Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are demanding answers from the White House as to why senior adviser Jared Kushner still has a security clearance despite reports that he failed to disclose meetings with Russian officials while he was seeking clearance.
House Oversight Ranking Member Elijah Cummings is requesting information pertaining to former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and senior advisor Jared Kushner's security clearances, citing concerns about whether the Trump administration is properly safeguarding classified information.
The letter argues the White House could have potentially violated a 1995-executive order requiring that employees under investigation be banned from access to sensitive information until they are cleared of their allegations.
The letter, citing press reports, singles out Kushner for failing to disclose numerous contacts with foreign officials on his security clearance questionnaire. It also questions why former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn wasn't suspended by the White House after information from former acting Attorney General Sally Yates stated that he might be susceptible to Russian blackmail.
The letter added, "We do not know who at the White House - other than General Flynn - knew about Mr. Kushner's multiple contacts with Russian officials before they became public".
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse says he believes former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is cooperating with the FBI's Russian Federation investigation.
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In other respects, her speech - which is shaped by the governing party's priorities - was notable for what it left out entirely. This could be the fault line where the prime minister's authority in the House crumbles.
"In general, when there are credible allegations that employees may be unfit to continue accessing classified information, security clearances are supposed to be suspended while the allegations are investigated", Cummings wrote in his letter, sent June 21.
Whitehouse spoke soon after the ranking Democrats from two House committees probing potential collusion by the Trump campaign with Russian Federation to interfere in the 2016 election expanded their investigation.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment.
Flynn also lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about his contacts with Russia's Kislyak and the Federal Bureau of Investigation "had him dead to rights on a felony false statement", said Whitehouse. His termination came after it was revealed he misled Vice President Mike Pence about contacts he had with Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.
Among the problems were that the "friend" he traveled with was not named, the speaking engagement he claimed could not be confirmed with the agencies which usually booked his appearances, and he claimed to stay at a hotel - the King Khaled International Hotel - whose existence could not be proven by investigators working for Congress. Kushner's attorney has previously acknowledged that Kushner did not include the foreign contacts on his security clearance form because it was submitted prematurely.
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