Obama '08?

Passport contractor exec is Obama adviser

My sister says that if Hillary wins, she and her partner are voting for McCain. I just don't believe that, tho. I can't.

Tico wrote-

Quote:

Passport contractor exec is Obama adviser

I wondered why it was top story on the BBC News last night.

Concerning the passport files, anyone up to mischief would probably breach their own candidate's files in an effort to make it look unbiased or equal opportunity if caught.

I don't really care that much about the accessing of files, big deal, but the part that is interesting is that Obama has apparently done very little to nothing in regard to doing his job in regard to Europe, hardly any travel in Europe except maybe a visit to London, yet he chairs a subcommittee on European affairs while holding no hearings. Looks like he is really informed and doing his job.

John Brennan: A Conspiracy Of None

22 Mar 2008 05:44 pm

Two e-mails from two Clinton supporters pass along this CNN brief about the company that employed a state dept. functionary who snuck a peak at Barack Obama's passport application.

Turns out that the owner of one of the companies is John Brennan, one of Barack Obama's chief advisers on intelligence policy. (The others are Lee Hamilton and Tony Lake.)

Conspiracy?

Actually, no.

It's more interesting that that. Let's broaden this out.

Brennan is one of many former intelligence community heavyweights to have started his own consulting firm after leaving the government. These firms employ hundreds of thousands of Americans in jobs requiring access to sensitive, Secret, Top Secret, or even Top Secret Codeword information.

There's a big debate in the community right now about contracting: how much oversight is enough? Should the contractors be subject to the same rules as federal employees? Are their jobs that contractors shouldn't do? Should the IC admit that it has outsourced many of our nation's most critical jobs to non-government employees?

Also: what's the quickest, safest and most efficient way to vet these employees.

In this case, the employee was subjected to a "national agency check," which is essentially what the Secret Service performs on folks whose friends get them those extra-special White House tours. That is, their names are run through federal databases to see if anything untoward pops out. Most "Secret" clearances are processed with a national agency check and only a little bit more investigation.

Most folks in the intelligence community want contractors to have easier access to raw intelligence products and have urged reform of the security clearance process. That's where another Brenann connection comes in. He's the chairman of INSA, the Intelligence and Security Alliance, a very well-regarded think tank consortium funded in part by companies who have IC business.

One wonders whether a President Obama would be more likely, or less likely, to support a more rational security clearance system after these indiscretions.

NB: Brennan was most recently in the news for breaking with Obama over telecom immunity. Brennan supports it; Obama does not.

Passport contractor exec is Obama adviser

Chief of firm involved in breach is Obama adviser

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The CEO of a company whose employee is accused of improperly looking at the passport files of presidential candidates is a consultant to the Barack Obama campaign, a source said John O. Brennan, president and CEO of the Analysis Corp., advises the Illinois Democrat on foreign policy and intelligence issues, the source said Saturday.

John O. Brennan, president and CEO of the Analysis Corp., advises the Illinois Democrat on foreign policy and intelligence issues, the source said.

Brennan briefed the media on behalf of the campaign this month.

The executive is a former senior CIA official and former interim director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

He contributed $2,300 to the Obama campaign in January.

When asked about the contribution, a State Department official told CNN's Zain Verjee, "We ethically awarded contracts. Political affiliation is not one of the factors that we check."

On Friday, the department revealed that Obama's passport file was improperly accessed three times this year, and the passport files of the two other major presidential candidates -- Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John McCain -- had also been breached. Video Watch the secretary of state apologize for the breach »

Three contractors are accused in the wrongdoing, including the one who works for the Analysis Corp. and who was disciplined. That contractor accessed McCain's file in addition to Obama's. None of the contractors was identified.

The Washington Times, which broke the story Thursday night that Obama's records had been improperly accessed, reported Saturday that the State Department inquiry is focusing on the Analysis Corp. employee. Also, the investigation by the department's inspector general will include polygraph tests for supervisors in the passport section to find out whether there was any political motive.

The department spokesman said Saturday that he would not comment on whether the department was administering polygraphs to employees in connection with the investigation.

The other two contractors who worked for Stanley Inc. were fired.

"While this is a rare occurrence, we regret the unauthorized access of any individual's private information," the company said in a statement Friday.

Stanley has had contracts with the department since 1992 and was recently awarded a $570 million contract to continue providing support for passport processing. Its CEO, Philip Nolan, contributed $1,000 to the Clinton campaign. Video Watch how contractor execs are linked to campaigns »

The department official said the three contractors worked in three offices in the Washington area that are involved in various functions. One office does consular work and visas on evenings, holidays, weekends and overnights; another office issues passports; the third office scans and files materials.

The source said there has been no problem in the past with the Analysis Corp. employee, who has "extensive" experience. The worker has been with the company for years and has always worked under a State Department contract.

Explaining that the department had "complimented" this person for work in the past, the source said the individual is considered a "terrific" employee, except for this one instance, characterized as an "aberration."

The department asked the Analysis Corp. not to take any administrative action against the employee while the investigation is under way.

On Friday, the company released a statement saying it would fully cooperate with the federal investigation. The source said the Analysis Corp. has told the employee to do the same.
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Echoing the State Department spokesman Friday, this source said there is no indication the motivation was anything but idle curiosity.

The source said the Analysis Corp. first learned of its employee's actions Friday morning when it received a call from the State Department. In its statement, the firm confirmed that one of the contractors was an employee and called it "an isolated incident."

I'm sure roxxxanne can explain that tico and I'm equally sure it will have something to do with them and you and probably me being ignorant, misogynist, racist pigs.

Oh and closet gays. I think that covers all of the main roxxx talking points does it not?

Bi-Polar Bear wrote:

I'm sure roxxxanne can explain that tico and I'm equally sure it will have something to do with them and you and probably me being ignorant, misogynist, racist pigs.

Oh and closet gays. I think that covers all of the main roxxx talking points does it not?

Pretty much.

Oh, and we need help ... professional help.

So the guy who owns the firm is an Obama advisor. Obama has demanded a complete investigation. What are you possibly suspecting is the nefarious connection?