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Secrecy and Security News

Newer News: November 2018

October 2018

• Victor Marchetti, 88, Dies; Book Was First to Be Censored by C.I.A. by Katharine Q. Seelye, New York Times, October 31. "Victor Marchetti, a former C.I.A. employee and co-author of the first book, about the agency's inner workings, that the federal government sought to censor before its publication, died on Oct. 19 at his home in Ashburn, Va."
• Pentagon Wants to Predict Anti-Trump Protests Using Social Media Surveillance by Nafeez Ahmed, Motherboard, October 30. "A series of research projects, patent filings, and policy changes indicate that the Pentagon wants to use social media surveillance to quell domestic insurrection and rebellion."
• Spy budgets soared in Trump's first year by Steven Nelson, Washington Examiner, October 30. "Overall intelligence spending increased more than 10 percent to $81.5 billion, according to the figures released Tuesday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Defense Department."
• Russian National Charged with Interfering in U.S. Political System, Justice Dept news release, October 19. "Today's charges allege that Russian national Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova conspired with others who were part of a Russian influence campaign to interfere with U.S. democracy," said Assistant Attorney General Demers.
• Former FBI agent gets four years in prison for leaking classified documents by Rachel Weiner and Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post, October 18. "You want the government to be able to keep legitimate secrets, and you want the press to be able to uncover things that are unnecessarily being withheld. It looks like in recent years the balance has been tipping in favor of law enforcement."
• Former FBI Agent Sentenced for Leaking Classified Information, Justice Dept news release, October 18. "Terry J. Albury, 39, a former Special Agent of the FBI, was sentenced today to 48 months in the District of Minnesota in connection with his unauthorized disclosure and retention of classified national defense information."
• Senior FinCen Employee Arrested And Charged With Unlawfully Disclosing SARs, Justice Dept news release, October 17. "Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, a senior-level FinCEN employee, allegedly betrayed her position of trust by repeatedly disclosing highly sensitive information contained in Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to an individual not authorized to receive them."
• Accounting Authority Finalizes Policy for Withholding Classified Budget Numbers by Charles S. Clark, Government Executive, October 9. "It's final. The Pentagon and other agencies whose programs draw from highly classified budgets may withhold certain numbers from standard-format financial statements, an accounting authority announced last week."
• The Navy's Terrible Accident Record Is Now Hidden From Public View by Jason Paladino, The Atlantic, October 8. "I made the disturbing discovery recently that, amid a dramatic five-year spike in aviation accidents, the Navy has put aviation safety data that used to be public behind a wall."
• Federal Accounting Board issues new standard for classified activities, FASAB news release, October 4. The new standard allows agencies to modify public accounts in order to conceal classified activities (background).
• FAS petitions DOE for declassification of the size of the US nuclear stockpile, FY 2018, October 1. "Nuclear transparency can strengthen non-proliferation efforts, and can lay a foundation for future arms control efforts."

Older News: September 2018

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Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Updated November 12, 2018