U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced legislation on Thursday that would strip former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of her security clearance due to her alleged mishandling of classified information.
The Taking Responsibility Using Secured Technologies (TRUST) Act, S. 3135, follows the FBI’s investigation into Clinton’s use of a personal email server and FBI Director James Comey’s determination that she had been “extremely careless” in the handling of highly classified information.
“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,” Gardner said. “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.”
Comey determined that classified information had been transmitted and stored on Clinton’s personal email system that may have been hacked, but he recommended no charges against Clinton.
“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,” Cornyn said. “When individuals mishandle our country’s most sensitive information they jeopardize national security and shouldn’t be trusted with such an important responsibility.”
The bill would also revoke the security clearance of any colleagues of Clinton’s within the State Department who is found to have mishandled classified information.
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), a cosponsor of the bill, said that it is clear that Clinton cannot be trusted with classified information following the FBI’s investigation.
“Despite the many assertions in defense of her email practices, the FBI found that Secretary Clinton did email classified information, she did use multiple devices, and her email may have been subject to a possible breach,” Capito said. “The TRUST Act will revoke Secretary Clinton’s security clearance until she earns the legal right to access classified information, a necessary step in light of the FBI’s findings.”
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) said that Comey had made it clear that Clinton and her colleagues were “extremely careless” in their mishandling of highly-classified information that could have compromised national security.
“Because the FBI and Department of Justice do not intend to move forward with charges, Congress is taking action to remove any possibility of these individuals mishandling sensitive national security information again,” Rounds said. “Access to classified information is a serious responsibility; at a minimum, they should not be trusted to handle this sensitive national security information in the future.”