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SCOOP: Two career security specialists rejected Jared Kushner for a top secret clearance after an FBI background check raised concerns about potential foreign influence on him — but they were overruled.
by @KenDilanianNBC @strickdc @peteralexander #Maddow nbcnews.to/2UiLqEv
by @KenDilanianNBC @strickdc @peteralexander #Maddow nbcnews.to/2UiLqEv
Jared Kushner's was one of at least 30 cases in which Trump appointed Kline overruled career security experts and approved a top secret clearance for Trump officials despite unfavorable information – an unprecedented number overruled rejections.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Even though Jared Kushner's FBI background check flagged concerns about his family's business, foreign contacts, foreign travel, and meetings he had during the campaign, Kline overruled two career security specialists and recommended Kushner for a top secret clearance.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Kushner then sought an even higher designation to gain access to "sensitive compartmented info [SCI]" so his file was sent to the CIA for a ruling. They balked. One officer called the White House, asking how Kushner got even a top secret clearance.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Jan 2018: Intelligence officials became concerned that the Chinese govt was seeking to use business inducements to influence Kushner’s views. Chinese envoys couldn’t believe Kushner was so compliant and eager to mix policy & business interests.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Feb 2018: Officials in at least 4 countries [including UAE, China, Israel, & Mexico] have privately discussed ways they can manipulate Jared Kushner to their advantage by exploiting his financial difficulties and lack of foreign policy experience.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Apart from staff on the National Security Council, Jared Kushner issues more requests for information to the intelligence community than any White House employee. What's Kushner doing with ALL that intel?
#Maddow
#Maddow
Prince MBS boasted that in Oct 2017, Kushner divulged Saudi figures disloyal to him – intel straight from the PDB. In Nov, MBS launched his royal purge. "Saudi figures named in the PDB were among those rounded up; at least 1 reportedly tortured."
#Maddow
#Maddow
Feb 2018: At least 30 officials and political appointees – including Jared Kushner – have been working in the administration without full security clearance.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Per @Dan_F_Jacobson: It takes some pretty bad stuff to be denied a clearance. That there have been 30 denial recommendations of WH staff in the last 1.5 years is itself crazy, before you even get to the overruling part.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Per @Dan_F_Jacobson: Now let's talk about Kushner. That multiple career officials recommended denying his clearance is damning. They would not do that lightly for someone of Kushner's stature and position. [Hooboy!]
#Maddow
#Maddow
