Whistleblower Says Security Clearances Process Corrupted

[Tiberius]

By the Trump gang. They are just a cancer on this nation 

Quote

A White House whistleblower told lawmakers that more than two dozen denials for security clearances have been overturned during the Trump administration, calling Congress her “last hope” for addressing what she considers improper conduct that has left the nation’s secrets exposed.

Tricia Newbold, a longtime White House security adviser, told the House Oversight and Reform Committee that she and her colleagues issued “dozens” of denials for security clearance applications that were later approved despite their concerns about blackmail, foreign influence or other red flags, according to panel documents released Monday.

Newbold, an 18-year veteran of the security clearance process who has served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, said she warned her superiors that clearances “were not always adjudicated in the best interest of national security” — and was retaliated against for doing so.

“I would not be doing a service to myself, my country, or my children if I sat back knowing that the issues that we have could impact national security,” Newbold told the committee, according to a panel document summarizing her allegations.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/white-house-whistleblower-says-security-clearance-denials-were-reversed-during-trump-administration/2019/04/01/9f28334e-542c-11e9-814f-e2f46684196e_story.html?utm_term=.8159ba437fbb

[row_33]

So.... out of my aircast for the ankle problems after almost 2 months, physio is getting things working again that were shut down by the cast, i have exercises that take me to stretching muscles and ligaments that I don't feel comfortable stretching, but it's all good, I will be fine.

 

Geez but it got cold and icy yesterday in Toronto, they keep promising great days just down the road and then have to rewrite their predictions.

 

Funny how that goes, eh?

 

How's the weather in your area today?

 

[DC Tom]

What the hell?  DON'T REPLY TO GATORMAN THREADS!!!

 

Particularly the obvious April Fools' jokes.

[Tiberius]

 

Quote

 

Newbold expressed fear in coming forward, telling the panel, “I’m terrified of going back. I know that this will not be perceived in favor of my intentions, which is to bring back the integrity of the office.”

She said she has already faced retaliation for declining to issue security clearances and challenging her superiors as they sought to implement clearance-process changes she disagreed with during the Trump administration.

Newbold said she was suspended without pay for 14 days in late January despite “no prior formal disciplinary action” in her nearly two-decade tenure. And when she returned, she was removed from her position as a “second level adjudicator” on security clearances and is no longer a direct supervisor.

In her interview with the committee, which was conducted over a weekend, Newbold told the panel that she began keeping a list of employees whose applications were denied but were later given clearances despite concerns about their ties to foreign influence, conflicts of interests, questionable or criminal conduct, financial problems or drug abuse.

That tally now reaches 25, she said, “including two current senior White House officials, as well as contractors and individuals throughout different components of the Executive Office of the President,” the letter says.

 

 

[row_33]

10 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

What the hell?  DON'T REPLY TO GATORMAN THREADS!!!

 

Particularly the obvious April Fools' jokes.

 

Tibs is on ban mode, 90% of the time, so i take any thread started by Tibs to talk about my cat or my aches and pains or whatevers

 

 

----------------------------

 

so the squirrels are showing up now, but the last two days were cold so they chilled in their cribs as squirrels like to do, bless their little hearts

 

 

[DC Tom]

3 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

Tibs is on ban mode, 90% of the time, so i take any thread started by Tibs to talk about my cat or my aches and pains or whatevers

 

 

----------------------------

 

so the squirrels are showing up now, but the last two days were cold so they chilled in their cribs as squirrels like to do, bless their little hearts

 

 

 

It still encourages him.  Just...don't.

[Tiberius]

OMG! It's like I'm being denied a security clearance! LOL 

[row_33]

12 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

It still encourages him.  Just...don't.

 

i'll try a non-religious lent thing for 30 days or whatever, you inspire me to this greatness.

 

[DC Tom]

12 minutes ago, row_33 said:

 

i'll try a non-religious lent thing for 30 days or whatever, you inspire me to this greatness.

 

 

And I didn't even have to call you an idiot to do it.  

[Tiberius]

Foreign influence??? These people are being given security cleareneces for our top secret security information? 

 

Oh, ya, nothing to see here...

 

Quote

“According to Ms. Newbold, these individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct,” aides wrote in the 10-page memo, summarizing Newbold’s testimo

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/01/white-house-security-clearance-problems-1246432

[Bob in Mich]

 

But didn't Hillary's email server exposure already give away all of the nation's secrets anyway?  I mean, after that happened do we really even need security clearances for anyone? 

 

Seriously, if Hillary possibly exposing her emails to prying eyes upset you, shouldn't this issue too?  In fact it seems much more has possibly been jeopardized.  Who y'all think we ought to lock up for this?

 

 

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

3 minutes ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

But didn't Hillary's email server exposure already give away all of the nation's secrets anyway?  I mean, after that happened do we really even need security clearances for anyone? 

