Trey Gowdy Launches Investigation Into Porter Scandal

[Shabibilicious]

Trey is passionate about the law and victims.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hell-still-employed-gowdy-launches-congressional-investigation-porter-scandal-155202159.html

 

 

GO RV, then BV

[bostonangler]

Gowdy says House panel probing Rob Porter's security clearance

House lawmakers are now investigating how former White House aide Rob Porter was able to work for months under an interim security clearance despite allegations of domestic abuse against him.

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said Wednesday that his panel launched an investigation the day before into the circumstances surrounding the former staff secretary's post. 

In a letter sent Wednesday to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Gowdy said the panel is investigating the interim security clearance process and "the extent to which any security clearance issued to Porter comported with those policies and processes." 

This includes looking at what "derogatory information" was made available to the White House -- "when, and to whom."

He sent the letter a day after Wray, in congressional testimony, seemed to contradict the White House timeline regarding Porter's background check. Despite White House officials saying that process was ongoing, Wray told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the check was completed in July and the file closed in January.

Gowdy flagged the discrepancy in his letter to Wray on Wednesday. 

The investigation underscores how the handling of the Porter allegations continues to roil the West Wing, though officials maintain they were not aware of the extent of the allegations until recently. 

Porter resigned last week as allegations from two ex-wives, and specifically a photo showing one ex-wife with a bruised face, emerged. Porter has denied the allegations.

"We are directing inquiries to people that we think have access to information we don't have. You can call it official. You can call it unofficial. Those words don't mean anything to me. What means something to me is I'm going to direct questions to the FBI that I expect them to answer,” Gowdy said on CNN.

Gowdy added that he was “troubled” by Porter’s employment.

"How do you have any job if you have credible allegations of domestic abuse? Again, I am biased toward the victim," he said.

The scrutiny has put particular pressure on White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who defended Porter when the allegations first emerged. Fox News is told, however, that Kelly is not being pushed out. 

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, pressed by reporters at Tuesday’s briefing about Wray’s latest account of the timeline, explained that the White House personnel security office got information last year for what they considered the final background investigation report. However, she said they hadn’t made a final recommendation because “the process was still ongoing.”

“The FBI's July report required significant additional investigatory field work before [the] personnel security office could begin to evaluate the information for adjudication. As Director Wray said, information was still coming to the White House personnel security office in February,” she said. “The FBI portion was closed. The White House personnel security office, who's the one that makes the recommendation for adjudication, had not finished their process and therefore had not made a recommendation to the White House.”

But Gowdy was unimpressed, saying the chronology was “not favorable to the White House.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Wednesday the revelations were a sign of a “breakdown in the system.”

The Associated Press reports that staff members still without clearance include senior adviser Jared Kushner. According to Kushner’s attorney, “there are a dozen or more people at Mr. Kushner’s level” who are working without full clearance.

A senior administration official told the AP that that number could be as high as two dozen.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel and John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[tankdude]

I'm with you on this on Shabb's - who knew what when needs to be answered in my book. 

 

The Security Clearance thing is a bit of a "smoke and mirrors" thiing. Anyone who works with getting a background check for one of those - even at the Secret level - knows that it can take almost a year.  Top Secret is even worse...

 

As of Sep of 2017 the National Backgrounds Investigation Bureau (Yes - they exist and work hand in hand with all intelligence agencies) had a backlog of over 700,000 applications.  That's why 'interim clearances" were created.   

[bostonangler]

 

7 minutes ago, tankdude said:

backlog of over 700,000

 

I guess I would have thought The White House might come before a few hundred thousand of those backlogged, but what do I know about the backroom workings of our government?

 

B/A

[Shabibilicious]

1 minute ago, bostonangler said:

 

 

I guess I would have thought The White House might come before a few hundred thousand of those backlogged, but what do I know about the backroom workings of our government?

 

B/A

8 minutes ago, tankdude said:

I'm with you on this on Shabb's - who knew what when needs to be answered in my book. 

 

The Security Clearance thing is a bit of a "smoke and mirrors" thiing. Anyone who works with getting a background check for one of those - even at the Secret level - knows that it can take almost a year.  Top Secret is even worse...

 

As of Sep of 2017 the National Backgrounds Investigation Bureau (Yes - they exist and work hand in hand with all intelligence agencies) had a backlog of over 700,000 applications.  That's why 'interim clearances" were created.   

