There are a number of jobs in the United States that require security clearance, and it’s safe to say that the average TSA worker couldn’t get by with a background check like this one.
President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser failed to disclose numerous foreign contacts when he applied for top secret clearance, including at least two meetings with high-profile Russians during Trump's transition to the White House, according to a New York Times report cited by the lawmakers. It is, they noted, a felony to intentionally conceal such meetings on a national security form.
But it’s not just that Kushner committed a—whoopsie!—felony. He’s also failed to provide all the information that the FBI has requested.
Kushner aides told the Times that he has been operating under an "interim" clearance while he works to gather more information for the FBI.
And it’s not just that Kusher failed to turn in some things and repeatedly lied about others. There’s also the fact that he, along with the rest of the Trump organization, is under investigation for possible connections to Russia.
Democratic lawmakers said they want Kushner's clearance suspended pending a review of his "compliance with the laws and regulation governing security clearances."
But of course, it’s not as if he’s run his own email server. So Kushner will continue to drive through America’s secrets with his learner’s permit security, with better access to information than the people who are supposed to be investigating him.
The Times reported that Kushner left out dozens of foreign contacts from his national security form, but two stood out: a meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and a meeting with Sergey Gorkov, an FSB-trained leader of a bank subject to U.S. sanctions.