Congress quietly removes security clearance process from White House and transfers it to the Pentago
Source: Raw Story
Published 4 hours ago
on July 25, 2019
By David Cay Johnston, DC Report @ Raw Story
Congress Forced Move After Putins Friend in the Oval Office Interfered in Clearance Process for Jared and Ivanka
The Trump Administration, after making a mess of security clearances for federal workers and contractors, is about to hand off to the Pentagon the biggest change in the clearance system in a half-century.
Concern about the security clearance system is not new, but the Government Accountability Office documents serious deterioration since Trump took office. The GAO is the investigative arm of Congress.
The Trump Administration did such a poor job with security clearances that in 2018 the GAO put the entire security clearance system on its High-Risk List.
Thats not surprising given Donald Trumps continual attacks on our national intelligence agencies as he praises the integrity of Vladimir Putin.
Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/2019/07/congress-quietly-removes-security-clearance-process-from-white-house-and-transfers-it-to-the-pentagon/
Me.
(35,454 posts)Quietly, quietly the Congress, meaning the Dems, is getting things done
iluvtennis
(19,862 posts)pandr32
(11,588 posts)Please, someone, tell me they can...and will.
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,586 posts)It's not like he ever uses it.
"Trump security" is an oxymoron, considering how insecure IQ45 is.
pandr32
(11,588 posts)Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)A SC is also not required for the VP, members of Congress or the Supreme Court.
https://fas.org/blogs/secrecy/2016/11/clearances-presidential/
Security clearances are not mandated for the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, or other constitutional officers, a recent Congressional Research Service report explains. The criteria for election or appointment to these positions are specified in the U.S. Constitution, and except by constitutional amendment, no additional criteria (e.g., holding a security clearance) may be required.
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,586 posts)anyone look at your background. When I was in the Air Force it took forever to fill out the paperwork so I could have a background investigation for a Top Secret clearance. Of course, we were only handling nuclear devices, so that's different.
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)but it's unfortunately true, especially with the current administration.
Having been through the process myself, it seems unfathomable that our nation's top officers aren't subject to this scrutiny. As an "innocent" in my early 20's, it took 3+ months sitting in "Deep Freeze" waiting for my Secret clearance to come through, followed by another similar period as I was being cleared for the higher Secret-Special Access, while working for McDonnell-Douglas in CA. Of course, at that rate and if done properly, it would probably take years before Chump + Company received their rejections for same.
sheshe2
(83,786 posts)onecaliberal
(32,862 posts)Merlot
(9,696 posts)the military having this power?
tetedur
(820 posts)It is not their "duty" to go against the commands of their superiors.
DavidCayJohnston
(17 posts)Grunts and sailors take an oath to follow presidential orders and to defend our Constitution.
Officers take an oath ONLY to uphold our Constitution.
onenote
(42,714 posts)Trump signed an executive order transferring the security clearance process to the Pentagon last April.
https://www.fedscoop.com/security-clearances-transfer-executive-order/
erronis
(15,290 posts)I'd really like a way to up/down vote articles/posts based on reality.
Delmette2.0
(4,166 posts)I thought he did just that to get the blame off himself. Thank you for adding the link.
JudyM
(29,251 posts)(Snip from the OP article)
The law was sponsored by Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The changes are in Section 901 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. It requires the Secretary of Defense to take charge of security clearance investigations by October 1, 2020, the first day of the 2021 budget year. All personnel background and security investigations will be handled by the Defense Departments Consolidated Adjudication Facility.
IronLionZion
(45,450 posts)Trump signed both an executive order and the National Defense Authorization Act.
Separately from that, Warner has also sponsored other bills to strengthen the clearance process. Dems might have to take the Senate and white house for those bills to become law.
ffr
(22,670 posts)But then, any of us could have written it, because it's the truth. Our government is under siege by the KGOP.
keithbvadu2
(36,820 posts)randr
(12,412 posts)erronis
(15,290 posts)The CIA, NSA, DOE, State and many other agencies/fiefdoms have their own set of clearances.
Let alone need-to-know, SCIF, eyes-only, read-this-and-die.
Odoreida
(1,549 posts)What about after Trump is no longer president?
ancianita
(36,064 posts)Last edited Thu Jul 25, 2019, 11:25 PM - Edit history (1)
are the smartest officials under executive leadership.
Congress represents The People, and this move, given the subpoenas and SDNY investigations, might be needed for proper, uncompromised civilian branch of government.
Odoreida
(1,549 posts)Trump is still Commander-in-Chief and he can summarily fire any of them who do not obey him in this or any other matter.
ancianita
(36,064 posts)Here's what the military thinks of Trump. Officers tend to not like him.
discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,479 posts)dlk
(11,567 posts)Im afraid, however, the damage has been done.
usaf-vet
(6,188 posts).... will NOW be blamed on the Pentagon.
A typical Trump deflection.
mcar
(42,334 posts)Democrats don't do anything!!11
Seriously, Dems. Well done