Sanders: Trump might revoke security clearances for Brennan, Comey, Clapper, Hayden, Rice, & McCabe.

[Mrs. Overall]

Link to tweet

Philip Rucker

News: Sanders says Trump is looking at revoking security clearances of six former top U.S. national security officials: Brennan, Comey, Clapper, Hayden, Rice and McCabe.

[murielm99]

1. Let's make a stink about

Kushner's lack of security clearance.

[kimbutgar]

2. He can revoke but they will still be speaking out and won't be silenced

And something tells me those inside the intelligence agencies know twitler is a Russian traitor.

[MineralMan]

3. Well, I don't guess they need them, anyhow.

They can still testify, though. And will, I hope.

[exboyfil]

4. Could become a real issue if Congress ever tries to

subpoena them. I do wonder about keeping a security clearance when you are no longer in a job which requires one.

[unblock]

5. if memory serves, i lost my security clearance the day my contract expired.

it's all based on "need to know", and the minute you no longer "need to know"....

i suspect that in certain cases of high-ranking officials, security clearances are extended in part as a courtesy but more for continuity of work, in case they have to ask the former employee about something classified.


in this case, it looks like donnie's just doing it to be a jerk.

[exboyfil]

8. That is my recollection as well

I think I signed some form about never divulging as part of the close out process from my employer (this happened in 1992). I think I had to sign the same type of form when I left the federal government in 1985 (of course I had it back in a couple of months or less).

[janx]

6. Former intelligence officials

keep them because they are sometimes asked to weigh in and contribute. You know, in former times.

[exboyfil]

9. I wouldn't go near that snake pit

anyway if I was them. Less they know the better for them.

[Satch59]

7. These guys all knew the Intel before they left...

Will they have their memories erased?? What a petty POS...

Dictator Envy after spending time with Pooty??

[unblock]

10. as a practical matter, it's cutting of their noses to spite their faces.

what it means is that they can no longer have a classified communication, meaning people in the intelligence community who might want to ask them questions or get their advice would no longer be able to do that.

in donnie's world, he sees that as a win again those people who are now cut off from the intelligence community, but to his own intelligence community, it's a loss of useful resources. no matter, the petty insult is far more important....

[Lee-Lee]

14. They already can't do that

A clearance is only active if you are employed in a position requiring one.

The moment they left the job their clearance went inactive. They can still talk about stuff they know to properly cleared people, however those people cannot share any classified information with them in the course of any discussion even if they feel they already know it.

Revoking the clearance changes absolutely nothing about what they can legally do at this point, other than meaning they can’t have it automatically reinstated if they get another job requiring a cleanrce within 2 years of when they left the job. But the next President can waive that if he/she wants.

So it’s literally 100% symbolism for spite.

[Lee-Lee]

11. That's not how Security clearances work... that's not how any of this works

I mean technically those people may have clearances, but they would be inactive.

You only hold an active security clearance if you hold a position that requires a clearance.

The moment you leave that employment your security clearance becomes inactive. You are no longer eligible to have access to classified information because you are no longer in a job that requires it. The day they left their jobs they were no longer eligible to access classified information.

After 2 years inactive, or when you hit the re-evaluation date whatever comes first, your clearance is gone. If you are in that 2 year/current eval window and hired to a position that requires a cleanrce then it can be made active again.

So with none of those people employed in government or contractor positions requiring a clearance there is literally no need for this and it’s all show. They don’t have access to classified information now legally any more than they would if he symbolically revocked inactive clearances.

[MGKrebs]

12. This would apparently be an attempt to silence them, which won't work.

But if so, it is another little step towards fascism- government trying to silence their critics.
The MAGAt's though will just cheer the development. Then when they throttle the internet for cnn and the NYT due to pressure from Herr Trump they will cheer again. Then after Cory Booker gets elected president they will scream that he better not do the same to infowars or fox news.

[sunonmars]

13. The payback on Trump when he leaves office i going to be a bitch. Investigations up the wazoo..

If he ever intends leaving........

Surely the GOP realises that when they lose office, they are all going to jail.......that is if they ever intend losing, in which case, you better start fighting now.