Mr. Stephen Bannon has been named as Mr. Trump’s senior counselor and chief White House strategist (nytimes.com, Combative, Populist, 2016). Many have sounded alarm at the president-elect’s pick of such a controversial and right-wing conspiracy theorist. There are several references to Mr. Bannon’s revolting behaviors and comments, but is Mr. Bannon eligible for a security clearance?
Mr. Bannon, was until recently the CEO of Breitbart News, a controversial website, popular with white supremacists and anti-Semitism. This seems to fall under Guideline A: Allegiance to the United States [4(c)]:
(c) association or sympathy with persons or organizations that advocate, threaten, or use force or violence, or use any other illegal or unconstitutional means, in an effort to:
(1) overthrow or influence the government of the United States or any state or local government;
(2) prevent Federal, state, or local government personnel from performing their official duties;
(3) gain retribution for perceived wrongs caused by the Federal, state, or local government;
(4) prevent others from exercising their rights under the Constitution or laws of the United States or of any state.
A specific example is the contributing columnist, Austin Ruse. He is the president of C-FAM (Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute). The Southern Poverty Law Center considers C-FAM a hate group. Additionally, his ex-wife, Mary Piccard claimed that Mr. Bannon objected to his children attending school with Jewish students (nydailynews.com, White Supremacist Groups, 2016). By allowing Mr. Bannon to hold such prominent positions, Mr. Trump is emboldening hate groups across the nation. Since the election, the Southern Poverty Law Center has seen over 700 incidents of hateful harassment (splcenter.org, Incidents, 2016).
Mr. Bannon, also has a poor record when it comes to his behavior in the workplace. In the 1990s, he was named in a lawsuit when he worked for an Arizona research company brought by a Biosphere 2 worker, Margret Augustine. She alleged that he and a co-worker repeatedly made lewd remarks. The lawsuit and a counter lawsuit were settled (nydailynews.com, Accused Sexual Harassment, 2016). This would fall under Guideline E: Personal Conduct [16(d{2})]:
(2) disruptive, violent, or other inappropriate behavior in the workplace;
Mr. Bannon’s past conduct gives rise to concerns about his ability to safe guard classified information and to use that information in a responsible manner. Given, that he has only recently come into the national media scene, there is limited information available. The most concerning for me personally, is Mr. Bannon’s association with Breitbart News, and I do not have the stomach to search through that Pandora’s Box.
Regardless, Mr. Bannon’s appointments as senior counselor and chief White House strategist is a slap in the face to those who value the protection of the rights of all citizens, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. His appointments are inappropriate and will lead to nothing but discord in the governing of our country.
Sources:
Brennan, C. (2016, August 29). Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon was accused of sexual harassment towards Biosphere coworker in 1990s. nydailynews.com. Retrieved November 29, 2016 from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/trump-campaign-ceo-steve-bannon-accused-sexual-harrassment-article-1.2770657.
Edelman, A. (2016, November 14). Here’s why white supremacist groups love President-elect Donald Trump’s pick, Stephen Bannon. Nydailynews.com. Retrieved November 29, 2016 from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/white-supremacist-groups-love-stephen-bannon-article-1.2873208.
Hate Watch Staff (2016, November 18). Update: Incidents of Hateful Harassment Since Election Day Now Number 701. SPLC Hatewatch. Retrieved November 29, 2016 from https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/11/18/update-incidents-hateful-harassment-election-day-now-number-701.
Shane, S. (2016, November 27). Combative, Populist Steve Bannon Found His Man in Donald Trump. nytimes.com. Retrieved November 29, 2016 from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/27/us/politics/steve-bannon-white-house.html.
U.S. Department of State (2006, February). Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility to Classified Information. Retrieved November 29, 2016 from http://www.state.gov/m/ds/clearances/60321.htm#j.
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