The man currently assigned to conduct talks on a Middle East peace deal carries a dubiously-obtained top security clearance, and the woman who first raised concerns about his clearance says she needs official whistleblower protection.
'Whistleblower" in White House security office seeks protection from Trump administration for sounding alarm over Kushner special security clearance treatment https://t.co/P3ybjg6Xj4 via @nbcnews
— Risky Liberal (@RiskyLiberal) February 13, 2019
Tricia Newbold says that throughout the process of clearing Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for top security clearance, standard procedures were ignored and rules were skirted in order to get him approved. Now, she’s asking for protection as a whistleblower.
NBC News reports that:
‘The specialist, Tricia Newbold, filed the whistleblower complaint less than two weeks after she was suspended without pay for defying her supervisor, Carl Kline.
‘The complaint, which was obtained by NBC News, alleges Newbold raised concerns with Kline about a security clearance for an individual as early as July 2017. The complaint does not identify the person, but sources familiar with the situation told NBC News that it was Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser.’
EXCLUSIVE: Ivanka Trump says she and her husband Jared Kushner received no special treatment from her father when obtaining their top security clearances.
"The president had no involvement pertaining to my clearance or my husband's clearance, zero.” https://t.co/88dUizY8Ht pic.twitter.com/MsanC4qzQC
— ABC News (@ABC) February 8, 2019
Newbold said that her boss, Carl Kline, repeatedly dismissed her questions about normal procedures being subverted for the president’s family member. When she continued to try to do her job correctly and treat Kushner the same as everyone else, she was told to “watch herself.”
‘Newbold’s complaint explains that standard procedure would be to call in the employee and discuss the negative information, which in this case had already been deemed to be “credible.” Newbold’s complaint alleges that Kline refused to do so and instead suggested he “was going to wait until the [FBI] investigation was completed.”’
New: White House security specialist files whistleblower complaint after reports Kushner received special treatment https://t.co/L1j2XqDFmi via @thehill pic.twitter.com/P0NHPd3UgW
— News, Views, People. (@NVPeople) February 14, 2019
It’s an unprecedented situation considering the access Kushner has to sensitive information, his relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the shadier stories surrounding his family’s business. Newbold, however, was unable to get anyone to listen.
‘Newbold’s complaint says she raised concerns with Kline again on the same individual, identified by sources as Kushner, on Aug. 21, 2017. The complaint states that Kline “advised I should ‘watch myself.’”‘
White House security specialist files whistleblower complaint following reports Kushner received special treatment https://t.co/YvsUwGPiAK pic.twitter.com/ggSHTIAVQA
— The Hill (@thehill) February 14, 2019
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