Company allegedly misled government about security clearance checks

[DonViejo]

Source: WaPo

Federal investigators have told lawmakers they have evidence that USIS, the contractor that screened Edward Snowden for his top-secret clearance, repeatedly misled the government about the thoroughness of its background checks, according to people familiar with the matter.

The alleged transgressions are so serious that a federal watchdog indicated he plans to recommend that the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees most background checks, end ties with USIS unless it can show it is performing responsibly, the people said.

-snip-




Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/company-allegedly-misled-government-about-security-clearance-checks/2013/06/27/dfb7ee04-df5c-11e2-b2d4-ea6d8f477a01_story.html

[GeorgeGist]

1. Looking forward to the responses of the "nothing to see" crowd.

[L0oniX]

6. Why didn't the NSA pick up on this?

[Crowman1979]

2. The federal government should look in the mirror if they want to find who is leaking classified info

Wanna know who has the secret? All of the companies they gave contracts to.

[DURHAM D]

3. We need to give USIS a bill for damages.

[Sherman A1]

14. Precisely

and I believe they should be prosecuted for Fraud, which I believe is a criminal offense.

It would be nice to see a Corporation go to Jail! (or at least their CEO).

[L0oniX]

4. Well it's capitalism I tell ya ...capitalsm. Ever watch a TV comercial? They are all miss-leading.

It's ok and it's normal ...don't worry about it. It's just capitalism. Hey has our government ever mislead us? Oh NOES! Will there be any charges? Will there be any pardons? How dare they mislead the miss-leaders! Damn them! Hey weren’t those pesky derivatives miss-leading too? Oh but that's ok ...it's just capitalism. Every fucking thing is miss-leading in this country...get used to it ...it's called capitalism.

[DallasNE]

5. Duh!

The principle goal of the CEO of USIS is the bottom line. One sure way to improve the bottom line is to not do the work required by the contract. Knowing this the government (Personal Management) has a responsibility to perform thorough spot check audits to assure compliance with the contract. There needs to be severe penalties for non-compliance.

[hedda_foil]

7. Guess who may have gotten bonuses for "efficiency"?

After conducting an initial background check of a candidate for employment, USIS was required to perform a second review to make sure no important details had been missed. From 2008 through 2011, USIS allegedly skipped this second review in up to 50 percent of the cases. But it conveyed to federal officials that these reviews had, in fact, been performed.

The shortcut made it appear that USIS was more efficient than it actually was and may have triggered incentive awards for the company, the people briefed on the matter said. Investigators, who have briefed lawmakers on the allegations, think the strategy may have originated with senior executives, the people said.

[struggle4progress]

8. Former investigator for NSA background checks pleads guilty

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014515017

[jimlup]

9. It is somewhat amusing to me...

Humans will always (at least we hope) be in charge of such things and Humans as we are currently evolved sometimes do unexpected things because of the fact that we are NOT MACHINES.

Security Clearances can never be totally secure. That the government even seriously tries is amusing. Maybe they shouldn't even bother. I don't see how tightening the clamps will really help in any constructive way. Unless of course we wish to adopt totalitarianism as our political foundation (and maybe that is indeed the direction we are headed whether we admit it or not.)

[nineteen50]

10. Deregulate corporations will do the right thing

like lie and cheat for profit. Shame on government for again being duped.

[Iliyah]

11. Yes, point that out

while the rest of American workers are suffering.

[hollysmom]

12. take back al lthe money they were paid for job not done -

if they go out of business, that is how the free market should work.

[DeSwiss]

13. Everybody else can relax now......

...scapegoat FOUND!

- K&R