I’m a former intelligence official and I wonder the same thing.
A question: It's been stated, and is my understanding, that both clearance and a need to know are necessary for access to classified information. My question is, how much access are people like Brennan, Hillary, Clapper, etc., afforded now? If any, how much? And how large is this privileged group that gets access without a demonstrated need to know?
It seems like such a special group would be known and enumerated by list.
What then do you say to the argument I see here from some on FR, which is: Pulling clearances from ex-high level officials only will hamstring the government agencies who may need their expertise, or the private firms they go to work for. It will grind down our bureaucracy and defense industries as everyone will then constantly be doing new security clearances. Also, clearance and "access" to info should not be confused. All these ex-high deep-state officials don't have access anymore anyway.