Subject: Re: security clearance issue
From: "Cassandra Butts" <[email-masked]>
To: "John Podesta" <[email-masked]>, "Chris Lu" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:33:27 -0400

Chris can share the details with you tomorrow, but we agree that it would
not be worth pushing for Benjamin Rhodes to receive interim status. We can
communicate with Susan and Sarah generally that Benjamin wasn't given
interim status, and either Chris or I can communicate directly with
Benjamin. For your information, out of the approximately 187 people who we
have moved through the process Benjamin was the only person declined interim
status. The young lawyer Kate Shaw who is coordinating the process for us
has done a great job.

On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 1:06 PM, Cassandra Butts
<[email-masked]>wrote:

> John,
>
> The FBI has indicated that they are inclined to decline interim security
> clearance for Benjamin Rhodes who is OFA senior speechwriter and national
> security policy person. They have not shared an explanation as to why. If
> his interim status is denied, the FBI will still undertake a full-clearance
> process review of his application post-election and make a final
> determination.
>
> Susan and Sarah Sewall have expressed an interest in keeping Benjamin
> involved in the process, but I have not followed up with them since
> receiving this information today.
>
> In terms of our options, we could ask the FBI for an explanation on the
> denial and make a determination if it is worth pushing to obtain an interim
> status, or we can wait for the full review post-election.
>
> Let me know your thoughts on this.
>
> Best,
> Cassandra
>
>