment). If neither of those is true, but voters nevertheless want Trump out of there, they can vote him out in November 2020.
Those are the choices, and we're lucky to have all three. But we can't just remove Trump because we disagree with him. We don't have to give any reason to vote him out, but removing him requires either "high crimes [or] misdemeanors]" or the grounds stated in the 25A. So far, I'm not seeing either. Maybe that will change, but not yet.
1
@MyThreeCents
If you didn't see a President who is unfit to serve, you didn't see his unhinged rant at the CPAC conference. I saw parts of it in news clips. He went on for 2 hours; he swore and gave a performance worthy of Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". This is longer an ongoing joke for late night comedians; it is a living example of why there is a 25th Amendment: Unfit to Serve.
1
As a retired Fed with security clearance, lying on an SF86 which Jared did, is a reason why he would not be given clearance. Jared seemed to "have forgotten" may things & had to amend his form many times. The rest of us are not allowed to do that & would never have gotten clearance because we didn't tell the truth on the original submission.
IMHO Jared would never have been issued clearances if he was a "normal" person going through security clearances like the rest of us were. I was interviewed by an OPM investigator that had been trained to try & trip me up. I passed but did Jared? Show us the entire unedited investigators' report.
TS clearance also calls upon neighbors & friends to verify info on the SF 86 was true. Was this completed? or did "the Donald" override this? Go see that report.
A TS clearance needs to apply to all Federal workers & not overridden by the President. There are reasons we have certain procedures in place for clearances that were obviously overridden here.
Jared's foreign contacts alone would have disqualified anyone else from receiving a TS. Go see his foreign contacts & ascertain his statements were true.
Was there a poly? if so, any lies on this would also disqualify him. Go get the original poly to ascertain its truth.
Conclusion: It's obvious Jared was given special treatment not afforded to other Federal workers & his TS needs to be revoked.
8
@Dian
Maybe you had a clearance but your suppositions and assumptions are not correct. Foreign contacts do not disqualify a person from a clearance. Not even Jared can see his unredacted investigator's report. It's protected private information, by law. The public certainly has no reason to see it.
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus its the point that HIS foreign contacts given what they entail would have diqualifed him. Why? He can be compromised. I didn't say the public should see it- absolutely not- but Congress should be able to subpoena it & that's what I want.
4
@Diane How do you know his foreign contacts would disqualify him? Because the NYT told you so? Have you ever adjudicated a person's security clearance? Congress doesn't need to see that information either. They wouldn't keep it private. They would have to release it to make their partisan arguments. It's beyond their purview. Security clearances are a function of the executive branch of government.
Why not let Kushner make a few bucks by selling foreign countries top U.S. secrets? He clearly needs the money.
2
I suspect the White House will continue the stonewalling regardless of a subpoena. Will we see a FBI/US Marshall execute a search and seizure warrant on the White House or is congress just grandstanding as usual?
9
Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't think so.
"Kelly ... compromised national security by granting the highest security clearance to someone the intelligence agencies had grave suspicions about ..."
Kelly says he was "ordered" to, presumably by Trump. Maybe Trump should have shared the serious reservations expressed by US intelligence agencies, but obviously he didn't. Wise or not, doesn't the President have authority to grant a security clearance to anyone he wants? Does he have to justify his decision to you, or to me, or to some Congressional committee, or to Congress as a whole? Does he have to provide information, to anyone, on how he went about making the decision?
Congress can ask for whatever information it wants to ask for, and the President can give them requested information if he or she wants to. If he declines to, his opponents can point that out to voters, who may decide not to vote for the President next time.
Perhaps Presidential candidates should be required to pass a security clearance test, as one commenter suggested. Good idea. But once a candidate is elected, Congress has no right to tell him or her how to carry out Presidential duties, nor to ask him for information about how he made his decisions.
This seems obvious and indisputable. Trump can say yes if he likes, but he can say no if he likes. Short of impeachment or the 25th Amendment, the solution in a democracy lies in the ballot box, period.
Hate to break this to ya, but yeah, he does. Is president, is not King.
Question: why is the House Oversight Committee called the House Oversight Committee?
5
@Robert "Question: why is the House Oversight Committee called the House Oversight Committee?"
The House may choose whatever name it likes for a House committee. So what?
Look at the upside. By making our top secrets available through Jared Kushner, trump is able to claim a two-fer: pleasing Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Salman at the same time.
Remember the good old days when our presidents defended this country?
11
Where were the Republicans in Congress when all of this was going down? Shame on them. Closing one's eyes to corruption, malfeasance, or dirty tricks doesn't make them go away.
8
The most significant part of this story is that it shows the absurdity of a claim currently running in the Times about a potentially much greater risk. The story: "Studies of Deadly Flu Virus, Once Banned, Are Set to Resume." Despite the potential for highly lethal pandemic consequences, we are to be reassured because, "Ms. Moritz said there were many layers of security at the university lab ... and the university. Employees have to pass a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and be approved by a federal agency...."
I am sure this reassurance will make everyone sleep better at night, especially if Jared Kushner is appointed to oversee the clandestine roll out of this project.
One might also note that this is the same University of Wisconsin whose secure Army Mathematics Research Center was blown up and destroyed by people protesting the research it was doing for the military during the Viet Nam War.
There's the Trump-Cohen soap opera sucking up the media oxygen. And then there are minor pieces on this semi-clandestine change of policy regarding the possibilities of facilitating bio-terrorism or an accidental pandemic, as well as the India-Pakistan conflict, both capable of producing massive death and destruction, the former biological the latter nuclear, that dwarfs anything the Entertainer-In-Chief and his supporting cast ever tweeted, let alone thought, about.
