Posted on 08/13/2018 9:39:35 AM PDT by Kaslin
On Sunday former Director of Communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison and The Apprentice reality star Omarosa Manigault revealed on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that she had recorded her dismissal conversation with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in the Situation Room. Not only that, but she actually played a 20-second recording of the conversation.
The White House Situation Room is one of the most essential and secure places for our country’s national security. It is where our civilian leadership, intelligence services, and military plan, discuss, and implement many of our top-level defense and security actions on a day-to-day basis.
Many legal and national security experts have pointed out already that Omarosa’s actions there may very well have violated federal law and are prosecutable. Ranging widely without partisan tilt, even some of those who fiercely oppose president Trump acknowledge this is a serious national security breach.
SCIFs, standing for “Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility,” are government areas where information that has security-related implications and classifications is utilized. Personnel that do not have the required clearance may under certain circumstance go into these areas under various procedures and supervision.
A violation of SCIF policies includes bringing in various electronic storage and communications devices. Violations are prosecutable under the federal criminal law, with often a look at the intent, practices, and habits of the violator as well.
In this situation, Omarosa’s actions, as evidenced by her playing the recording on “Meet the Press” in additional violation of clear legal sense, shows that she put her own immediate personal benefit above our country’s entire national security apparatus.
A personal cell phone can easily be hacked and is a particular target of foreign adversaries. While she recorded this conversation with Chief of Staff Kelly, she also seemingly has recorded many other conversations in her time at the White House including even with President Trump himself.
Who knows where and when she brought her recording equipment and who else may have been listening in, as it seems likely her equipment would not have serious protections – even then imperfect - that could resist state actors.
While there has been much discussion in the media of Omarosa’s character in general, in serious national security situations like this we need to focus on the facts and look at it through a serious, non-partisan lens. Indeed that is why people on both sides of the national security aisle have been calling for a serious investigation and potential prosecution of Omarosa for this violation, as it is a serious breach of some of our country’s most security-essential policies. After all, once again, the Situation Room is where our country’s command-and-control takes place on a regular daily basis.
As we see with the occasional federal arrest and prosecution of a Congressman or other notable public figure every so often, even those in relatively high-up places are not immune from our nation’s laws. And they should not be, as these laws are in place for a reason and a fundamental principle of our country is the equal application and due process given to all.
Omarosa was not a major figure in the White House by reports, but nonetheless she seemingly had enough access to sensitive locations and information and, based on the evidence she has been releasing, seriously abused that privilege and potentially violated major federal national security laws in the process as well.
While Omarosa is no longer in the White House, it remains uncertain simply how much of our country’s security and defense, let alone policymaking and institutional trust, abilities she put at risk through putting her own immediate well-being above the national good.
But likely, as she already is learning and is continuing to learn, in our country our justice system does not tolerate those who so brazenly toss it aside. Based on the evidence in the public square there is undoubtedly a serious case that she has broken essential federal laws in a way that is prosecutable. Furthermore, she has undoubtedly put our country’s national security at serious, major risk in this historic breach.
If she wants to avoid serious prison time she better start to take the advice of a lawyer as her most recent public interviews and statements evidence she most likely has not.
Bingo
shes going DOWN
make a BIG EXAMPLE out of her
She committed yet another felony on MSNBC this morning. When asked if she would release more tapes, she actually said on air that it would depend if “they” “retaliated against me.” that is blackmail.
She needs to be tried for this.
Is the penalty for this execution?
If you're a professional journalist, write like one.
Secure rooms are run on the ‘honor system’?
What the hell are we paying the NSA for? Secure rooms should blank out electronics...
I wonder which of Hillary’s people are advising Omarosa.
Talk is cheap.
Arrest her, charge her with multiple Felonies and confiscate every Electronic Device she owns.
Anything short of that is well, talk.
I have to ask why she hasn't already been raided and all of her electronics and other records seized? She has committed serious violations, but she is making the WH look like amateur hour. Putin must be laughing.
Just to be clear on this Amarosa crap;
I unfortunately once upon a time actually saw an episode of The Apprentice”, and actually Amarosa was on the show at that time.
For those who don’t know, she was basically the feckless, cheating, lying , self important narcissistic looser on the show at that time, and she didn’t have to “act” to pull off that character. (And she was unceremoniously fired and tossed off in short order) She was an embarrassment to say the least.
From that I never understood why on earth Trump would trot her out in his administration. Hopefully he learned something from that stupid mistake.
>>>If you’re a professional journalist, write like one<<<
The Editor was taking a Vacation Day?
That’s my take as well. Kelly even said in the recording that he wanted to make this easy on her and not have it affect her future. She nixed that, and the proof is right in the recording.
They should come at her with both barrels. Smiling, always smiling, of course.
President Trump’s tweet says she begged him in tears for a job in his administration. He has a soft heart which is something that he may regret now.
I wonder which of Hillary’s people are advising Omarosa.
—
VP Gore’s office said she was their worst hire ever. They moved her to another position in the Clinton administration. She was then determined to be horrible there too and was FIRED.
The woman is a train wreck everywhere she goes.
I have worked in SCIF areas. She has committed a MAJOR violation. If I brought my cell phone into Los Alamos, I would be looking at some serious Federal time.
I could not bring my cell phone or laptop past the gate. I had some storage media for a control system program that was inspected going in and out of the facility each time, and that was the only file that could be on that media. I had to use their laptop, which stayed inside the facility, and that laptop had no wireless capability (Bluetooth or WiFi).
“The White House Situation Room is one of the most essential and secure places for our country’s national security.”
If that is the case, why is a low level White House staffed able to access a recording device in the most secure location in the country?
Face it, by any sane definition, she was a spy. She should face the consequences.
I say blindfold and cigarette at dawn. Put it on Pay Per View and retire a significant chunk of the national debt.
“she actually said on air that it would depend if “they” “retaliated against me.” that is blackmail.”
Bingo
“When asked if she would release more tapes, she actually said on air that it would depend if “they” “retaliated against me.” that is blackmail.””
Is retaliating against someone against the law?
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