Six Democratic senators on Wednesday wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray asking for a full list of White House staffers working without a full security clearance.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Tom Udall (N.M.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) noted recent reports that indicated dozens of White House officials and appointees have been working in the Trump administration with interim security clearances.
The letter asks for a list of those with interim clearances, as well as the status of FBI background investigations into those individuals. It specifically seeks information on the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner.
{mosads}“We are deeply concerned that high level officials operating under an interim security clearance, like Jared Kushner, read the President’s daily intelligence briefing,” the senators wrote.
Democratic lawmakers have frequently raised concerns that Kushner is operating without a full security clearance.
The letter from Democratic senators echoes concerns voiced in a letter sent Tuesday to the FBI from House Democrats.
Both requests come as the White House is embroiled in controversy over its handling of domestic abuse allegations against former staff secretary Rob Porter, who was operating on a temporary security clearance.
Wray testified to a Senate panel on Tuesday that the FBI completed its background check investigation of Porter in July, and then offered additional information in November and January.
Yet Porter did not resign until a photo surfaced last week of his first ex-wife, Colbie Holderness, with a black eye she said she got from her husband during a vacation in Italy.
The White House has said it did not know of the seriousness of the allegations against Porter until published reports last week, though Wray’s testimony suggests people at the White House should have been aware much earlier.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday announced it has launched an investigation into the White House’s handling of accusations against Porter, as well as his security clearance.
Another White House official reportedly resigned Wednesday after learning he did not qualify for a full security clearance because he admitted to smoking marijuana in 2013.