It would be nice to see a little sense of proportion and perspective from this paper.
2
The Democrats are overstepping their authority and are endlessly knee jerk over reacting to fake, false agitation in the liberal media. This isn't the first time they rant and demand this and that over a false story in the liberal media. They are out of touch with reality and have lost their ability to objectively evaluate facts.
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus There is clear evidence that the agencies vetting security clearances did not recommend a high level clearance for Mr. Kushner.
The President is bound to his oath "... I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States ...". I reject the idea that in this case his discretion can overrule laws and regulations that clearly are meant to preserve and protect the Constitution and our safety.
3
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus
Kushner omitted key facts in his submission for clearance and had to re-do it at least twice. He was hiding things, in other words. A crime of omission, deliberately hiding things, meaning he has things to hide. For this reason alone his clearance should never have been granted.
3
@Bruce Michel
What "clear evidence"? Hearsay in the newspaper? The law allows for discretion in giving a clearance. the president did not violate any regulations or oaths or common practices. Security clearances are very subjective and what may apply for one individual doesn't to apply to another. It's in the regulations and in common practice. I worked with a guy who had his clearance revoked because his wife had a baby. Is that "fair"?
Trump lies again. Who cares?
This is a serious question, because so far, not enough people care.
7
Corruption, corruption, corruption! Republicans: This is your guy.
8
Another treacherous move by Trump. The news today is desperate.
1
Susan Collins of Maine, will you continue to go along with this?
Have you no shame?
Put a hold on every singe Trump nominee to every single office until we figure this out. You might still by the skin of your teeth redeem yourself, Madam.
But if not, we ALL look forward to your Democratic replacement in less than two years.
5
Where do commenters come up with these ideas?
"General Kelly ... compromised national security by granting the highest security clearance to someone the intelligence agencies had grave suspicions about ..."
Kelly says he was "ordered" to do this, presumably by Trump. Whether Trump made a wise decision or not, it was Trump's decision to make. His opponents may argue that he made the wrong decision and they may investigate till the cows come home, but I see nothing in the Constitution (or in any law) that requires the President to help his opponents in any way. The executive branch routinely cooperates with Congress to help Congress collect information that might be useful to craft or pass some legislation (Congress being the legislative branch, after all -- remember that?), but it's all but impossible that Congress could ever pass a "Constitutional" law that effectively authorizes Congress to look over the President's shoulder as he decides who should receive a security clearance and who should not.
In other words, for better or worse, Trump wins this round. Easily -- it's not even close.
@MyThreeCents, you argue that it was Kelly, not Trump, who had the authority and responsibility here. Then you argue that Congress mustn't "look over Trump's shoulder as he decides who should receive a clearance." Sigh. Republican logic. The issue is not, by the way, whether Trump has to "help his opponents." It's whether an utterly unqualified man with an unsavory past is permitted the nation's secrets as he goes around to visit his favorite dictators and potential business pals, all in our name and on our dime.
2
@MyThreeCents
No one disputes the fact that Trump had the authority to grant Kushner a security clearance. The question, as with most things Trump, is why did he lie about it?
And, just as an aside, does it matter to you that Kushner has no experience and no qualifications for his position and may, in fact, be compromised by his business dealings with other countries - which is likely the reason he wasn't granted a security clearance in the first place?
3
@MyTwoCents
"No one disputes the fact that Trump had the authority to grant Kushner a security clearance. The question, as with most things Trump, is why did he lie about it?"
The House is free to ask Trump this question (or any other question). Trump is free to answer that question if he likes. But if he doesn't want to, the question becomes whether he HAS to. The answer is "no."
It's not a close question, is it?
My guess is that Trump is beginning to see the value and the allure of a private email server …
5
As well they should. With Trump believing Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies assessment of Russia, believing North Korea over U.S. again regarding the murdered U.S. citizen, not to mention once again over ruling U.S. intelligence regarding security clearances...geez. Trump couldn't look more like a foreign agent if he flew another country's flag from the White House.
4
The House leaders are right to continue methodically building their case. This is one more piece of the puzzle.
While it is important to obtain and assemble the pieces with care, it's also important to call attention to the greater picture that is emerging. In the end, that composite picture of malfeasance, corruption, recklessness, and dangerous incompetence may constitute the case for impeachment without the revelation of any copiously smoking gun. The public must not be taken by surprise when it is asked to recognize such a case as sound.
3
If Putin or Kim asked, Trump would grant them a TS clearance. He trusts them more than his advisors.
3
And the crowd was shouting "Lock her up"......
How ironic. The emperor has no clothes, no money, no nothing but a cult of personality is the only thing that keeps him in place.
2
It amazes me that people who had no problem with Hillary Rodham Clinton maintaining and sharing Top Secret emails on a home server are now so concerned with the presidents advisor and son-in-law receiving a similar security clearence.
1
This is beyond even what George Orwell (Animal Farm) envisioned.
2
Memo to Republicans:
Chairman Cummings is fighting for our democracy. Why aren't you?
6
Kushner doesn’t belong in the White House but neither does his father-in-law or his wife.
If Kushner was unable to get security clearance through regular channels then there must be very serious reasons that the FBI and CIA see him as a threat to our country’s security.
Trump is also a serious threat to our security. Why this behavior on the part of Trump is not enough to draw up impeachment charges is beyond me.
Democrats do your job IMPEACH TRUMP!!!!
3
I'm convinced the Trump mafia is heavily vested in Oil. Trump enables oil companies and both he and Kushner embrace the Prince o Saudi Arabia, and Russia, another big oil nation.
