y Russian ambassador told Moscow that Kushner wanted secret communications channel with Kremlin

Yes.

 

Yes. A ****ing governing is going on here, unlike previous administration's drawing lines in the sand.

 

Who grants security clearances, the CIA? They need to jump all over this, it's not a Rep/Dem issue. If the GOP is okay with Jared K having secret communications with the Kremlin, that won't sway the CIA. Pull his clearances, boot him from the WH. NOW.

 

Yeah, it's a family affair. Donnie's feet are getting warm, too.

 

John McLaughlin — who served as Acting Director of Central Intelligence under President George W. Bush after director George Tenet stepped down — was asked about the blockbuster report by the Washington post.

"...I see all of this through the eyes of an intelligence officer, of course. And it is simultaneously familiar and bizarre. Familiar in the sense that I know secret channels, used them all my life. Bizarre in the sense that it’s a proposed secret channel through the government that is probably the most active government in the world in carrying out espionage against the United States.”

“So in that context, if you were to get this at the CIA...if an American intelligence officer had done anything like this, we’d consider it espionage.”

 

The FBI does most of the background checks, but each agency is responsible for the standards they require and the granting of the actual clearance.

 

Neither congressman has a security clearance, nor does Trump.

“Security clearances are not mandated for the president, vice president, members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, or other constitutional officers,” the Congressional Research Service recently reported, citing constitutional criteria.

The president-elect began receiving classified intelligence briefings on Tuesday. He has made it clear he wants Kushner present at those briefings, along with retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who has been offered the job of national security adviser.

snip

Security clearances are given out by a number of U.S. government agencies, including the departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and the CIA.

But it is important to note that clearances aren't given to people; they are attached to jobs.

At the State Department, human resources officials determine whether a “position requires a security clearance based on the duties and responsibilities of the position,” its website says. “If the position requires access to classified information, the position will be given an appropriate security classification."

Clearance parameters are less straightforward when it comes to presidential transition teams. If the president-elect wants an individual to participate in his security briefings, Burgess says the government would use the “need to know” formula.

It could “make a case, saying that if this person is here, they need a security clearance," he said.

So, if the president-elect wants his kids to give him advice, then they have a "need to know."

Burgess puts it this way: "In order to provide suitable counsel to the president-elect ... Trump’s transition team will need access"—even if that access is to top-secret material.

And they need it right away. Trump is already getting briefings, and the Jan. 20 inauguration is roughly 60 days away. But it normally takes between 90 and 120 days to process a single application for clearance.

However, there are a few ways Trump camp can get up and running quickly.

A fast track to clearance

First, the government can grant someone "interim clearance." Think of it as an "innocent until proven guilty" approach. Every candidate has to submit a standard form, called an SF-86, which lists every job they’ve ever had, every place they've lived, every country they've visited, and a host of other minutiae, including contact information for neighbors and close friends.

While the government investigates everything on the SF-86 (see one here), Burgess says an "interim clearance" gets them in the door, "so when they show up [they] can operate."

Another option is asking attendees at meetings where classified information is discussed to sign confidentiality agreements. Burgess, who held a clearance that expired after nearly 40 years, has since attended few meetings with administration bigwigs where top-secret stuff was on the table.

In that case, "before they opened their mouth, I signed a paper that I was about to hear classified info," Burgess said. That agreement also "laid out the penalties if I broke the rules" and talked outside of the meeting. Just for the record, penalties for violating such an agreement range from losing clearance to spending life in prison.

Can someone be denied clearance?

Yes, you can get knocked out of the running for things like illegal drug use, loyalty to other governments and, in some cases, a history of bankruptcy. Burgess says even that isn't automatically disqualifying if the candidate has returned to solvency. It's all about lifestyle choices that could make a candidate vulnerable to blackmail.

snip

So what's the difference among those four? It's pretty simple.

Confidential clearance "provides access to information or material that may cause damage to national security if disclosed without authorization."

Secret clearance "provides access to information or material that may cause serious damage to national security if disclosed without authorization."

Top secret clearance "provides access to information or material that may cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if disclosed without authorization."

Finally, sensitive compartmented information "provides access to all intelligence information and material that require special controls for restricted handling within compartmented channels."

The relatively few people with such clearance have access to really dangerous spy information, such as intelligence sources and methods.

http://www.voanews.com/a/security-clearance-explainer/3602747.html

 

"It is common for senior advisers of a newly elected president to be in contact with foreign leaders and officials."

 

Yes.. and they disclose that in their security clearances.

 

He was an honors student in high school. That blows away your claims already.

Come back when you have actual evidence and not biased conjecture.