 

Seriously, if Hillary possibly exposing her emails to prying eyes upset you, shouldn't this issue too?  In fact it seems much more has possibly been jeopardized.  Who y'all think we ought to lock up for this?

 

 

I'd start with Mueller, the guy who was the guy until he wasn't the guy. 

[Azalin]

6 minutes ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

But didn't Hillary's email server exposure already give away all of the nation's secrets anyway?  I mean, after that happened do we really even need security clearances for anyone? 

 

Seriously, if Hillary possibly exposing her emails to prying eyes upset you, shouldn't this issue too?  In fact it seems much more has possibly been jeopardized.  Who y'all think we ought to lock up for this?

 

 

 

Overriding a denial for a security clearance doesn't sound to me like it's a violation in & of itself, where using a private email server for sending & receiving sensitive or classified information is actually illegal. I see a big difference between the two.

[DC Tom]

2 minutes ago, Azalin said:

 

Overriding a denial for a security clearance doesn't sound to me like it's a violation in & of itself, where using a private email server for sending & receiving sensitive or classified information is actually illegal. I see a big difference between the two.

 

Or even unclassified information.  It's illegal to use non-government equipment for government use.

[3rdnlng]

21 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

Or even unclassified information.  It's illegal to use non-government equipment for government use.

Ha! Do as I say, not as I do? I understand, you needed your methadone fix.

 

What needs to be answered here is what other administrations did regarding overriding deep state entrenched WH employees denials of security clearances.

[row_33]

10 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

Ha! Do as I say, not as I do? I understand, you needed your methadone fix.

 

What needs to be answered here is what other administrations did regarding overriding deep state entrenched WH employees denials of security clearances.

 

nope, you can never override the fake anger at the GOP by saying a Dem Admin did even worse

 

 

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

36 minutes ago, Azalin said:

 

Overriding a denial for a security clearance doesn't sound to me like it's a violation in & of itself, where using a private email server for sending & receiving sensitive or classified information is actually illegal. I see a big difference between the two.

That's mostly because you're applying critical thinking skills. 

[Chef Jim]

41 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

Or even unclassified information.  It's illegal to use non-government equipment for government use.

 

Just stop............  ?

[row_33]

18 minutes ago, leh-nerd skin-erd said:

That's mostly because you're applying critical thinking skills. 

 

no room for thinking when the media and Dems are all convinced Trump is a traitor, don't even need evidence

 

 

[Gary M]

2 hours ago, row_33 said:

 

Tibs is on ban mode, 90% of the time, so i take any thread started by Tibs to talk about my cat or my aches and pains or whatevers

 

 

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so the squirrels are showing up now, but the last two days were cold so they chilled in their cribs as squirrels like to do, bless their little hearts

 

I used my hose Saturday, i guess I should have shut it back off, now it's frozen.

[Teddy KGB]

Anyone ever get diarrhea after eating smoked wings ? 

 

Took down 10 ish wings yesterday and can’t get off the crapper 

[Tiberius]

1 hour ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

But didn't Hillary's email server exposure already give away all of the nation's secrets anyway?  I mean, after that happened do we really even need security clearances for anyone? 

 

Seriously, if Hillary possibly exposing her emails to prying eyes upset you, shouldn't this issue too?  In fact it seems much more has possibly been jeopardized.  Who y'all think we ought to lock up for this?

 

 

It just goes to show how unserious the Republican Party is about anything. A serious national security concern like this? Their reaction from top to bottom is: Whatever

[Bob in Mich]

51 minutes ago, Azalin said:

 

Overriding a denial for a security clearance doesn't sound to me like it's a violation in & of itself, where using a private email server for sending & receiving sensitive or classified information is actually illegal. I see a big difference between the two.

 

 

So, we should ignore the whistle blower and overall you are okay with this clearance process or is it an issue to you?

 

You can defend the practice of ignoring the advice of the security professionals I suppose.  I didn't really think it violated the law, in spite of my smart remark about locking someone up.  The point is if you were yelling to lock up Hillary for what she possibly exposed, this should bother you.  I think objectivity may have escaped some here.

 

[Hedge]

I've always liked this song:

 

 

[outsidethebox]

Now Trump is really going down!!!

This is the bombshell that will destroy him!!!!

1 minute ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

 

So, we should ignore the whistle blower and overall you are okay with this clearance process or is it an issue to you?

 

You can defend the practice of ignoring the advice of the security professionals I suppose.  I didn't really think it violated the law, in spite of my smart remark about locking someone up.  The point is if you were yelling to lock up Hillary for what she possibly exposed, this should bother you.  I think objectivity may have escaped some here.

 

Stop being a f'n hypocrite 

[Tiberius]

2 minutes ago, westside said:

Now Trump is really going down!!!

This is the bombshell that will destroy him!!!!

