The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REVOKING SECURITY CLEARANCES” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Senate section on pages S5707 on Aug. 20, 2018.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REVOKING SECURITY CLEARANCES
Mr. SCHUMER. Finally, on another matter--I see that my colleague from Vermont, who, incidentally, is doing an excellent job on the appropriations bills, which I believe he will want to discuss--is waiting. One more matter: Last week, the Trump administration announced it was revoking the security clearance of a former Director of the CIA. The action was taken not after a thorough review of the security clearance process. It did not affect a new policy. The revocation of the former CIA Director's security clearance was a gratuitous act of political retribution taken out of spite and malice--sometimes, unfortunately, attributes the President shows. It was an attempt to silence critics of the President--something the President regularly tries to do, usually unsuccessfully.
My Republican colleague, Senator Corker, said this in July about the possibility of President Trump's revoking security clearances. This is Republican Senator Bob Corker, a well-respected man in America. He said:
When you're going to start taking retribution against people who are your political enemies . . . that's the kind of thing that happens in Venezuela. . . . it's a banana republic kind of thing.
Senator Corker is right. The abuse of the powers of public office to silence critics and punish political enemies is exactly what goes on in dictatorships, in banana republics. We are not one of those, thank God.
Then we found out on Saturday that the President is openly considering reaching into the Justice Department to revoke security clearances of a current career professional--this professional that the President mentioned works drug cases, anti-gang cases--based solely on rumors and innuendo spread by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee--hardly a credible source--and spurious other sources. Revoking the clearance of current Justice Department officials without cause is so far out of bounds for what can be considered the proper use of Presidential power that it is appalling. The words of Senator Corker are even more strongly felt.
What is next? Will President Trump decide to revoke the security clearance of everyone working for Special Counsel Mueller because he thinks it is in his craven political interest? There is enormous potential for gross abuse of Presidential power.
Congress, on a bipartisan basis, ought to make sure the President does not politicize the security clearance policy. Revoking a security clearance is a decision that should be done for national security reasons and national security reasons alone.
I yield the floor.
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