In The News

Harris Questions Barr on Mueller Report: SFGate

Filipa Ioannou May 1, 2019
Senator Kamala Harris grilled William Barr, US attorney general, during the Senate Judiciary Committee about the Mueller report. Barr could not decisively answer yes or no if anyone at the White House had suggested he open an investigation into anyone. He admitted having discussions with White House staff about “matters out there” and used a series of negatives, suggesting those at the White...

The Mueller Report

Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III April 18, 2019
The US Department of Justice has released the Mueller report, with fewer redactions than anticipated by most analysts. The report details a systematic campaign from Russia to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump. The US attorney general in an initial summary and a press conference suggests that he regards the US president as exonerated, an opinion embraced by...

Summary of Mueller Findings: New York Times

Mark Mazzetti and Katie Benner March 24, 2019
The investigation by a team led by Robert Mueller has concluded with the US attorney general releasing a four-page summary. The investigators found no evidence that the US president or his aides conspired or coordinated with the Russian government’s interference into the 2016 election. “Barr also said that Mr. Mueller’s team drew no conclusions about whether Mr. Trump illegally obstructed justice...

Massage Parlor Owner and Trump Access: Mother Jones

Daniel Schulman, David Corn and Dan Friedman March 11, 2019
Embarrassing sexual behavior can compromise an individual’s ability to handle classified government information, and foreign intelligence agencies strive to identify individual weaknesses in order to obtain sensitive information or disrupt government operations. Police raided a Florida massage parlor in February after the facility was reported to be providing sexual services with women...

Questions Over US Security Clearances

March 1, 2019
Nepotism and rejection of evidence and expert opinions characterize the Trump administration. The New York Times reports that the president ordered his chief of staff to grant top security clearances to Jared Kushner, despite numerous concerns raised by security, law-enforcement, intelligence and legal staff. Trump and his family have previously denied any clearance shortcuts. John Kelly, former...

Chaos and US Standing: Times of India

Nayan Chanda February 11, 2019
Donald Trump blasted policies of his predecessors as foolish. Yet the president fuels uncertainty by abruptly changing longstanding policies and obsessing on quick fixes, ranging from support for a coal industry and rejection of climate change as a threat to blaming illegal immigration for crime and supporting a border wall. The president carried through on a threat to shut down the US federal...

NBC News: Jared Kushner’s Security Clearance

Laura Strickler, Ken Dilanian and Peter Alexander January 25, 2019
Jared Kushner is the president’s son-in-law whose work experience was in his family’s real estate development firm. Financial difficulties, complicated personal relationships and unexplained foreign contacts can present obstacles for obtaining a top-secret security clearance, and Kushner had to revise his application numerous times. Two career specialists raised concerns about potential foreign...