Bummer: Gabbard Strips Security Clearances From 37, Mostly Biden Appointees

These people are mostly no longer in government. Why do they need security clearances at the moment anyhow?

Gabbard strips security clearances of 37 intelligence officials, including many with Biden ties

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, sharing the list in a move that prompted swift criticism that the Trump administration was politicizing clearances.

Among those on the list are several Biden administration officials, including Maher Bitar, who joined the National Security Council (NSC) after previously working for then-House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) amid the first Trump impeachment. Bitar has since returned to Schiff’s office, but he has captured the attention of right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who has complained on the social platform X about his retention of a clearance.

Emily Horne, an NSC spokesperson under Biden, also had her clearance revoked, as did Brett Holmgren, who most recently served as assistant secretary of State for intelligence and research and is married to former Biden White House counsel Dana Remus.

Gabbard, without evidence, accused those listed of politicizing or leaking intelligence or “committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards.”

Well, if The Hill and others would like evidence, Gabbard could have these people charged with felonies, instead of just stripping their clearances. Would that be better (well, yeah)?

“Can you say ‘Privacy Act violation’? I certainly can. Further proof of weaponization and politicization. The vast majority of these individuals are not household names & are dedicated public servants who have worked across multiple presidential administrations,” said Mark Zaid, a national security attorney who has represented clients who have had clearance revoked and also had his own clearance stripped under Trump.

Zaid noted that the move was first published by the New York Post ahead of the public announcement by Gabbard.

A security clearance is a privilege, not a right

(NY Post) Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced security clearances had been pulled from 37 current and former officials who “abused public trust by politicizing and manipulating” information — including several who were involved in a controversial, Barack Obama-ordered assessment of Russian influence in the 2016 election. (snip)

The 37 include ex-Principal Deputy DNI Stephanie O’Sullivan and Vinh Nguyen, who both worked under Clapper while his office was producing the now-discredited 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russia’s preference for then-candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 contest with Hillary Clinton.

Nguyen had been serving in the Trump administration as the National Security Agency’s first chief responsible artificial intelligence (AI) officer.

His involvement in the ICA report was first revealed by Real Clear Investigations earlier this month.

Several others affected by Tuesday’s announcement were involved in that ICA report, while some also signed onto a September 2019 statement in support of House Democrats’ first impeachment inquiry into Trump.

And more were involved. Others used their security clearances for political purposes. So, there’s your proof, The Hill. Get over it.

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