A whistleblower told lawmakers that dozens of denials for security clearances have been overturned during the Trump administration, calling Congress her 'last hope' for addressing what she sees as improper conduct that has left the nation's secrets exposed
A White House official turned whistleblower says dozens of people in President Trump's administration were granted access to classified information despite"disqualifying issues" in their backgrounds including concerns about foreign influence, drug use and criminal conduct.
Newbold added:"I feel that right now this is my last hope to really bring the integrity back into our office." The White House declined immediate comment Monday, and Kushner's legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The controversy, Democrats argue, strikes at the heart of their investigations into President Trump. They believe Trump has abused his power and bent the rules to accommodate himself, his children and his allies. And the security clearance issue, they argue, is an example of how he has put his own desires before the interests of the nation.
In her interview with the committee, which was conducted over a weekend, Newbold told the panel that she began keeping a list of employees whose applications were denied but were later given clearances despite concerns about their ties to foreign influence, conflicts of interests, questionable or criminal conduct, financial problems or drug abuse.
In the case of one top White House official, merely described as"Official 1" in committee documents, Newbold said Kline overruled her and another employee's denial of an application amid concerns about foreign influence. But Kline, she said,"failed to address all of the disqualifying concerns listed by Ms. Newbold and the first-line adjudicator," according to a committee summary of her response.
She later added:"I then followed up this conversation with an email to him, letting him know that my reasoning for not changing my recommendation was not me being insubordinate; it was me highlighting that I stand behind my national security recommendation and that he in his position has the opportunity to override me, using the appropriate mitigators."
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