Candidate for S.D. governor stands by Trump’s decision to revoke Brennan’s clearance
Former intelligence officials may be outraged at President Trump’s decision to revoke former CIA Director John O. Brennan’s security clearance, but what stuns Rep. Kristi Noem is that there are another 5 million people who enjoy similar access.
Ms. Noem, the Republican candidate for governor of South Dakota, said Sunday that Mr. Brennan, who served under President Obama, said she found the number of people holding security clearances “astounding.”
“You know, obviously in this instance there was national security concerns,” said Ms. Noem on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “It appears that at times Brennan has put political purposes above national security. And I think what’s astounding to me is realizing that there’s over 5 million people in this country that have security clearances, so there’s a lot of folks out there with important information.”
.@RepKristiNoem On the administration’s decision to revoke Brennan’s national security clearance: In this instance, there was national security concerns… it appears that at times Brennan has put political purposes above national security. pic.twitter.com/svnfTAkYYu
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 19, 2018
Republican strategist Dick Morris had the same question, asking in a Western Journal op-ed, “Why do any former officials ever have a security clearance? And why should they mind so much when it’s terminated?” – READ MORE
[divider][/divider]Former CIA Director John Brennan said Sunday he’s willing to consider legal action against the Trump administration to block the president from revoking other officials’ security clearances.
Brennan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that several lawyers have contacted him to discuss the possibility of filing a complaint against the White House after it revoked his security clearance last week.
“If my clearances and my reputation as I’m being pulled through the mud now, if that’s the price we’re going to pay to prevent Donald Trump from doing this against other people, to me it’s a small price to pay,” Brennan said.
“I’m going to do whatever I can personally to try to prevent these abuses in the future and if it means going to court, I will do that,” he added.
After announcing he was revoking Brennan’s clearance, President Trump said he is considering revoking the clearances of several other former intelligence officials. – READ MORE
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