President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser is under fire for his reported efforts to create a backchannel between the Trump administration and Russia, prompting public consternation from members of the opposing party.
And now, top Democrats are calling for Jared Kushner's security clearance to be taken away.
[salon_video id="14773115"]Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota made this point during an appearance on "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday. When asked about revoking Kushner's national security clearance, Franken said that "I think we should look at that . . . This is a pretty bad breach."
Should Jared Kushner’s security clearance be taken away?
"I think we should look at that…this is a pretty bad breach." -- Sen. @alfrankenpic.twitter.com/sS2pAZDxEB
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) May 30, 2017
Franken isn't the first Democrat to express these views. During an interview on ABC's "This Week" Sunday, House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Schiff of California said "there ought to be a review of his security clearance to find out whether [Kushner] was truthful, whether he was candid. If not, then there’s no way he can maintain that kind of a clearance." He also expressed regret that individuals with "good credibility" like national security H. R. McMaster are being tarnished by their association with the Trump administration.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., who serves on the House Oversight Committee, said that "the issue is not simply that Mr. Kushner wanted a communication backchannel. It’s that Mr. Kushner sought to pursue one with a hostile power months after American intelligence agencies had collectively acknowledged the Kremlin’s cyber warfare against the United States," according to a statement reported by The Hill.
The Democratic National Committee declared on Thursday that "Kushner’s security clearance should be suspended until the FBI’s findings are complete."
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