REVOKING CLEARANCES WOULD NEUTER TOP SOURCES OF CRITICISM AGAINST TRUMP
The White House has just revealed that President Donald Trump is attempting to revoke he top secret security clearances from top former intelligence chiefs, including former FBI Director Jim Comey and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
Other she named specifically include former CIA Directors John Brennan and Michael Hayden, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe. All worked during the Obama administration.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders accused the six former intelligence officials of "false accusations" about Russia and for what she characterized as "politicizing" intelligence.
"Not only is the president looking to take away Brennan's security clearance, he's also looking into the security clearances of Comey, Clapper, Hayden, Rice, and McCabe," Huckabee Sanders said, "because they've politicized and in some cases monetized their public service and security clearances. Making baseless accusations of improper contact with Russia, or being influenced by Russia against the president is extremely inappropriate, and the fact that people with security clearances are making these baseless accusations provides inappropriate legitimacy with zero evidence," Huckabee Sanders claimed, falsely.
Watch:
Press Sec. Sanders: "Not only is the president looking to take away Brennan's security clearance, he's also looking into the security clearances of Comey, Clapper, Hayden, Rice, and McCabe...because they've politicized and in some cases monetized their public service." pic.twitter.com/X24GmU06ci
— ABC News (@ABC) July 23, 2018
UPDATE I: 3:10 PM ET –
Andrew McCabe's spokesperson:
Andrew McCabe's security clearance was deactivated when he was terminated, according to what we were told was FBI policy. You would think the White House would check with the FBI before trying to throw shiny objects to the press corps... https://t.co/ZOKJDChpeP
— Melissa Schwartz (@MSchwartz3) July 23, 2018
No one in the Trump administration cares about facts or truths. This isn't news. It doesn't matter that McCabe no longer has a security clearance to revoke. The objective is to send a message about what this administration intends to do to people who resist.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) July 23, 2018
Washington Post reporter Devlin Barrett notes that Jim Comey also has not had a security clearance for months.
Clapper agrees with CNN that this move would be entirely political, and "very petty":
CLAPPER: "There is a formal process for doing this, but I guess legally the president has that prerogative. He can suspend or revoke clearances as he sees fit, & if he chooses to do it for political reasons, well, I think that's a terrible precedent and an abuse of the system." pic.twitter.com/xLBq0M8O9o
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 23, 2018
This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.
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