3
Lost in the article b/c it doesn’t fit the narrative is that the POTUS, any POTUS has this right to give security clearances, end of story.
1
@MTM
This is the second article about this. The point you make was mentioned in the first article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/us/politics/jared-kushner-security-clearance.html?module=inline
1
Why aren't candidates for president vetted?
6
Actually, kind of why we have this campaign thingy. Course, you do have to participate in some way, and then vote.
1
Go Representative Cummings! It's about time Congress holds their feet to the fire.
3
If Congress wants information about this from Donald Trump, I suggest they flatter him.
"President Trump, you are the best at getting Top Secret clearances for your relatives. How do you do it?"
4
And still his Republican enablers remain silent? Imagine if Obama had done such an act, the calls for impeachment and racist insults that would lobbed by Republican so-called “lawmakers!”
2
It is called--he is the President and can direct the executive branch of government. Get used to it Dems you have another 5.5 years of seeing the progressives being ignored. Wait until Ginsburg gets replaced then you can do some more screaming at the sky.
1
Mr. Cummings is going to be VERY busy this year.
2
No doubt about it, there was Russian collusion. On camera, his fav format, he requested Russian help to bring the demise of the Hillary Clinton campaign.
2
Improper or unlawful security clearance for Kushner will taint Kushner's Middle East "Deal of the Century".
The "deal" requires ancillary deals with several other countries, mostly in the Middle East. The suspicion that such deals could involve classified US information will hang over Kushner's proposals.
6
It's about time someone took on the lead balloon that is Jared Kushner and his National Security Clearance, because we all know he did nothing to earn it besides marry into the family.
And after Michael Cohen's recent revelations before the House Oversight Committee, there's no way to believe that Donald Trump was neither unaware or had no role in it.
Let the investigation begin.
110
@N. Smith
Kushner is credited with getting bipartisan passage of the prison reform bill:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/14/us/politics/jared-kushner-criminal-justice-bill.html
He is also credited with the strategy that got his father in law elected over the Clinton machine.
He had no qualifications for these things, yet he succeeded. That testifies to capability and resourcefulness in new situations. Your dismissive categorization of him as a "lead balloon" is not based on knowledge.
@N. Smith
People don't earn a security clearance. It is not a reward for anything, not for "getting results" or objective job qualifications, and it certainly isn't a perk for high ranking officials who have retired from government service. Read the actual regulations and you will see that in plain black letters.
3
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus
I actually did read the regulations. And that still doesn't excuse the fact that Kushner LIED on his Clearance application and it was denied TWICE by White House Security.
Think not?
Google it.
4
The clock is ticking. Let’s all stand behind Nancy Pelosi and her efforts to keep the Democrats on the same page and get this criminal traitor out of the White House.
19
Momentum is certainly on the Democrats’ side at this point.
Everyone is waiting for that one smoking gun that can’t be explained away, suppressed or denied. I feel like it’s probably coming before November 2020. Giving Adam Schiff in particular a position of real power and influence has I think increased that likelihood and accelerated the process.
I don’t know much about Schiff’s politics or background but I feel when all is said and done, he will be one of the brightest heroes of this story.
36
@Metoo. Schiff is a former federal prosecutor, which equips him well for his role as chair of the Intelligence Committee investigation. I'm grateful to him and others such as Rep. Cummings for their work in defending our democracy from the most corrupt and compromised administration in history.
5
so maybe - just maybe, security, intelligence, FBI, CIA, etc. etc. - have two dossiers: one they show to DJT and his mobbed-up minions, and the real one that is kept for the people who actually care what happens to your country. What are the chances?
6
Please remember that after the election Jared Kushner wanted to set up a secret communication backchannel with Russia inside the RUSSIAN EMBASSY that could not be monitored by the US government. Let that sink in. And this guy gets a top secret clearance?
34
Hey folks we have a lying, bullying president that thinks he is above protocol and law. Where are the Republicans as this lying continues?
5
@Dr. B Where are the republicans? With their accountants going over their spoils from the tax cut.
3
This just gave me an idea... Why not do a polygraph on all important members of the Trump administration regarding russia collusion? That could be fun, right?
2
The arrogance of Trump, his family, and all of his associates is staggering. I feel like throwing up every time I hear about these people. I really hope that they all get caught and lose their money. They have conned the most vulnerable people in this country who are bitter after being devalued and forgotten, and he has cultivated fear in them as a way to control them and get their votes. He has no aligence to anyone and will throw anyone who isn’t protecting him under the bus. He is trying to alienate Americans against each other who are decent people and is alienating us from ourselves. It’s depressing, cruel, and debilitating. I hope that good wins over the power of evil. It’s devastating . Thank god for the people who are fighting against the sickness in the whitehouse.
7
Haven’t we learnt enough to reason Republican lawmakers would block the Democrats’ move?
How naive the reasonably balanced, right or left, has become to overlook the power of Reality Show lovers who are just looking for thrills and suspense ....... They love such things in domestic and international events, not solutions or democratic goals to achieve. Mr. Trump knows how to keep them happy and get enough votes from them. The Republican leadership and foot soldiers know it and talk and act accordingly.
Aren’t we desperate?
1
I don't suggest a bad person should be given a security clearance, but isn't that up to the President to decide?
I'm sure there are procedures -- some good, some bad -- and you or I or a House committee, or anyone else, may come up with brilliant ideas about how to screen out bad people, but isn't the President free to accept or reject suggestions, to make exceptions to procedures, or to do whatever else he or she wants to do? The President isn't required to explain -- much less to justify, to you, or to me, or to Congress -- how he or she goes about deciding how to give out security clearances or how to make any other decision that the President has Constitutional authority to make, or to provide information to anyone who might want to investigate how he or she went about it.
