Formal Criminal Complain on Jared Kushner Referred to DOJ by Rep. Lieu

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-California) submitted a formal complaint in a letter to the Justice Department, urging them to look into omissions in applications for security clearances made by President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner.

"We are deeply disturbed by recent reports that President Trump ordered his Chief of Staff, John Kelly, to grant Jared Kushner a security clearance, overruling intelligence officials who raised concerns about the clear national security risks of doing so," Lieu wrote in the letter, which was co-authored with Rep. Don Beyer.

In a tweet announcing his urging the Justice Department to look into the matter, Lieu made clear the severity of lying or omitting information on security clearance request forms.

"Making false statements or omitting material info on SF-86 security form is punishable by up to 5 years in prison," Lieu wrote.

Lieu pointed out that Kushner's forms had "over 100 omissions, including the infamous June 2016 meeting he attended in Trump Tower where Russian agents offered 'dirt' on then-candidate Hillary Clinton."

In the letter, Lieu went into greater detail about the severity of punishment that could result from lying on such forms.

"Lying to the public, though disgraceful and unethical, is not ipso facto a criminal act," Lieu wrote. "Lying on one's SF-86 Questionnaire for National Security Positions, however, is a federal crime under 18 U.S. code Section 1001 punishable by up to five years in prison."