 

And where did I say that? Go ahead, link to it.

 

The FBI already said why

Citing the hiring of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the FBI said Thursday the agency is "undertaking appropriate consultation to ensure all relevant interests implicated by your request are properly evaluated. We will update this response as soon as possible."

 

Not through back channels.......your are describing "intelligence" back channels. To suggest or use a foreign adversary's embassy or diplomatic channels is a step to treason and designed to circumvent national security.

 

back channel
a secret, unofficial, or informal channel of communication as used in politics or diplomacy

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/backchannel

this is were your blind partisan unhinged Trump derangement syndrome keeps you from rational thought

You hear the word Backchannel and you automatically believe in some nefarious motive

when the real reason is this

The idea behind the secret communications channel, the three people said, was for Russian military officials to brief Mr. Flynn about the Syrian war and to discuss ways to cooperate there. Neither side followed up on it. And less than two weeks later, the idea was dropped when Mr. Trump announced that Rex W. Tillerson, a former chief executive of Exxon Mobil who had worked closely with Russian officials on energy deals, was his choice to become secretary of state.
https://www.nytimes.com/201...

Once again you been burnt

 

You don't think the situation has changed DRAMATICALLLY since that time? The article was last updated 5/18. If Mueller doesn't go sraight after the illegally obtained NSA intercepts, and Comeys fraudulent FISA warrant, he's fired. You heard that first here.

 

I hear so much delusional stuff here it's hard to keep track. Will this before or after Susan Rice and obama get locked up lol

 

This is just the tip of the scum load iceberg.

 

I saved a screenshot for ya ...

 

The anonymous sources are proving far more reliable than the White House.

And when you have SEVEN separate people telling you the same thing, it becomes a LOT more credible.

I do love how you just disbelieve all anonymous sources now, but loved them when they were about Hillary and Obama. Hypocrite much?

In the end, what you believe or don't doesn't matter. This will surely be looked into by Mueller, if nobody else. So we'll know if there is anything to it or not.

That said, I think we can dispense with the claim that there is "no evidence" of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The evidence may not be conclusive, and you can choose to disbelieve it, but you can't pretend it isn't there. There is clearly enough evidence to warrant an investigation.

 

Well, you did call Obama stupid:
http://www.politicalforum.com/index...ls-to-wikileaks.500225/page-2#post-1067239627

Which suggests you don't think that simply getting into Harvard means you're smart.

 

So you've got to fabricate a conclusion because you know I never said it. Got it. I also have never said anything about Obama and affirmative action. Thanks for staying predictable.

 

I never said you said anything about Obama and affirmative action.

What I DID say is that in this thread you are arguing that Kushner must be smart because he went to Harvard, but Obama went to Harvard and you have called him "stupid". Thus contradicting the argument that merely getting into Harvard means you're smart.

What is incorrect about that?

 

You can't burn the infected that has TDS. They want to be tricked. Just sayin.


H.R. McMaster: 'I wouldn't be concerned' about backchannels with Russia.....

President Trump's national security adviser said Saturday he "would not be concerned" about having a backchannel communications system with Russia, following reports that Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, had discussed setting up a secret communications channel with Russian officials.

H.R. McMaster told reporters during a press briefing in Italy on Saturday that the U.S. frequently sets up backchannels with other countries to allow for discreet communications.

"We have backchannel communications with a number of countries," the national security adviser said.

"What that allows you to do is communicate in a discreet manner, so I'm not concerned," he continued.

According to the New York Times, the backchannel was established to allow former national security adviser Michael Flynn to talk with Russian officials about Syria and other security issues.

The communications channel was never set up, though, the New York Times reported.....snip~

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/h...bout-backchannels-with-russia/article/2624331

 

there is no Iceberg just a Mirage brought on by your unhinged Trump defragment syndrome

You hear the word Backchannel and you automatically believe in some nefarious motive

when the real reason is this

The idea behind the secret communications channel, the three people said, was for Russian military officials to brief Mr. Flynn about the Syrian war and to discuss ways to cooperate there. Neither side followed up on it. And less than two weeks later, the idea was dropped when Mr. Trump announced that Rex W. Tillerson, a former chief executive of Exxon Mobil who had worked closely with Russian officials on energy deals, was his choice to become secretary of state.
https://www.nytimes.com/201...

Once again you been burnt

 

That was part of the quote you defended. Try again.

I called Obama stupid based on what he has done. Nothing in that quote said he went to Harvard so he must be stupid.

Going to Harvard for most is a clear indication they are not stupid. But you hide your grades one has to wonder.

And unlike Obama, Jared graduated with honors in high school. Have you got anything else?