The Constitution requires the President from time to time to report to Congress on the state of the union (and this Constitutional requirement, of course, has evolved into an annual formal affair), but that's it. If the President's opponents want to investigate, or to insist that the President's way of handling security clearances is stupid, or harms the country, or whatever, certainly they're free to argue that, and the voters may agree and vote against the President. But the President isn't required to help anyone in that effort -- Congress, or anyone else.
Am I missing something, or does Trump win this one hands down?
2
Should candidates for president be required to pass a security clearance?
@MyThreeCents Maybe Democracy if what you are missing?
1
@db Not a bad idea. But there's no dispute that the President isn't required to, nor that he decides who gets one.
What’s the country becoming when the President of the United States gets harshly criticized for providing top secret security clearances for one of his family members named Jared, and everyone makes such a big deal out of it because Jared has been shopping for real estate loans from sovereign wealth funds? Can’t a father-in-law do a favor for his son-in-law without getting criticized for it?
5
While his son-in-law probably does not deserve a security clearance, Donald Trump certainly doesn't.
4
The problem is there is no security check for the United States president.
13
Hopefully he and his compliant progeny will be guests of the federal penitentiary.
2
It is the president's, the Commander in Chief's prerogative, to assign any security clearance, and, to anyone he wishes. Even upon objections. Otherwise, it is a mockery of the Constitution and the (Presidency's) Institution.
6
@Shanan Doah The president has no right to endanger national security or to do anything to enrich himself or his family through his office. If he has done either of these things he should be removed from office post haste.
52
And he is required by law to lie about it repeatedly because that's what keeps Americans safe and allows the Trump family to make secret deals with wealthy vicious regimes.
41
... and we’d hate for anyone to make a mockery of the institution of the presidency.
43
Trump, Ivanka and Kushner have brazenly lied about this, claiming there was no undue influence. And, of course, Kushner is completely comprised by his business relationships with Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and China. Furthermore, Congress needs to ask why General Kelly caved to the President’s dangerous demand. Kelly swore an oath to the Constitution and NOT to Trump. He compromised national security by granting the highest security clearance to someone the intelligence agencies had grave suspicions about, someone who was subject to pressure from some of this natiion’s enemies as he sought to save his failing business.
Our Republican Congresspeople will once again fail to do their duty as they run around frantically trying to defend their utterly corrupt indefensible leader. Party over country every single time.
68
Why would Trump do this? I wonder that he is manipulating the stage to elevate Jared to a successor role? Don Jr. seems to have even less class than his dad and couldn't possibly stand a chance so why not Trump's dashing son-in-law married to the daughter that he would date if he wasn't her dad. Sure, it sounds like a bad soap opera plot, and maybe the same sort of folks who admired Trump's skills in The Apprentice might like soaps and would happily vote Jared in. Stay tuned....
27
@Plumberb
Trump would do it (and Javanka would push for it) merely as a matter of status---being able to be in the "right" meetings and be seen as important.
4
@Plumberb - Dashing? The guy looks like a creepy, cardboard cutout advertisement for a horror movie.
8
@Plumberb "Don Jr. seems to have even less class than his dad" and that puts him pretty low indeed.
3
From the outside looking in...ultimately, it is the Chief Executive who decides. He decides whether to heed recommendations or not. And whatever happens because of that, he has to take responsibility for that decision.
But with Trump at the helm... well...
2
Chairman Cummings has a gift from Michael Cohen whose testimony provided the most logical and insightful reason for Trump's Security clearances and those of his family; her ran for office to enrich himself and his family. Cohen's keyword was "Marketing". It explains almost all of Trumps years long conduct. It was like a hint to investigate from Cohen. Why else would Trump's family be in the White House and getting Top Secret Clearances? It's all "Insider Information".
23
Let’s not forget that security issues start at the top (or bottom if you will) with trump talking endlessly on his unsecured cell phone.
National security is an oxymoron in this administration.
7
Kushner lied on government forms telling the agency he rents apartments to low income people. He was not renting to low income people. His father was in jail for criminal activity now he lies . Take away the security pass and he should look for another job.
18
Kushner and Trump are ideally situated to gain "Insider Information" to become wildly successful in business. This fact provides reasonable cause to investigate their businesses.
6
Of course the Republicans will cry ‘partisan’! But if they were doing THEIR sworn duty to America, it would be just a routine check to maintain balance. Republicans DO YOUR JOBS! Work to protect all Americans.
8
Well this is all one heck of a national civics course. I never knew the president had the power to demand such a clearance for his kin. If he does, which I guess we'll find out, along with clarification of all the other powers Trump thinks he has. This is a stress test of our self-government and Constitution for sure. Couldn't be more so if Trump and his bunch took a sledge hammer and a blowtorch to it.
11
The presence of Trump's family in the Administration with him and their access to "Inside Information" proves my contention that Trump is driven to enrich himself and his family just as Michael Cohen claimed Trump was driven by marketing himself. It's all theatrics for marketing. He is a Television actor after all.
6
Jared Kushner is probably compromised.
9
What will it take for GOP politicians to demand information regarding tRump?
Until that happens, there will be a stalemate, not a checkmate!
2
The very fact that Trump tried to hide and deny his intervention, is a sign that something is very wrong. This is a clear and present threat to our denocracy and national security, as Trump has already shown that his personal interest, whether financial or egotistical, matters above all else to him.
11
As usual, my fellow Democrats have failed to understand the big Trump idea; to gain insider information to enrich himself and his family with their presence in office and securing their Top Secret Clearances. Or did the Democrats already follow that line of thought?
