Ivanka Trump to get access to classified info in new White House role

Ivanka Trump will reportedly have access to classified information and will function as a government employee despite the fact that she is not.

TheGrio Staff

Mar 21, 2017

According to an attorney for Ivanka Trump, the first daughter will have access to classified information and will basically function as a government employee despite the fact that she is not one.

Because anti-nepotism laws prevent Trump from outright appointing his daughter to a political position, Trump is relying on the fact that he is allowed to ask for the advice of private citizens, which is how he is allowed to have Ivanka serve as basically a government employee and advisor, even as her husband, Jared Kushner, is already serving as a senior adviser.

–Ivanka and husband veto Trump’s anti-LGBT executive orders–

Jamie Gorelick, an attorney and ethics adviser for Ivanka Trump who also gave legal advice to Kushner, said on Monday that even though technically Ivanka is not a government employee, she will get an office in the West Wing as well as a government-issued communication device and security clearance so that she can have access to classified information.

“Our view is that the conservative approach is for Ivanka to voluntarily comply with the rules that would apply if she were a government employee, even though she is not,” said Gorelick. “The White House Counsel’s Office agrees with that approach.”

Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor, said that because Ivana is essentially functioning as a White House employee, this “means that she, like her husband, has to follow the rules. It’s not a huge deal if she stays out of things that affect her financial interests.”