FAS | Intelligence | News | 2014 ||||

Newer News: August 2014

July 2014 Intelligence News

• Summary of CIA IG Report on Improper Access to Senate Intelligence Committee Records, CIA Inspector General, July 31
• CIA admits to spying on Senate staffers by Spencer Ackerman, The Guardian, July 31. "John Brennan issues frank apology after acknowledging that agency spied on Senate intelligence committee's staff members."
• Unpaid tax debts surprisingly frequent among those with U.S. security clearances by Alexander Cohen, Center for Public Integrity, July 30. "Federal law doesn't specifically bar someone with tax debt from being granted a security clearance, but guidelines on granting clearances advise caution."
• Senators consider obscure rule in CIA torture report declassification debate by Spencer Ackerman, The Guardian, July 28. "Senators are considering the use of an obscure parliamentary procedure to compel the Obama administration to release more of a landmark Senate report into the Central Intelligence Agency's abusive post-9/11 interrogations should they be unsatisfied with the administration's first version."
• The Other Secret Gov't Agency That Operates Outside the Law by Rob Garver, The Fiscal Times, July 23. "CFIUS has the power to review foreign purchases of U.S. firms, and to disallow them -- retroactively, if necessary -- if it finds they compromise national security."
• So, Which Agency Needs an Executive Chef with a Top Secret Clearance? by Bob Brewin, NextGov, July 16. "Sodexo, the food services company, 'is seeking a strong executive chef to manage all the culinary operations at a high-profile government dining account in Northern Virginia. The successful candidate must be able to obtain a TS/SCI clearance,' according to a job posting on the company's website."
• Wanted: Top (secret) chef by Julian Hattem, The Hill, July 16. "One spy agency is looking for a new chef who can fry, bake and keep a secret."
• Showdown between the Senate and CIA ends without charges by Adam Serwer, MSNBC, July 10. "The battle between the Central Intelligence Agency and their overseers on the Senate Intelligence Committee that began four months ago will not lead to a criminal investigation."
• Joint Statement by ODNI and DoJ on Court-ordered Legal Surveillance of U.S. Persons, news release, July 9. "It is entirely false that U.S. intelligence agencies conduct electronic surveillance of political, religious or activist figures solely because they disagree with public policies or criticize the government, or for exercising constitutional rights."
• The Air Force May Have Already Developed Its New Long-Range Bomber by Bob Brewin, Defense One, July 9. "While the Air Force is expected to soon issue a request for proposals for its long-range strike bomber, a July 2 Congressional Research Service report made public Tuesday suggests that the service has already developed the aircraft through its classified budget."
• Burned By Snowden, Former NSA Official Now Helps Finance Industry Avoid 'Insider Threats' by Matt Sledge, Huffington Post, July 8. "Inglis continued to lead the agency as deputy director for six months after the leaks, retiring on Jan. 10. Now he's working to sell the financial services industry on a tool to prevent the same sort of 'insider threat' that so blindsided him at the NSA."
• Don't make reporter testify against a source, by Rem Rieder, USA Today, July 2. "I can make this simple: Team Obama, leave James Risen alone. Don't turn legitimate public-interest journalism into a criminal activity."