The New York Times recently reported Trump ordered that Kushner get a top-secret security clearance, "overruling concerns flagged by intelligence officials and the White House's top lawyer".
In a White House "where aggressive leak investigations are conducted in service of President Trump, who has aides sign nondisclosure agreements, Ms. Newbold's account represents the rarest of developments: a damning on-the-record account from a current employee inside its ranks".
A White House staffer who is a whistle-blower told Congress that senior members of President Donald Trump's administration gave security clearances to at least 25 people whose applications had been rejected by employees for "disqualifying issues" that could put national security at risk, it was reported Monday.
"Folks are suggesting that we are conducting foreign relations with folks with security clearances via WhatsApp", she said.
"I'm glad that my colleagues on the Oversight and Reform Committee have heard from Ms. Newbold directly about her experiences processing security clearances from the White House and I thank her for coming forward".
For example, in the case of one senior White House official ("Senior White House Official 1"), Ms. Newbold explained that both she and the first-line adjudicator issued denials after the background investigation revealed significant disqualifying factors, including foreign influence, outside activities ("employment outside or businesses external to what your position at the EOP entails"), and personal conduct.
Their decision was overruled by Carl Kline, political appointee who then headed the office, according to Newbold's interview with committee staff.
Although, as CBS News reports, the public has always been aware of the many issues raised in Kushner's own application for security clearance.
"The kinds of concerns that she mentioned are very serious", he said.
The House Oversight Committee held a hearing about the controversial White House security clearances on Tuesday. "I know that this will not be perceived in favor of my intentions, which is to bring back the integrity of the office", she is quoted as saying in the letter.
Tom Hasan tweeted: "I think Kushner meant "more felons in the White House are Republicans".
Ahead of the interview, a clip was played of an event hosted Monday at the White House celebrating the legislation, which Ingraham described as a "personal mission" of Kushner.
"You issue a big press release after interviewing one witness?" said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
"Chairman Cummings has departed from longstanding bipartisan oversight of the security clearance process to advance his partisan efforts to attack the president", Jordan said.
"They included a series a meetings at the White House with various stakeholder groups throughout the process", a senior administration official told CNN.
But Cummings said Kline will not answer questions about specific security clearance applications or violations - details the chairman wants.
"What is next? Putting nuclear codes in Instagram DMs?" she asked.
Newbold's dispute with Kline over the clearances issue became public earlier this year when she was suspended from her job and reportedly filed a formal whistleblower complaint.
The president has sole authority to decide who receives security clearances and is therefore within his rights to have deputies provide them.
