Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D), who was recently elected to once again lead the Blue Dog Coalition, has announced that she will be introducing a bill to disqualify participants in Capitol attack or members of QAnon from holding security clearances. Since the storming of the Capitol last Wednesday, Democratic lawmakers have largely placed blame on President Donald Trump (R) and information spread from QAnon.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Murphy argued this week that her legislation disqualifies participants in the violent assault on the United States Capitol and members of QAnon from obtaining or maintaining any federal security clearance. An individual must obtain this in order to hold a position of national security and in order to access classified information.
“Any individual who participated in the assault on the Capitol or who is a member of the conspiracy movement QAnon should be required to disclose this fact when applying to obtain on maintain a federal security clearance,” Murphy expressed. “It is highly unlikely that such an individual will be found by investigators to have shown the conduct, character, and loyalty to the United States that is a prerequisite to holding a national security position and viewing classified information,” said the former national security specialist at the Department of Defense.
With the Security Clearance Improvement Act of 2021, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management would be directed to add another question to Section 29 of the Standard Form 86 questionnaire. Section 29 asks applications about they “Association Record.” This, Murphy believes, is limited in scope. Section 29 would then ask the applicant if s/he has “ever been a member of, associated with, or knowingly engaged in activities conducted by an organization or movement – like QAnon – that spreads conspiracy theories and false information about the U.S. government.”
