Letter to the Hon. Andrew McCabe, Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Inform Congress Of National Security Vulnerabilities Created By Jared Kushner's Failure To Disclose Russian Contacts
Letter
Dear Acting Director McCabe,
One of the most important tasks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is counterintelligence: determining who is trying to recruit Americans, who is at risk of recruitment, and who has betrayed their country? The best tool to counter attempts to compromise or recruit assets is very simple: the truth. An honest person is not susceptible to bribery, extortion, or blackmail. Conversely, those with something to hide make ripe targets for foreign intelligence agencies.
On July 11, the New York Times reported that current Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner participated in a meeting with a Russian lawyer who was purported to represent the Kremlin. When he filed his SF-86 form on January 18, Mr. Kushner reportedly failed to disclose this meeting. This meeting came to light when Mr. Kushner's legal team discovered it during an attempt to amend the clearance forms.
Since receiving his Top Secret clearance on January 20, Mr. Kushner has had full access to the secrets of our national security apparatus. This includes the identities of American assets in foreign countries, diplomatic strategy, and other matters of supreme importance to both the United States and our global allies.
In your capacity as head of America's counterintelligence agents, what are the risks associated with having a person in a place of public trust who failed to disclose foreign contacts? What are some of the possible reasons for failing, on more than one occasion, to disclose contacts on an SF-86 form? Perhaps most importantly, what changes should be made to the process of obtaining a security clearance to prevent such an occurrence from happening again?
I respect that you cannot speak to any ongoing investigation, but Congress must understand how someone could gain a security clearance with repeated omissions on his paperwork.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Member of Congress
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