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Source: 30dB.com – Trump-and-Security%20Clearance
The first person to go was former CIA Director John Brennan. In response, a large group of former intelligence officials released a statement rebuking Trump’s decision and his motives for it. “We all agree that the President’s action regarding John Brennan and the threats of similar action against other former officials has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances — and everything to do with an attempt to stifle free speech,” the letter said. Of course, the dirty little secret about security clearances for former intelligence officials is that the stated purpose of that privilege—to give “institutional memories and provide advice to current officials,” as The Washington Post phrased it, is hardly ever used. Instead, former intelligence officers are able to take advantage of secretive briefings to make large sums of money as advisors and talking heads in the private sector. But the Administration, which could easily hammer that point home, is instead not even pretending that this stunt is anything other than political. The Post released the names of additional people whose clearances the White House is close to revoking, and the list makes it clear that Trump’s animus toward anyone who has spoken critically of him is driving the revocation decisions. Over the past seven days, “Trump + Security Clearance” has just a 16 percent positive score on Social. –Alex Shultz
Republished from 30dB