Stop being a f'n hypocrite 

2020 will destroy him. Just how much damage this corrupt POS will do to our country is the question. You people just hate America 

[Bob in Mich]

Hey, Wetside, what's going on?  Please tell me what I said that was hypocritical?

[outsidethebox]

Just now, Tiberius said:

2020 will destroy him. Just how much damage this corrupt POS will do to our country is the question. You people just hate America 

Lol

Whatever. Hypocrite 

Just now, Bob in Mich said:

Hey, Wetside, what's going on?  Please tell me what I said that was hypocritical?

I don't remember you calling for HC to be arrested when she used her private email account.  

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

6 minutes ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

 

So, we should ignore the whistle blower and overall you are okay with this clearance process or is it an issue to you?

 

You can defend the practice of ignoring the advice of the security professionals I suppose.  I didn't really think it violated the law, in spite of my smart remark about locking someone up.  The point is if you were yelling to lock up Hillary for what she possibly exposed, this should bother you.  I think objectivity may have escaped some here.

 

You attempted to make a point by manufacturing faux outrage about criminality while acknowledging the lack thereof one post later...and everyone else lacks objectivity? 

 

Bob...Bobby...Bobby Da Mich...Bobbaloo... come on. Be serious. 

 

 

 

 

[row_33]

Bob's floating....

 

 

[DC Tom]

33 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Just stop............  ?

 

Stop...replying to Azalin?

[Bob in Mich]

2 minutes ago, westside said:

Lol

Whatever. Hypocrite 

I don't remember you calling for HC to be arrested when she used her private email account.  

 

No, I don't recall being involved in that discussion either.  But, if you want to know, after hearing the entire story at the time I never felt she should be locked up.

 

So, weren't you calling for Hillary to be locked up for that issue?  It is tough to keep y'all straight.  You ridiculous partisans here all blur together to me.  So, if you were calling to lock her up, how do you feel about the whistle blower and the 25 or so overridden recommendations?

[row_33]

11 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

Stop...replying to Azalin?

 

i only listen when DC tells me to stop responding to Tibs

 

 

[3rdnlng]

5 minutes ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

No, I don't recall being involved in that discussion either.  But, if you want to know, after hearing the entire story at the time I never felt she should be locked up.

 

So, weren't you calling for Hillary to be locked up for that issue?  It is tough to keep y'all straight.  You ridiculous partisans here all blur together to me.  So, if you were calling to lock her up, how do you feel about the whistle blower and the 25 or so overridden recommendations?

Good stuff, eh?

[Bob in Mich]

3 minutes ago, leh-nerd skin-erd said:

You attempted to make a point by manufacturing faux outrage about criminality while acknowledging the lack thereof one post later...and everyone else lacks objectivity? 

 

Bob...Bobby...Bobby Da Mich...Bobbaloo... come on. Be serious. 

 

 

 

 

 

Len,  Lenny,  Skinny Lenster.... lol.  I made an attempt at humor with the lock em up line.  It appears to have missed.  Try not to fixate on the strict legality for a moment.  I am aware that the President can technically clear anyone he wants. 

 

The outrage was really about the exposure of national secrets to individuals that the professionals decided against clearing.  That seems to me to have possibly exposed us significantly.  The question was, why do so many seem to have no issue with this exposure when the Hillary misdeed was made out to be so monumental?

[Tiberius]

16 minutes ago, DC Tom said:

 

Stop...replying to Azalin?

In my thread! You are a phony! 

[3rdnlng]

Oversight Committee held the hearing on security clearances at 8:30am on Saturday without informing Republicans on the committee until late Friday but didn't tell them what it was about. John Bolton, Jerod & Ivanka Kushner and Michael Flynn were included on the list of people turned down.

[row_33]

32 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

Oversight Committee held the hearing on security clearances at 8:30am on Saturday without informing Republicans on the committee until late Friday but didn't tell them what it was about. John Bolton, Jerod & Ivanka Kushner and Michael Flynn were included on the list of people turned down.

 

quite the oversight indeed

 

[Teddy KGB]

1 hour ago, Hedge said:

I've always liked this song:

 

 

 

This ones better 

 

 

[Azalin]

1 hour ago, Bob in Mich said:

 

 

So, we should ignore the whistle blower and overall you are okay with this clearance process or is it an issue to you?

 

You can defend the practice of ignoring the advice of the security professionals I suppose.  I didn't really think it violated the law, in spite of my smart remark about locking someone up.  The point is if you were yelling to lock up Hillary for what she possibly exposed, this should bother you.  I think objectivity may have escaped some here.

 

 

Bob, I didn't say anything about ignoring the whistle blower, and I never defended the practice of ignoring advice from anybody. I simply do not believe you're making a sensible comparison.

 

Why not wait and see how all this pans out before we jump to any conclusions? If the Trump administration has done anything illegal in overturning the security clearance denials, don't you believe that will come out?

Edited April 1, 2019 by Azalin