1
Pure nepotism. If this ain’t nepotism, I don’t know what is! I thought when submitting high level security clearance, it has to be approved by congressional intelligence committee?
9
In our Banana Republic, you can have relatives in important government positions. Only family will really watch Trump's back. Time for RICO charges.
9
"Mr. Schiff called Mr. Trump’s actions 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.”"
Disregard? Oh, Mr. Schiff, you are too kind.
At the heart of the matter is the question: for whose benefit are ill-suited people being approved to learn our Nation's most precious secrets and how do the ill-suited people benefit in the positions long-term?
What rubs salt into wounds each time trump et. al. kick sand into the Rule of Law's face, is how often it's done and how much lying surrounds each event. Who benefits?
Why enable Russia to freely build nuclear missiles by declaring the US is pulling out of the arms treaty because Russia is cheating? Because Russia and trump want a giant war machine.
Why enable Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear capability by secretly selling them nuclear power plant plans? What is Jared doing? Because Russia, trump and MBS want a giant war machine.
Why fake a summit with North Korea and then call it a failure which results in NK being free to pursue its nuclear capabilities?
Because the cabal: Russia, trump, MBS and NK, want a giant war machine. And trump can share National secrets via his ill approved surrogates.
trump is running his office as if he is at Trump Tower. He is setting-up the infrastructure of his future organization, using the presidency as a staging platform toward something much, much bigger.
The question is: What?
4
If Trump survives this onslaught of revelations there’s no hope for American government. It will be time for our own “green jacket” protests.
2
Evidently now you can get a security clearance with a box top and a quarter. Who knew?
4
@Gordon Bronitsky And also a secret decoder ring. We are showing our ages!
1
@Bruce Michel
My best friend and I had our decoder rings in the fourth grade. I lost mine; we are still in touch, so I can ask her if she kept hers for her grandchildren. Jared probably has a decoder ring with him at all times; he needs it, because he is in charge of world peace!
It's glaringly apparent that Trump ran for office to enrich himself and his family as Michael Cohen alluded to Trump's motivation of business marketing.
Besides his successful Real Estate endeavors already known, including his questionable Hotel in Washington, he must be heavily invested in Oil and related industries. Trump made his first overseas travel to visit the Saudi's and has since conducted government actions to enrich big oil while attempting to destroy new energy generation industries that compete with oil.
Trump has made steady friends of Russia and Saudi Arabia, the other big oil nations.
Now that he and his family have Top Secret clearances, they have "Insider Information" to enrich themselves.
I really do believe Cohen's contention that Trump is driven by marketing himself and his family.
57
Trump's family's presence in the administration supports this contention.
3
The fact that Trump bought an old government building to use for his business says a lot about Trump's use of the government to enrich himself. The building was likely low cost to him.
3
Why does Jared Kushner need a security clearance? Who knows? If the intelligence community is against it, and since I have more faith in our intelligence community than I do the executive branch, and Congressman Cummings wants to get to the bottom of this threat to our national security, then I'm against it,too. Kushner has no qualifications to possess such a clearance, approved by his father-in-law who has no qualifications to be president.
Maybe Jared is still upset that his dad went to prison for tax evasion, and this is Trump's way of making his son-in-law feel more important, and socking it again to Chris Christie. Most likely, having this clearance may give him a gateway to do private business with other countries at the expense of the American people. And since Trump has been president, everything has been at the expense of the American people.
71
Wait, so the facts are that Trump took away top security clearances for career CIA and FIA people because according to Trump, “They were a threat to national security”, when really it was because they criticized some of his decisions, but he has directed that his own family member be allowed to circumvent normal procedures and procure a top security clearance even though multiple levels of intelligence agencies and the CIA recommended against it?
123
@Debbie-Good points:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-official-overruled-experts-denied-061303175.html
2
Trump exposes the immediate danger to our Democracy, and that's wealth transferred generation to generation. We are literally in the outsized grip of people with no experience, and it's now extending to the next generation Trumps/Kushners. Exclusive to the Republicans? Nah. But they're in power at the moment.
Where will it end? We're already seeing the trickle down entitlement to Ivanka and Jared. Is Don Jr. running for office next in the cards? Where in the world would any of them be without their inheritance or family influence?
Change the tax code and save the nation.
46
@Martin wait and see if sanders or some other loon gets in with their communist ideas.and see how much freedom you have.by the time you pay taxes you won't have enough for food.what sanders doesn't tell you and I'm with him on the elite but that doesn't come close to paying anywhere near what he wants.his idea is from the scandanavian countries they pay 40% in taxes everyone no matter how little or how much you make and they pay a 17% sales tax and they have no illegals coming in or paying for a large military.and how many of these rich jerks are going to stay here they'll find a way out.look at England why do you think all these rock stars are over here
Does anyone really believe that Trump and his staff will ever provide the security clearance documents and overview of the process that Cummings requested? How long is Cummings going to wait, and what will happen when they don't? These Republicans are scofflaws by nature and it's doubtful they will comply.
30
We shouldn't be surprised at the president's action since he himself would never have survived a background check and allowed a security clearance at any level had he not been a candidate for the office of president.
49
Once again, this president has overruled his own intelligence
agencies, the FBI and others who make it their business to keep this country safe. My only question for this president is this: How does granting Mr. Kushner top security clearance make this country safer?
If he can't answer a simple question like that, he should pack up his belongings....and his family....and go home.
23
This sets up another trip to the Supreme Court. Trump will claim executive privilege and the legal action will follow. Please, let's just end this madness in the next election cycle. It's really getting ridiculous.
