GOP candidate's security clearance becomes issue in SC

She’s stepping up an effort to rebut the attacks, including providing a sworn affidavit to The Associated Press from an unnamed intelligence officer who worked with her and said he never worried about her handling of classified information.Arrington’s security clearance was suspended and she was placed on leave from the Pentagon in May 2021 when officials accused her of an improper disclosure of classified information. The Pentagon has declined to comment on Arrington’s employment, citing her ongoing Freedom of Information Act lawsuit over communications related to her suspension, and AP has been unable to otherwise confirm her characterization of the political conversations with Pentagon officials.In its response to that litigation — which includes Arrington’s assertion that Pentagon officials did not “want Arrington serving in a senior position within the Biden Administration due to her close previous ties with President Trump” — Defense Department officials repeatedly wrote that the accusations “contain Plaintiff’s characterization of alleged background information, not allegations of fact pertinent to the resolution of the claims at issue in this FOIA action to which a response would be required.” According to Arrington, the briefing officer asked that his affidavit be declassified so Arrington could share it while her Freedom of Information Act claim proceeds against the Department of Defense.