Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/02/27/downgraded-jared-kushner-lose.html
…
7 Likes
24 Likes
Good. At the start of the Trump admin, I admit I had hopes that he would have been one of the sane voices, and with enough influence on Trump to steer him in positive directions, but it’s abundantly clear now that that was just unfounded optimism. Even though he’s probably not the worst person around Trump, Kushner really should not have access to secret stuff.
15 Likes
It really says something about the bureaucracy of the OPM that they couldn’t fast track the clearance process for the president’s closest non-cabinet advisors.
I’ve also never heard of an interim TS clearance before. Interim secret is the kind of thing you can get with a credit check, but interim TS seems like a strange animal. I’m guessing the president’s aides get a special exemption in this case.
It has to be kind of messy reading an interim TS person into a compartment, and then having their clearance downgraded. Did he take a poly on an interim TS? The mind boggles.
8 Likes
And he was THIS CLOSE to bringing peace to the Middle East.
51 Likes
I think it’s less a case of fast-track than track-at-all. Some people don’t get clearances.
6 Likes
Dunno what to say, so just going to post the clip of Kushner speaking on John Oliver:
12 Likes
They weren’t dragging their feet, he simply didn’t pass.
14 Likes
He will still get intel from daddy-in-law. As will the others.
Why are they not fired? Any other job in government that requires a high clearance would let you go having failed the investigation. It’s a requirement not an option.
21 Likes
If it’s just a case that Kushner didn’t pass, why downgrade all of the other staffers?
1 Like
18 Likes
Maybe none of them are up to par.
Given how inept and incompetent 45’s admin is, it seems not only possible, but highly probable.
24 Likes
It wasn’t all of the staffers, it was all of the staffers that were still on interim clearances. And all of the staffers still on interim clearances had them because they didn’t pass their background investigations.
14 Likes
This closer?
19 Likes
Came looking for the photoshop… leaving satisfied.
13 Likes
OPM gives you a straight yes/no at the end of the process. There shouldn’t need to be a deadline for all staffers to acquire their clearances. Some will definitely go faster than others (people who move a lot for example are more time intensive because they have to fly investigators all over the country (and world!) to verify that you were living where you said you were living. They interview neighbors and friends in person to fact check your claims.
it might be just an inconvenience for some of the other staffers who are downgraded and then a few weeks later suddenly have their clearances approved. I wouldn’t want to be someone working in the White House’s Site Security Office though, the paperwork is going to be a nightmare.
3 Likes
I’m guessing that wearing a jaunty sailor’s cap and making bad SCIF/skiff puns in Kushner’s presence would be a great way to join the illustrious ranks of former Trump admin staff?
2 Likes
Little do you know that’s his actual picture. They photoshop the eyes in to make him look normal.
11 Likes
5 Likes