Anyone who thought Obama abused power, and now believes that Trump is A-OK rightly claims the mantel of going where no rational thought process has gone before.
42
IVANKA TRUMP needs to be held accountable and removed from her "official duty".
44
Thank God for Congressman Cummings, who takes his patriotic duty as a representative of the people seriously. Especially at a time when his Republican counterparts have cravenly and cynically forgotten that our government is a system of checks and balances and abrogated their sworn oath to protect the Constitution. Elijah Cummings is a ray of light in what is fast becoming what Auden called a "low, dishonest decade."
40
The End is Near - but still miles to go before we can sleep soundly at night.
21
@J Young
Hope 5.5 years is what you are thinking--because that is what you will be getting.
'Government for the people' is such a pleasant change from 'government for trump.'
9
I hope the president and Jared Kushner are hiding information from the American people simply out of wealthy elitism, keeping us in the dark as a way of showing their disdain for us. Given the kinds of revelations we've seen over the past two years, I hate to think that what they're hiding actually warrants such secrecy and evasion.
5
Of course Mr. Trump had to give Jared top secret clearance. Mr. Netanyahu could not rely on Mr. Trump to provide him with accurate US intelligence briefings.
24
Where are the sane Republicans? We used to have some. What happened to them? Is this really just how low Republicans have sunk?
39
@Glenn Thomas
You really have to ask the question?
They have sunk lower than the ocean floor.
5
I remember the reporting from when Jared was going through this process, and he had to keep revising his applications because he kept having bouts of temporary amnesia when it came to contacts with Russians.
Donald doesn't distinguish between big and small when it comes to deciding which rules to break. This is exactly the kind of thing he would do without batting an eye. The only thing that comes easier to him than breaking them is lying about it afterwards.
I don't know if the Democrats could subpoena John Kelly or not, but if he cares as much about the country as I suspect he does, I wish he would find a way to make a few things known. Then again, maybe he already is...
114
@Rick-So much money to be made, so little time. Kushner
has sought loans from Russian banks and from Deutsche Bank before the election just as Deutsche Bank was settling a Russian money-laundering case with NY regulators. Kushner also sought a real estate deal with a Russian oligarch's firm cited in another money-laundering case. And like Trump, he reports losses on properties he's bought with borrowed funds. Trump also hit up a Qatari billionaire for a $500 million "loan" and when it was rejected, Trump mysteriously applied a blockade to the country, the site of the largest U.S. military base in the M.E. Fortunately, Qatar coughed up the money later.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/24/jared-kushner-new-york-russia-money-laundering
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/13/business/jared-kushner-taxes.html
24
I suspect one of the factors John Kelly considered when he decided to leave was did he have some evidence he could use against Trump is necessary. He can and would reveal the info if it was essential for the survival of the country only. I expect like others he is hoping things shake out in a way that either doesn't run or is beat in 2020. I think this is the calculus most mature and thoughtful politicos in DC have.
8
@Ethan
We are now decades past when Kushner and Trump would not have been tolerated in government service. FDR had Prescott Bush's trading with Krupp stopped with threats of arrest. Truman would not have tolerated either Kushner or Trump. We should look to Eisenhower allowing the CIA to take down an elected leader in Iran, Mossadegh. We ended up with a bogus "Shah" who eventually fled the country during a revolution. We might also look at the Dulles history of intervention in Vietnam's civil war; this left us with 58,000 dead Americans, countless wounded and dead Vietnamese, and one draft dodger with fake bone spurs now squatting in the WH..
I'll make this brief, and simple. The Husband and I each, individually, obtained ABOVE Top Secret Security clearances, when we were in the US ARMY. The actual process began even before our basic training, because of our chosen MOS, i.e. Job Specialty. We were sent directly from basic to Job training, for 98C: Cryptologic Traffic Analyst, Codebreaker. The FBI investigated us, throughly, for our entire six month training program. We would have been kicked out of the training program, at each step, for ANY problems. It happened to several classmates, even though everyone had NO criminal record. Neighbors, teachers, past associates were interviewed. And past due debts, Tax problems, shoplifting, were absolute disqualification. In was very through, but necessary.
And now, this Guy. He would not be allowed to work at any reputable City or County Police Dept.. or even as Security for a chain Department Store. He's a horrible security risk. And like most Trumps, he's never met a dollar that he didn't Covet. And attempt to steal. SAD.
72
@Phyliss Dalmatian As a very young man in the Air Force I had the same speciality as yours needing a crypto clearance. It still took a long time before I could finish my training due to the thoroughness of the investigation. Imagine what it takes for a person with much work and travel experience.
My daughter recently married a man who currently holds at least a Top Secret clearance. He had to renew his clearance and they wanted information regarding my wife, who was born in Germany. We provided him detailed information from her 1962 naturalization certificate. Such is the fine-tooth comb most of those who defend us go through.
10
This is the president who, as a candidate, said the greatest threat to the US was Hillary Clinton’s handling of state secrets via email as Secretary of State..
So much for national security, eh, Mr. Trump? In Trumpland, who cares?
172
@NA
Hillary wasn't president of the United States and she violated security laws and regulations, multiple times. Trump is actually the president and has well established authority for his actions.
1
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus Hillary didn’t compromise national security. It remains to he seen if Kushner did.
1
@NA As always Trump was talking about himself.
1
It is hard to even know what to say. The Trump Administration makes the Administration of Tricky Dick Nixon look like a bunch of schoolkids.
133
Mr. Cummings is carrying out the specific, constitutionally authorized and--in these days of such vast incompetence, and even more vast untruthfulness, on the part of the current administration--urgent work of the Congress. I am deeply grateful for the integrity and functional independence, the dedication to principle and truth-seeking, of his committee--
finally!
