Rep. Adam Schiff declined to comment on the accuracy of the report. | AP Photo Schiff calls for review of Kushner’s security clearance

Ranking House Intelligence Committee member Adam Schiff called Sunday for a review of White House senior adviser Jared Kushner's security clearance in light of reports he discussed setting up secretive back channels with Russian officials.

Although Schiff (D-Calif.) declined to comment on the accuracy of the reports, he said Kushner's access to highly classified intelligence should be scrutinized.


"I do think there ought to be a review of his security clearance to find out whether he was truthful, whether he was candid," the lawmaker said on ABC's "This Week."

Schiff added that without such a review, "there's no way he can maintain that kind of a clearance."

The Washington Post on Friday reported that Kushner talked with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition about the possibility of enabling back-channel communications that would potentially evade U.S. monitoring. The reported actions has been critiqued by former national security and intelligence officials, who have questioned the legality of such dialogue. The Democratic National Committee on Friday called for Kushner to be fired "immediately."

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, declined during an interview Sunday on CNN to say whether he believes Kushner should be stripped of his security clearance.

The Trump administration on Sunday cast any attempts to establish increased talks with the Russians as a positive.

“I think that any channel of communication, back or otherwise, with a country like Russia is a good thing,” Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said in responding to reports of Kushner's conversations with the Russian ambassador.

"It doesn’t bother me," he added.