Watchdog group files complaint to remove Jared Kushner's temporary security clearance
In the wake of questions about security clearances at the White House, a liberal watchdog group on Thursday called for the Trump administration to revoke Jared Kushner’s temporary security clearance.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and one his closest advisers, shouldn’t have access to classified information until he can pass a comprehensive background check.
Kushner is one of more than 130 political appointees who reportedly have been unable to secure permanent security clearances since they started working for the White House and other parts of the Trump administration.
The security clearance process at the White House has been under scrutiny revelations that the ex-White House staff secretary, Rob Porter, had been unable to obtain a permanent clearance despite working for the administration for a year. Porter faces allegations of spousal abuse from his two ex-wives.
CREW specifically pointed to Kushner’s contacts with Russian officials and other foreign governments, saying he failed to disclose them when initially applying for a clearance.
“Failure to revoke Mr. Kushner’s temporary clearance would set a dangerous precedent for these other cases by signaling a willingness to tolerate unacceptable national security risks,” Noah Bookbinder, CREW’s executive director, wrote in a letter to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
Kelly has faced his own backlash in recent days amid questions over whether he knew about the abuse allegations against Porter.