212
Finally, crucially, Constitutional Article l "checks and balances" upon Trumpian Executive abuses of power are taking place! Bravo Representatives Cummings and Schiff, true patriots of the republic!
235
Trump thinks he can manage our nation the same way a CEO manages a corporation. Although the analogy is a tempting one, it is a dangerous one. God help us!
27
@Glenn Thomas, to be fair, Trump thinks he can lead our nation the same way the head of a series of LLC's can do, shrugging off repeated business failures.
"We'll see," Trump says, ad nauseam.
13
@Glenn Thomas
Given the number of times Trump used bankruptcy as a financial tool, I hope he is not making plans to apply Chapter 13, or some other bankruptcy tool in an attempt to rescue our government from revenue losses due to his tax heist for the richest among us. Trump will still be in office when the financial shortfall begins to ripple through the economy, much like Greenspan's home in every pot.
9
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Trump insisted on getting a top security clearance for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. After all, Kushner's portfolio includes solving all of the world's problems, so he really needs access to all of the most sensitive information.
It should also come as no surprise that Trump lied about his involvement in getting Kushner his top security clearance, because Trump wakes up lying and goes to sleep lying.
Kushner is compromised, which is why Kelly and McGahn covered their behinds by writing "memos to file" objecting to giving Kushner his top security clearance.
Trump's covering up his role in getting his compromised son-in-law the top security clearance seems to me to rise to the level of a "misdemeanor" of the type contemplated in Section 4 of Article Two of the United States Constitution.
The Republicans will of course pooh-pooh Chairman Cummings' efforts to get to the bottom of this business, but if Obama had strong-armed a top security clearance for one of his relatives (assuming that relative had dirty laundry like Kushner apparently does), you can be sure the Republicans would have been screaming bloody murder, claiming that the highest level of our government was being put at risk.
156
@ALB, as it is, gop either ignores this, or points to bobby kennedy as a comparison. In our dreams.
6
@karen - The Kennedy family is a Democratic Party version of the Trump family. Much the same with the Clintons. If only Shakespeare were still alive.
@ALB
You are right! Problem is, Repubs are well trained to scream bloody murder in unison but Dems are not.
1
And this article doesn't even mention that Kushner is known to have lied, multiple times, on the security clearance forms he was required to submit. Provide false information on those forms is a crime for which, of course, Kushner has faced no repercussions.
154
Let me get this straight: while our attention is diverted to so-called "national security emergencies" at the border, there's a real security emergency at the White House. Just like jobs in the president's cabinet, security clearances are being handed out like party favors.
Is there not one Republican of stature who will (please) step forward and announce that enough is enough?
208
@furnmtz
No.
Not a single one.
Sorry.
Now...what are we going to do about it?
22
@furnmtz-Indeed. Kushner’s clearance was denied twice by two White House security experts because of FBI concerns about foreign influence on Kushner, according to NBC. But they were overruled by Carl Kline when he was installed as the director of the personnel security office of the president, the network reported. Mr. Kline also overruled security experts on 30 other people in the Trump administration, an unprecedented number, unnamed officials told NBC.
How is it that personnel security officer in the WH be able to overrule America's top security assessment experts?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-official-overruled-experts-denied-061303175.html
20
@Patrick Borunda
How harsh of you. Haven't you seen that our Rrpublican Congressmen have taken a stand against lying. What a relief!
1
Cummings made the initial request for documents and interviews nearly five weeks ago!
Also, it would have been worthwhile to mention in this article the the White House hired almost two dozen freshly minter lawyers last December specifically to power uptheir slow-walking game for the many oversight requests anticipated to be issued by the new House Democratic majority.
49
@Lou Anne Leonard
Here is a link to one of the articles about the December hiring of a bunch of new W. H. lawyers for the purpose of slow-walking document and interview requests from Democratic chairmen of various House committees, as well as to severely red-line Mueller's final report with every possible claim of executive privilege.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-white-house-lawyers-trump-executive-privilege-20190109-story.html
8
@Lou Anne Leonard .... whose paying for these lawyers?
1
It is chilling to realize the extensive international responsibilities Trump has given to his son-in-law, a man inexperienced in politics and even more inexperienced in the importance of high-level security. Add to this the now revealed fact that were it not for Mr. Trump's presidential power Mr. Kushner would not now have access to top-level secret information -- who knows what damage has already happened and what more is yet to come as a result of this unorthodox circumstance.
172
@Susan Also a man who would not accept his own father's criminal conviction - fairly and justly arrived at - frequently referring to the prosecution as wrong. Kushner is one of this cabal who sees the law as something to be considered when it is convenient.
So in a vindictive, petulant huff, he ousted Christie from the transition team (I am NO fan of Christie).
34
Kushner us such a nice boy. How could anyone deny him a security clearance?
12
@arp Yes and but this fine fellow with a very long resume could have brought peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis? Thak God for giving us a president who could identify this talent!
1
That’s right, Democrats, don’t bother working on any legislation, like infrastructure improvement, or pharmaceutical industry reform.
Just keep investigating things that no one outside of Washington cares two figs about. I’m sure that will win you the election in 2020.
2
@Greg
Regrettably, monies that could have been spent on repairing roads and bridges have been sent to the wealthiest Americans in the form of a giant Republican tax reform package. Now we can't make improvements because the above-mentioned tax reform has caused the deficit to go sky-high.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
98
@Greg The House committees looking into Trump's affairs are specifically charged with doing OVERSIGHT and INVESTIGATIONS, and not Infrastructure or Pharmaceutical Reform. Both committees would be remiss in their duties if they didn't look into these matters.
