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President Donald Trump is considering revoking the security clearance of several former government intelligence officials, press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Monday. James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and former NSA Director Michael Hayden. to be stripped, said Sanders.
"They politicized and, in some cases, monetized their public service and security clearance," she said at the press conference, while suggesting that former officials had "accused of inappropriate contacts with Russia ". ] But two of the former officials mentioned by Sanders currently do not have permissions to revoke, according to friends and colleagues of individuals. McCabe's security clearance was turned off when he was fired just hours before he retired with full benefits, said his spokesman, Melissa Schwartz, [19659003] after the press conference. Comey has no more top secret access either. He was "read" when he left the FBI, after his friend and the editor of the Lawfare blog, Benjamin Wittes.
Security clearances are complex. Here's how they work:
What's a security clearance?
Security clearances provide government officials and contractors with access to classified information. There are three levels of security clearances: "Top Secret", "Secret" and "Confidential", the top secret being the highest designation. Intelligence directors usually get a secret clearance, allowing them to access most of the government's most protected information when their job requires it. To obtain a top secret clearance, individuals are subjected to unique context investigations, which include financial records, personal relationships, educational background, and criminal records.
How do you get an authorization?
People can not request a security clearance on their own. First, they must receive conditional employment offers from a federal agency or contractor. Then it must be determined by the Office of Human Resources that the position requires access to protected information. Human Resources then submit the forms and questionnaires completed by the individual, on behalf of that person.
Most people who go through the process get security clearances after face-to-face interviews with State Department investigators. or month.
Who gets the security clearance?
Only US citizens can get a security clearance. The only exception to this rule is when there are "compelling reasons for limited access" to immigrants or foreign national employees, as described by a decree signed by former President Bill Clinton in 1995. In addition, to obtain a being "able and willing to protect classified information on national security on the basis of its loyalty, character, reliability and reliability"
Can authorizations be revoked?
Probably, but it is complicated. Security permissions, as defined by the State Department, allow access to classified information and not access to the information itself. Article II of the Constitution gives the executive power the ability to revoke access itself, according to Lawfare, although the agencies that provided the original security clearances have always been responsible for it. delete permissions, if any.
A clause of the aforementioned executive order concerning security clearances states that the President may act in the interest of national security when situations not mentioned in the order occur.
"The power and responsibility to refuse or deny access to classified information under any law or other executive order may be exercised only if the head of the agency determines that the procedures [a subsection] of this article can not be invoked that is consistent with national security, "reads
Today, President Paul Ryan said that Trump was not not serious about the threat of revoking security clearances.
"I think he's trolling, honestly," said Ryan.
But if Trump's intent is to Executing its threat, there is not much that other branches of government could do to stop it, according to the Republican Wisconsin.
"It's something that is executive power. ", He added.
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