Hillary Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said late Friday night that the former secretary of State voluntarily gave up her security clearance in August after reports that she lost the privilge amid her email scandal. Merrill said it was a show of support following the op-ed by former commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Admiral William McRaven offering to surrender his security clearance in protest of President Donald Trump revoking the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan. At the time the it was reported the White House was looking at the possibility of other former Obama officials’ clearances being pulled as part of effort to strip abusers of the privilege of high ranking government officials maintaining a clearance after leaving office.
Merrill claimed Clinton kept her clearance to help her write her book about her years as secretary of State. Merrill does not address the concurrent revocation of clearances held by several Clinton aides including Cheryl Mills, who was involved in Clinton’s e-mail scandal, that was mentioned in a letter released Friday by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announcing Clinton had surrendered her security clearance.
Merrill posted a multi-part tweet along with a copy of a letter by Clinton’s lawyer, David Kendall.
“Back in August, Admiral William McRaven penned a letter in the Washington Post in the aftermath of Trump revoking @JohnBrennan’s security clearance…In his letter, he admonishes President Trump for this petty act, and says that Trump’s time as President has “embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.”…Who is Admiral McRaven? A partisan? No. He headed Joint Special Operations Command during the rescue of Captain Phillips. He was the architect of the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. A prominent Republican once said that he had “literally written the book on Special Operations.”…Admiral McRaven has served both Republican and Democratic Presidents, and is a man of honor whose service to this country and heroism is virtually unrivaled…Secretary Clinton has great respect for Admiral McRaven. She read this message & decided to take the step of voluntarily withdrawing her security clearance, which she maintained after leaving her post as Secretary of State to write her book, customary for former Secretaries…Her attorney submitted a letter to the Department, citing McRaven’s op ed. She did this quietly so as to not allow Trump to use our national security for partisan purposes yet again. Because that’s what was in the best interest of the country…Sure enough, 6 weeks later Senator Grassley, king among partisans, released a letter, again playing politics with our national security. It’s a disgrace…Here is Secretary Clinton’s letter from August 30th.”
Merrill’s tweets:
Back in August, Admiral William McRaven penned a letter in the Washington Post in the aftermath of Trump revoking @JohnBrennan’s security clearance.https://t.co/Uflv8Li4Xe
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
In his letter, he admonishes President Trump for this petty act, and says that Trump’s time as President has “embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation.”
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Who is Admiral McRaven? A partisan? No.
He headed Joint Special Operations Command during the rescue of Captain Phillips. He was the architect of the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. A prominent Republican once said that he had “literally written the book on Special Operations."— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Admiral McRaven has served both Republican and Democratic Presidents, and is a man of honor whose service to this country and heroism is virtually unrivaled.
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Secretary Clinton has great respect for Admiral McRaven. She read this message & decided to take the step of voluntarily withdrawing her security clearance, which she maintained after leaving her post as Secretary of State to write her book, customary for former Secretaries.
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Her attorney submitted a letter to the Department, citing McRaven’s op ed. She did this quietly so as to not allow Trump to use our national security for partisan purposes yet again. Because that’s what was in the best interest of the country.
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Sure enough, 6 weeks later Senator Grassley, king among partisans, released a letter, again playing politics with our national security. It’s a disgrace.
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Here is Secretary Clinton’s letter from August 30th. pic.twitter.com/5ERoF8aAhY
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018
Earlier Friday night, Merrill had lashed out at Laura Ingraham.
For her book about American foreign policy, as many do. Don’t spin it into whatever bullshit you conjure up that I can’t even begin to imagine. Please and thank you. https://t.co/h6EKpuOKGo
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) October 13, 2018