Vetting Gone Wrong
Well, it's disappointing to learn that Errol Southers, President Obama's choice to head the Transportation Security Administration, was reprimanded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the 1980's after asking a police officer to run a background check on his wife's ex-boyfriend. But I can't say I'm shocked. After all the hoopla about how fabulous the Obama administration's vetting and nomination process was supposed to be, I think it's undeniable that it's turned into something of a train wreck. Tax errors and employer reprimands are the front line of things that show up in a background check of someone. If you miss them, something is wrong. And it's unstrategic to have this stuff leak out the way it has. It means you're setting up your own minefield, and forcing your own people to walk through it with you. I have no idea how things got to this state, but it's pretty pronounced.
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Are you kidding me? He doesn't pass muster because of an incident from the 1980's?? That's totally insane. How do you know he wasn't checking up on the ex-boyfriend because he was stalking his wife? There could be a perfectly legitimate reason to want to do so. OK - a lapse in judgement to have the FBI perform a search, but ordinary folks use their police friends to find out about private citizens! I can't believe we think people must be PERFECT in every way and to have never made a mistake in their life to be able to serve in the government!
Lori Bennett Posted Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:55 AMWhoa! Lori someone screws up and the first thing you want to do is forgive them. How dumb is that. The first thing to do when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar is own up to it and be prepared to suffer the consquencies of your actions. Give a sincere apology and hope it is accepted. Forgiving, if justified by the follow on behavior may be appropriate right away or at a later date. That forgiving may never come depending on the indecorousness of the act etc. In defense of the writers let me say the proof is in the pudding, their lack of vetting skills sucks.
Answerman Posted Wednesday, November 11, 2009 11:25 AMInteresting post. All, repeat all, federal employees and appointees are subject to a suitability standard published as a regulation by OPM. What is suitability read the regulation in 5 CFR. When a person goes through the vetting for an advise and consent position in the Executive Branch he/she goes through quite an involved process. Even if passing OGE (Office of Government Ethics--an independent Executive Branch Agency--review, does not mean that his/indebted tax is not a factor. And the Ethics Officers in the agencies do not see the individuals tax returns. This is separately acquired by White House Ethics Counsel and staff from IRS as well as a background investigation from the FBI. For PAS often done by federal employee not by contractor staff. The FBI collects raw data, so-called any derogatory data--but only reports it and does not adjudicate it. Where that involves a positon requiring a National Security designation and personnel security clearance, the background investigation is later adjudicated. By whom and how often a mystery. One agency that ended up doing a thorough study of the use and misuse of its personnel security system was FEMA that conducted such a study in 1991-92 based on incidents that occurred involving clearances for lesbian/gay employees. The URL for the study is http:www.fas.org/sgp/library/trefry.pdf
The reports effect was to allow the next Director James Lee Witt to decrease security clearances by 40% in FEMA and get the agency to operate smoothly again during natural disasters. Incorporation of FEMA into DHS has again immersed that agency in the world of secrecy requiring high level personnel security clearances and document security when if properly classifed and a person has that clearance--still requires a need to know. What at bottom has screwed u the whole system is an Eisenhower era Executive Order --EO 10450--that was issued so IKE did not have to personally downgrade Dr. Robert Oppenhimers clearance [note that he never did lose all his clearances and access] and that could be done by Lewis Strauss, head of the AEC (Atomic Energy Commission)!
Then each Senate Committee has its own lengthy form to be answered by the nominee.
Apparently no administration cares enough about the defects in this system because it has gone uncorrected since the 50's. Nor does Congress care as long as its members are automatically granted some level of clearance upon election whatever derogatory information exists. In other words, election to Congress adjudicates favorably automatically. This is one reason why the Executive Branch so distrusts the Congress to keep safe its (EB)secrets. Of course the FBI also opens a file on each new member and keeps it open, the source of power and essentially possible bureacratic "blackmail" that made J.Edgar Hoover such a bureacratic force even while ignoring drugs, illegal alcohol distribution, and organized crime, or more recently terrorism.
Hoping this background helps understand the importance of this subject to our democracy (Republic)!
William R. Cumming Posted Wednesday, November 11, 2009 12:53 PMErrol Southers is a New World Order Puppet.
James Posted Tuesday, November 17, 2009 12:41 PMHis arrogance is perfect for the job. His background is not squeaky clean...perfect addition for the gang members of the Obama thugs.
He is recruited by Boeing to speak to their employees to perpetuate the lie on the "War On Terror". Well kiddies, the "War on Terror" is a complete lie.
I witnessed this myself...I was there. He got all the Boeing sheep to lick up his propaganda lies. The man is a paid liar. He disgusts me and is against anything that is good. Integrity, honesty, protection of American's civil liberties, an oath to protect the Constitution are all the things that DO NOT describe Southers. He is just another New World Order Puppet put in place to subjugate the freedom of Americans.