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U.S. NEWS Thursday 24 May 2018

Jared Kushner granted security clearance

before Comey was fired, Kushner's extensive finan-
and he was among the cial wealth, which required
attendees at a June 2016 lengthy review, Lowell said.
meeting at Trump Tower He said Kushner's clear-
with a Russian lawyer at ance was decided by ca-
which the president's oldest reer officials in the intelli-
son was told he would neg- gence community and the
ative information about Hill- FBI. "It happened the way it
ary Clinton. happens for thousands of
Kushner — the point of people," Lowell said, not-
contact for foreign offi- ing, "There was nobody in
cials during the campaign the political process that
and transition — was also had anything to do with it."
alluded to, though not by As the application process
name, in Flynn's guilty plea was pending, Kushner's
as a transition team official "top secret/sensitive com-
who encouraged Flynn to partmented information"
contact foreign govern- access was downgraded
ment officials, about a U.N. in February when White
Security Council resolution House Chief of Staff John
against Israeli settlements. Kelly ordered that officials
FBI background checks with interim clearances be
for security clearances cut off if they hadn't re-
In this May 18, 2018, file photo, White House adviser Jared Kushner speaks in the East Room of the routinely examine an ap- ceived permanent clear-
White House in Washington. plicant's financial holdings ances. That meant Kushner
Associated Press
and foreign contacts. The was able to see information
By ERIC TUCKER officials on interim clear- and did whatever he could delay in Kushner's case was only at the lower "secret"
JONATHAN LEMIRE ances. to expedite the conclu- caused by a backlog in the level, but not highly classi-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- "With respect to the news sion of all the investigation," new administration and fied information.q
dent Donald Trump's son- about his permanent secu- Lowell said.
in-law, Jared Kushner, has rity clearance, as we stat- The first interview occurred Family rejoices at finding of
been granted a security ed before, his application last fall and the questions
clearance after a lengthy was properly submitted, were limited to former soldier's World War II plane
background check, a reviewed by career offi- White House national secu-
move that ensures the key cials, and went through the rity adviser Michael Flynn,
White House adviser with normal process," Kushner's who subsequently pleaded By JOHN ROGERS what happened to the
a broad international port- lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said in guilty to lying to the FBI and Associated Press plane carrying the 2nd lieu-
folio can have access to a statement. "Having com- began cooperating with LOS ANGELES (AP) — When tenant from Livermore, Cal-
some of the country's most pleted these processes, Mr. Mueller. Tom Kelly's relatives got ifornia, and 10 others after
closely held secrets. Kushner is looking forward The second interview oc- word — almost 74 years Japanese anti-aircraft
Kushner, who serves as a se- to continuing the work the curred in April and con- to the date — that his B-24 fire struck it off the coast
nior adviser on the Middle President has asked him to cerned potential influence bomber had been found a of Papua New Guinea in
East and other issues, was do." by foreign governments, wave of exhilaration mixed 1944.
among many White House In addition, Kushner was including Russia, and the with grief washed over The volunteer group Proj-
advisers who had been op- interviewed for a second firing of former FBI direc- them. ect Recover announced
erating without approval time last month by the of- tor James Comey, among For five years Kelly's relatives earlier this week the plane
for full security clearances. fice of special counsel other topics, Lowell said on — including many born was located beneath 213
That led to a White House Robert Mueller, who is in- CNN. The interview did not years after the Air Force feet (64 meters) of water.
policy overhaul in Febru- vestigating potential ties deal with Kushner's financ- bombardier's death — had Scott Althaus, a Univer-
ary that significantly down- between the Trump cam- es or his companies, Lowell been piecing together his sity of Illinois professor and
graded access to sensitive paign and Russia. said. life story through interviews Kelly's cousin, said the find
information for Kushner and "In each occasion, he an- Kushner was with Trump in and internet searches. brings long-sought closure.
other Trump administration swered all questions asked New Jersey the weekend One big missing piece was q