92
@Greg, I don’t agree that no one outside of DC cares about these things. I think at least 60% of Americans give way more than two figs about them. Unfortunately, due to certain anomalies in the way our democracy is structured (electoral college, structure of the senate, gerrymandering) and more recently, technological advances with unforeseen consequences, the will of that majority is not realized in governance or by you.
84
Imagine if the Democrats had never won the House. Oversight would be defunct. Maybe if the GOP had been doing their job for the past 2 years, Trump wouldn’t be so out of control.
72
@Bob
They have been doing their job. It's just not the job they're supposed to be doing.
12
The part that scares me is Kushner being in bed with Russia and the House of Saud. It seems eminently reasonable that he’s feeding top secret intelligence to foreign governments so that they and his crooked family can profit. Boy Wonder is endangering his country leaking to foreign intelligence just so that he can pay off his boondoggle at 666 Fifth and play dress-up in a grownup suit and tie.
141
@Times Dude 1234567890
At risk is the carefully crafted Agreement Obama hammered out with Iran, signed on by allies, and China. No manufactured weapons grade Plutonium for 10 yrs. American hostages were returned; Iran's frozen assets were returned. A delicate balance struck with patience and intelligence. Of course, our middle school class president wants to stomp all over it. Trump will never get past his envy of President Obama, admired at home and abroad. A man with a loving wife and family, no sex scandals, no hidden tax records, no approval from the corrupt Netanyahu, no smarmy praise for Putin, no insults to our intelligence Agencies, no open door EPA policies allowing fossil fuel extraction in the fragile Arctic, no praise for the murderous Saudi princeling, and no insults hurled at prior Presidents in front of young boy scouts. Obama's hair turned gray while in office; he didn't purchase and wear a wig.
Paul Ryan and the compliant House gave Trump a false sense of security.They provided no oversight and , in fact, looked for ways to enable the Trump misbehavior.He is irate and shocked that now Cummings and Schiff are investigating and threatening subpoenas.For two years Trump denied the authority of the FBI, the CIA and the Justice Department.He cannot deny the Democratic majority in the House-they are asking questions and demanding answers and they will share their information with the voters.Mr.Trump, there is a new day of accountability brought to you by the Democrats recently elected to lead the House.
86
The House going Democratic is sure a game changer for Donald Trump. He must feel ready to explode.
So if this turns out that Trump rigged it, so to speak, then what? It would be great to see Jared Kushner get the boot.
54
Even better ... an orange jumpsuit
15
The security clearances process ran afoul when Trump was elected, and now when he defied security to grant top secret access to a family member. It means the entire White House clearance procedure has to be suspended, reviewed, and corrective action put in place immediately; and most importantly, Kushner’s clearances revoked. But the damage already has been done, that’s history and you cannot un-ring that bell or any other. When found to be deliberate, or in egregious cases even accidental, unauthorized clearance is a felony, and I do not need a lawyer to enlighten on this topic.
96
@Dan Holton, unfortunately, candidates for the presidential election are not required to obtain a security clearance, either before or after they are elected.
To me, this is a major flaw in our electoral process.
Setting that aside, I also believe that candidates should be required to demonstrate their knowledge of domestic and foreign policy, the US Constitution and our form of government, and their knowledge of the children's cartoon: Schoolhouse Rock's How a Bill Becomes a Law. They must also be able to read and write in at least one language spoken in the United States ... which is pretty much any language at all.
60
@Dan Holton
I think JFK granted his brother, Robert, top secret access. Did you call for Robert Kennedy's clearances to be suspended, reviewed and corrective action put in place then? Thought not.
1
Well if that is a requirement most of the republicans would be in trouble
6
Trump's 2016 campaign was a massive national security risk; witness half of his indicted/convicted criminal campaign staff.
His Administration, of course, is more of the same, replete with compromised, corrupt, craven, conflict-of-interest scoundrels happy to use the United States government and its treasury as a giant piggy bank to be tipped into their 0.1% personal bank accounts, including Jared Kushner.
If you ever wanted a American banana republic, Trump has shamelessly and proudly delivered one for you.
Or, if you have an ounce of American patriotism, you'll admit that this corrupt Impostor-In-Chief and the Grand Old Phonies protecting him all deserve impeachment in 2020 in record, historic numbers.
There's a crook in the White House.
Investigate
Impeach
Indict
Incarcerate
Individual #1
289
@Socrates Please; Yes!! Dems in Congress need to really dig and bring all the criminal charges they can. White House is taking the stand that Emperor Trump is all powerful and can do anything he wants. Wrong!
42
This just in: Congress has no power to bring criminal charges.
Sheesh, already.
1
@Robert
That's why we impeach first...and then let the Dept of Justice or state attorney generals go after the Trump family criminal syndicate.
It all works.
21
Let's take a moment to be thankful that voters in 2018 were finally able to restore some checks and balances on this Administration. Most of these investigations should have begun almost as soon as Trump took office, but Republicans did not care as long as they could maintain their own power.
Trump is a conman and an incompetent President, but it's the Republican Party that enabled everything he did.
416
And the Republican Party does what their angry, credulous, poorly informed, and spiteful voters want. Follow the problem to the source.
61
@Casey J. Actually, those voters are really not being helped, they just can't see it. The corporate, wall street supporters are very happy however.
10
@Pat Thanks for nothing. If Jared Kushner & others are unqualified for top security clearance, any investigation so late into the third year of the Trump presidency is “locking the barn door after the horse has bolted”. Nothing to really cheer about. What kind of cockamamie government system is this? Why should any partner country in the 5-eye club trust USA?
9