Mary McCarthy (CIA)
Encyclopedia
Mary O'Neil McCarthy is a former United States Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) employee who last worked in the Office of the Inspector General. In her career, she was an intelligence analyst and National Intelligence Officer for Warning. She was dismissed
on April 21, 2006 after, according to the CIA, an individual admitted "unauthorized contacts with the media and discussion of classified information" following a polygraph
examination. Her lawyer has confirmed the termination of employment but denied his client leaked classified information. The CIA has since reiterated its statements but has not yet officially confirmed news reports that McCarthy is the dismissed employee.
, McCarthy received a Ph.D.
in History
and an M.A.
in Library Science
from the University of Minnesota
, as well as a B.A.
and M.A. in History from Michigan State University
. From 1979 to 1984 she held a position at BERI, S.A. where she conducted financial, operational, and political risk assessment
for multinational corporations. She also taught at the University of Minnesota and was director of the Social Science Data Archive at Yale University
and wrote a book on the colonial history
of present-day Ghana
.
In 2005, McCarthy received a J.D.
from Georgetown University
Law Center
after taking evening classes, and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in December 2005 and the District of Columbia Bar in 2007.
in the Directorate of Intelligence. She served as the Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Warning from 1991 to 1994 and as National Intelligence Officer for Warning from 1994 to 1996.
Following her service as National Intelligence Officer for Warning, McCarthy served as Director of Intelligence Programs on the National Security Council
staff. In 1998, Sandy Berger
, then National Security Advisor
for President Bill Clinton
, appointed her as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs succeeding Rand Beers
. She remained at the NSC until July 2001, when she left to take a position with the Center for Strategic and International Studies
as a Visiting Fellow in International Security. It has been reported that she returned to CIA in a capacity within the Office of the Inspector General in 2005 and was within days of retiring.
In 1998, McCarthy opposed the bombing of al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory
suspected of manufacturing chemical weapons. Immediately after the bombing the government of Sudan claimed the factory only made pharmaceuticals and demanded an apology from the U.S. Neither the Clinton nor Bush Administrations have apologized for the attack. The 9/11 Commission Report shows that in April 2000, the National Security staff reviewed the intelligence and agreed that al-Shifa was used in chemical weapons development. The memo to Sandy Berger
was signed by Richard Clarke
and Mary McCarthy, showing that McCarthy had changed her view to support the bombing of the plant (see footnote 50 on page 482 of the report).
In 2003, she testified before the 9/11 Commission about warning systems.
campaign
. According to public records, McCarthy also contributed $5,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party
and $500 to the Democratic National Committee
in October 2004, and $200 to the Steve Andreasen campaign in November 2002. According to The Washington Post
, the White House
has "recently barraged the agency with questions about the political affiliations of some of its senior intelligence officers."
on several occasions. Her identity has as yet not been confirmed officially by government sources; however, several CIA spokespersons have talked to the press about the incident. CIA spokeswoman Michele Neff is quoted as saying, "This CIA officer acknowledged having unauthorized discussions with the media in which the officer knowingly shared classified intelligence, including operational information."
On April 24, McCarthy's lawyer, Ty Cobb, told the New York Times that she "categorically denied leaking classified information [and] having access to the information attributed to her." It was not in dispute that she had unauthorized contact with reporters. NBC's Andrea Mitchell
called such contact a "firing offense," adding, "but no one can recall anyone being fired for this." Prior to her firing, McCarthy had submitted her resignation on February 7, 2006, and her scheduled last day of work was April 30. On the same day, a Newsweek story quoted Beers as saying that she "categorically denie[d] being the source of the leak." The same Newsweek article also reported that a "counter-terrorism official (...) acknowledged that in firing McCarthy, the CIA was not necessarily accusing her of being the principal, original, or sole leaker of any particular story."
According to David Johnston and Scott Shane of the New York Times, "In an effort to stem leaks, the Bush administration launched several initiatives this year [2006] targeting journalists and national security employees. They include FBI probes, extensive polygraphing inside the CIA and a warning from the Justice Department that reporters could be prosecuted under espionage laws."
As of yet, no criminal charges have been filed against McCarthy. The media has also reported that intelligence and law enforcement officials indicated that charges would not likely be filed against McCarthy. According to news reports, other CIA officials have leaked classified information without being fired or prosecuted. Most notable among these is Paul R. Pillar
who leaked portions of a classified National Intelligence Estimate he worked on.
is in U.S. Code Title 18, Part I, Chapter 37. Deliberate disclosure of classified material for which one is entrusted access fall under Section §794 and Section §798.http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000794----000-.html http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000798----000-.html The laws carry penalties of up to Capital punishment
or up to 10 years imprisonment, respectively.
