Concerned a great deal...

Top Senate Democrat concerned ‘a great deal’ by Kushner security clearance

By KELSEY TAMBORRINO

The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Sunday he was bothered “a great deal" by a report that President Donald Trump ordered a security clearance for Jared Kushner, his senior adviser and son-in-law.

“What I think is inappropriate is, these security clearances should be given after the review of the national security officials,“ Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” "The fact that he, in effect, chooses to give a family member, overriding the recommendations of the community, bothers me a great deal.“

The New York Times reported last week Trump ordered then-chief of staff John Kelly last year to grant a security clearance to Kushner despite objections from senior White House and intelligence officials.

The president has the right to give anyone a security clearance, Warner said Sunday, but normally are only awarded after certain procedures are followed.

"Security clearances have not normally been used as political footballs," he said. "But again, this as in so many other areas, the president is not adhering to traditional procedures."

House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) on Friday accused the White House of stalling the release of documents and witnesses relating to the security clearance process and warned his committee could issue subpoenas over the issue.

Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," national security adviser John Bolton said the White House counsel would respond to Cummings' inquiry.

"You know, someday I'll be a private citizen again, and I'd be delighted to take this nonsense on in detail," Bolton said. "But as a White House official, right now threatened with subpoenas, with a lot of other things that's going on in Congress, I'll take guidance from the White House counsel's office and the Justice Department and just wait for the day when I'm a private citizen."

Bolton echoed a line on "Fox News Sunday" in which he also said he didn't have concerns about Kushner's clearance.

"I deal with Jared all the time," he said. "I trust him."