Democrats on the Home Intelligence Committee on Monday launched a probe into the Trump administration’s determination to revoke 37 officers’ safety clearances, and questioned the rationale behind itemizing them publicly.
Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard final month stripped clearances from plenty of present and former intelligence officers who’ve ties to the Biden administration or have spoken out in opposition to Trump insurance policies.
Gabbard, with out proof, accused these listed of politicizing or leaking intelligence or “committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards.”
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the highest Democrat on the panel, requested for “the specific evidence” behind every of the revocations.
“If there is evidence of misconduct to warrant revoking the clearances of these 37 individuals, some of whom were senior IC officers at the time of your memo, it would indicate a systemic issue in the granting of security clearances. It is hard to imagine an issue more deserving of congressional oversight and corrective action,” Himes wrote in a letter to Gabbard signed by all Democratic members on the panel.
“If, however, these revocations occurred outside of established process and don’t reflect fundamental risk, an immense amount of IC knowledge and capability has been lost.”
The letter famous that at the very least a kind of listed had been serving undercover on the time of the announcement, and questioned why Gabbard’s workplace would make a public announcement in regards to the matter.
Others on the checklist included those that Himes stated have key skillsets or are engaged on prime priorities for the intelligence group.
“At least two of the individuals listed in the memo are currently employed as congressional staff, raising serious separation of powers concerns,” he wrote.
That features a former Nationwide Safety Council staffer focused by Laura Loomer who labored for then-Home Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) through the first Trump impeachment and who has since returned to his workplace.
The letter asks Gabbard to element whether or not protocol was adopted, together with whether or not those that misplaced their clearances got advance warning, if that they had an opportunity to enchantment the choice and if their companies have been consulted.
A supply accustomed to the Workplace of Director of Nationwide Intelligence stated companies have been consulted and disputed that one of many officers whose clearance was revoked was actively undercover.
“Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold,” Gabbard stated in August.
“In doing so, they undermine our national security, the safety and security of the American people and the foundational principles of our democratic republic.”
