I think you’re confirming what I said. The clearance alone doesn’t get you any information or entry into classified areas. You also need access which is a permission all of its own right?
The explanation I read some time ago for why security clearances are revoked when the job requiring them ends is that it takes years and lots of money to get the clearance so it would be inefficient and expensive to repeat the process over and over for the same people who might move from one high clearance job to another. Revoking access takes care of security without revoking the clearance.
Anyway, I agree, Brennan had no ‘need to know’ anything once he left his job.