http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/04/25/the-mary-mccarthy-story/ News and analysis of critical issues in homeland security today. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:03:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 http://www.hlswatch.com/2006/04/25/the-mary-mccarthy-story/comment-page-1/#comment-756 William R. Cumming Tue, 25 Apr 2006 15:15:37 +0000 http://www.hlswatch.com/?p=636#comment-756 It should be noted that contract employees have greater rights to a full-scale adversary proceeding over the loss of a clearance (leading of course to loss of access) than federal employees, even at the CIA. In the period 1991-1992 at FEMA General Andrew Goodpaster led a blue-ribbon panel to fully analyze the personnel security system in FEMA leading to a substantial revision under Director James Lee Witt. This is because the continued existence without amendment of Executive Order 10450 allows the head of each federal department or agency to establish a personnel security system for its programs. Witt's answer was to abolish the need for clearance's for about 60% of the agency leading to a firm basis for a "Need to Share" culture as opposed to a "Need to Know". Obviously FEMA is not the CIA but it does indicate that the culture of secrecy or not in each department and agency is a factor in its success or lack thereof. For example before 9/11 neither EPA nor HHS had orginal classification authority despite key assignments in Executive Order 12656, as amended. If personnel security systems are administered by personnel who are vindicative, without adequate training and judgement, then the system can be used by unaccoutable persons to destroy the effectiveness and efficiency of a department or agency. The 9/11 Commision pin-pointed this issue but no reform or even Congressional oversight has occurred. It should be noted that contract employees have greater rights to a full-scale adversary proceeding over the loss of a clearance (leading of course to loss of access) than federal employees, even at the CIA. In the period 1991-1992 at FEMA General Andrew Goodpaster led a blue-ribbon panel to fully analyze the personnel security system in FEMA leading to a substantial revision under Director James Lee Witt. This is because the continued existence without amendment of Executive Order 10450 allows the head of each federal department or agency to establish a personnel security system for its programs. Witt’s answer was to abolish the need for clearance’s for about 60% of the agency leading to a firm basis for a “Need to Share” culture as opposed to a “Need to Know”. Obviously FEMA is not the CIA but it does indicate that the culture of secrecy or not in each department and agency is a factor in its success or lack thereof. For example before 9/11 neither EPA nor HHS had orginal classification authority despite key assignments in Executive Order 12656, as amended.
If personnel security systems are administered by personnel who are vindicative, without adequate training and judgement, then the system can be used by unaccoutable persons to destroy the effectiveness and efficiency of a department or agency. The 9/11 Commision pin-pointed this issue but no reform or even Congressional oversight has occurred.

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