As the House Oversight Committee searches for answers amid questions regarding the issuance of security clearances in the White House, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called for “getting to the bottom” of the issue.
The New York lawmaker made the remarks during a House Oversight Committee hearing in the wake of a whistleblower claiming “dozens” of security clearances were issued by the White House regardless of concerns raised by security advisers.
It is believed Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, was one of those people, according to the New York Times.
The committee was considering a resolution that would allow Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) to subpoena former White House Personnel Security Director Carl Kline to testify before them.
Ocasio-Cortez appeared to reference Kushner reportedly using the messaging app WhatsApp to communicate with foreign leaders.
“Folks are suggesting that we are conducting foreign relations with folks with security clearances via WhatsApp,” she said. “I mean every day that we go on without getting to the bottom of this matter is a day that we are putting hundreds if not potentially thousands of Americans at risk. I mean, really, what is next, putting nuclear codes in Instagram DMs? This is ridiculous. We need to get to the bottom of this.”
.@AOC: "Every day that we go on without getting to the bottom of this matter is a day that we are putting hundreds if not potentially thousands of Americans at risk. I mean, really, what is next, putting nuclear codes in Instagram DMs? This is ridiculous." pic.twitter.com/bw2Mb5JGMq
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 2, 2019
She continued:
“Everyday that there is an insecure line of communication, that could be leaked, that could be hacked, that could be screenshotted without our proper channels is a day we are putting our national security at risk.”
Ocasio-Cortez also called for subpoenas to be issued in light of the issue.
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