Senators Want to Take Away Hillary Clinton’s Security Clearance

Two Senators think that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton should have her security clearance revoked because of her handling of classified material through the use of a personal email server set up to conduct government business during her tenure as Secretary of State.

Two Senators think that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton should no longer have a security clearance.

Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) have introduced the Taking Responsibility Using Secured Technologies (TRUST) Act of 2016 (S. 3135), legislation that would revoke Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s security clearance as well as the security clearances of Secretary Clinton’s colleagues at the State Department who, according to the Senators, exhibited extreme carelessness in their handling of classified information.

The TRUST Act also expresses the sense of Congress that Secretary Clinton should not have access to classified information again until she earns the legal right to such access. This sentiment was mirrored by Congressmen Paul Ryan (R-WI) who sent a letter yesterday to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper asking that he refrain from providing any classified information to Clinton “for the duration of her candidacy for president.”

The Senators are introducing the bill in response to the announcement made by FBI Director James Comey this week with the results of the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for conducting government business.

Although Comey declined to press charges, the Senators noted that Comey said that Clinton and her staff were “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information” and that “none of these e-mails should have been on any kind of unclassified system, but their presence is especially concerning because all of these e-mails were housed on unclassified personal servers not even supported by full-time security staff.”

Therefore, say the Senators, it’s best if Clinton and the individuals involved have their security clearances revoked.

“The FBI’s investigation into Secretary Clinton’s personal e-mail server confirmed what Americans across the country already know: Secretary Clinton recklessly accessed classified information on an insecure system – establishing a vulnerable and highly desirable target for foreign hackers,” said Senator Gardner. “If the FBI won’t recommend action based on its findings, Congress will. At the very least, Secretary Clinton should not have access to classified information and our bill makes sure of it.”

Senator Cornyn added, “Access to classified information is a tremendous responsibility, and should only be entrusted to those who will treat that information with the care it deserves. When individuals mishandle our country’s most sensitive information they jeopardize national security and shouldn’t be trusted with such an important responsibility.”

About the Author

Ian Smith is one of the co-founders of FedSmith.com. He has over 20 years of combined experience in media and government services, having worked at two government contracting firms and an online news and web development company prior to his current role at FedSmith.