 

From what I remember from the late 80's, it took every bit of a year to get my clearance.....and that was just to gain access to a Topographic Map Depot.

 

GO RV, then BV

[tankdude]

1 minute ago, bostonangler said:

 

 

I guess I would have thought The White House might come before a few hundred thousand of those backlogged, but what do I know about the backroom workings of our government?

 

B/A

You would hope so - but even if they are given precedence - a Single Scope Background Investigation takes some time. 

 

The scope of the SSBI investigation goes back 10 years for general information concerning finances, education and professional activities. The investigators will check 7 years back for more personal information such as relationships and character references. Some of the investigative techniques involve running a check to verify:

• The date & place of birth
• National Agency Check into the Department of Defense agencies, FBI, and other databases to see if any derogatory information exists.
• Spouse or cohabitant check to determine allegiance, associations and other factors that a close relationship might bring.
• Credit checks provide more information about the applicant. This query into the major credit trackers can verify residences, identity, financial situations, relationships, patterns and much more.
• Local law enforcement check to identify any arrests or activities involving law enforcement.
• Public records verification to determine associations and activities the applicant may be or has been involved in.
• Citizenship verification to ensure applicant is a US citizen and eligible for a security clearance.
• Written Inquiries are provided to education and employment institutions and references to verify education level and employment.
• Interviews are conducted based on references provided by the applicant. These interviews include neighbors, former spouses and the actual applicant.

[bostonangler]

13 minutes ago, tankdude said:

You would hope so - but even if they are given precedence - a Single Scope Background Investigation takes some time. 

 

The scope of the SSBI investigation goes back 10 years for general information concerning finances, education and professional activities. The investigators will check 7 years back for more personal information such as relationships and character references. Some of the investigative techniques involve running a check to verify:

• The date & place of birth
• National Agency Check into the Department of Defense agencies, FBI, and other databases to see if any derogatory information exists.
• Spouse or cohabitant check to determine allegiance, associations and other factors that a close relationship might bring.
• Credit checks provide more information about the applicant. This query into the major credit trackers can verify residences, identity, financial situations, relationships, patterns and much more.
• Local law enforcement check to identify any arrests or activities involving law enforcement.
• Public records verification to determine associations and activities the applicant may be or has been involved in.
• Citizenship verification to ensure applicant is a US citizen and eligible for a security clearance.
• Written Inquiries are provided to education and employment institutions and references to verify education level and employment.
• Interviews are conducted based on references provided by the applicant. These interviews include neighbors, former spouses and the actual applicant.

 

Thanks Tank Dude.... And to think White House Counsel and the Chief of Staff were made aware. They either chose to overlook it or they just didn't care. Either way it is an embarrassment for all of us. JMHO

 

B/A

[Shabibilicious]

10 minutes ago, bostonangler said:

Thanks Tank Dude.... And to think White House Counsel and the Chief of Staff were made aware. They either chose to overlook it or they just didn't care. Either way it is an embarrassment for all of us. JMHO

 

Hahahahaha....not "ALL" of us, B/A.....trust me on this one.  

 

GO RV, then BV

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

 

If everyone who ever smacked a dame was removed from The Swamp, it'd be a ghost town.  

 

.

[Shabibilicious]

5 minutes ago, SgtFuryUSCZ said:

 

If everyone who ever smacked a dame was removed from The Swamp, it'd be a ghost town.  

 

.

 

You including sexual assault in that statement, or just domestic violence?

 

GO RV, then BV

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

All of it.... After having spent years there, can tell you -- 99% of those swamp rats are abusive in some way or another.

 

And the skags that allow themselves to be used aren't helping the situation, either.

"Hill hags" are everywhere up there.

 

.

[Shabibilicious]

2 minutes ago, SgtFuryUSCZ said:

All of it.... After having spent years there, can tell you -- 99% of those swamp rats are abusive in some way or another.

 

And the skags that allow themselves to be used aren't helping the situation, either.

"Hill hags" are everywhere up there.

 

 

Okay, now to the obvious question?  What about Trump's accusers?  (almost 20)    

 

GO RV, then BV

[bostonangler]

He was right about one thing....

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

They, too, deserve to be heard.

 

If they can prove in a court of law that he did it AGAINST THEIR WILL.

 

Doubt those money-grubbing ho's were thinking about their chastity when they went after him.

 

.

Edited February 15, 2018 by SgtFuryUSCZ