Documents: White House Overturned Security Clearance Denials, House Oversight Committee Says
Today the House Committee on Oversight and Reform released a memorandum detailing an interview held with Tricia Newbold, the adjudications manager in the non-partisan White House Personnel Security Office. Newbold, who is described in the document as a "whistleblower," told bipartisan committee staff that her office issued 25 denials of security clearances overturned by the White House.
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Today the House Committee on Oversight and Reform released a memorandum detailing an interview held with Tricia Newbold, the adjudications manager in the non-partisan White House Personnel Security Office. Newbold, who is described in the document as a "whistleblower," told bipartisan committee staff that her office issued 25 denials of security clearances overturned by the White House. According to the letter, Newbold reported that "these individuals had a wide range of serious disqualifying issues involving foreign influence, conflicts of interest, concerning personal conduct, financial problems, drug use, and criminal conduct." Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings also released a letter he sent to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone regarding the interview with Newbold and the committee's efforts to obtain information about administration's security clearance process—Margaret Taylor discussed these efforts last week on Lawfare. The Oversight committee's Republican staff issued a response memorandum. The Democratic memo and letter, and Republican response, can be read below.
Memorandum from Committee Staff Regarding Tricia Newbold Interview
Letter from Chairman Cummings to White House Counsel