The polygraph investigation was part of a large-scale investigation into intelligence leaks. According to the Los Angeles Times, "In the last several months, the agency has conducted dozens of 'single-issue' polygraph examinations in which senior officers were asked exclusively about contacts with news organizations and disclosures of classified information." Some have suggested that the investigations may have been politically motivated. Former CIA officer Melissa Boyle Mahle told Keith Olbermann
on MSNBC's Countdown
that many in the agency consider the leak investigation a "witch hunt" (24 April 2006) Mahle also noted, "within the agency, there is no such thing as a good leak. And everybody looks at that pretty much through the same optic. Leaks are bad. Nobody supports it. And if you are caught leaking, you‘re—not only are you going to get fired and lose your security clearance, but you‘re going to lose the respect of your colleagues." Mahle observed that Director of Central Intelligence
Porter Goss focused on leaks from "the first day [he] came over to the CIA" and suggests that "employees feel targeted" by what is widely perceived as a witch hunt.
On November 14, 2004, Newsday quoted a former senior CIA official on the political implications of Goss's focus on leaks: "The agency is being purged on instructions from the White House." The official went on to say, "Goss was given instructions ... to get rid of those soft leakers and liberal Democrats. The CIA is looked on by the White House as a hotbed of liberals and people who have been obstructing the president's agenda." Less than two weeks after McCarthy's dismissal, Goss himself was forced out of the CIA, resigning his directorship "under pressure" on May 5, 2005.
for beat journalism for her report on the black sites, a decision that was criticized by some political commentators as Priest refused to identify her sources.
A day later the New York Times reported, "Intelligence officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the dismissal resulted from "a pattern of conduct" and not from a single leak, but that the case involved in part information about secret CIA detention centers that was given to The Washington Post." McCarthy denies being the source of that information, and indeed her lawyer denies that she even had access to that information. It has also been reported that some of the information about rendition operations may have been available from unclassified sources
On April 25, the Washington Post reported that McCarthy's leaks had nothing to do with secret prisons: "Though McCarthy acknowledged having contact with reporters, a senior intelligence official confirmed yesterday that she is not believed to have played a central role in The Post's reporting on the secret prisons. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing personnel matters." A follow-up story on May 14 by the Washington Post put the black sites connection in further doubt, instead positing that McCarthy "had been probing allegations of criminal mistreatment by the CIA and its contractors in Iraq
and Afghanistan
", and became convinced that "CIA people had lied" in a meeting with Senate
staff in June 2005.
. A number of these sources voiced doubts as to whether McCarthy had actually leaked the information.
The Washington Post quoted a former senior intelligence official who claimed to have discussed the matter with former colleagues on the previous day as saying, "A majority of CIA officers would probably find the action taken [against McCarthy] correct. (...) A small number might support her, but the ethic of the business is not to leak, and instead to express one's dissenting views through internal grievance channels."
Referring to a senior law enforcement official's comments on the possibility of a criminal prosecution of McCarthy, a Fox News report said "if the person admitted to leaking classified information, it would be almost negligent not to prosecute them for breaking the law. Failing a polygraph in and of itself does not qualify a person for prosecution but an admission does."
NBC's Andrea Mitchell commented that the CIA's action may be an attempt to send a message about leaks as well as a broader message about any contact with reporters:
Robert David Steele
, a former intelligence officer associated with the open source intelligence
movement, issued a press release praising McCarthy's actions in leaking information claiming, "There is absolutely no question that Mary acted in the finest traditions of the Republic, helping reveal and reduce terrible violations of international law and human rights by the CIA."
Ray McGovern
, who worked as a CIA analyst for 27 years, suggested that if McCarthy leaked the information about "black sites," "if she's in the chain of command and she sees these kinds of crimes being perpetrated, under Nuremberg and other international law, she is required... to do something."
Richard Kerr spent 32 years at the CIA and regarding McCarthy said "she should have argued against the policy, but not to provide information on a classified basis that she had an obligation to protect" and regarding leaks in general said, "If every individual or senior officer in CIA decides they're going to make the judgments of what policies or what activities the CIA are appropriate on their own, as an individual, you have an organization that cannot function."
Former CIA operative Wayne Simmons told Fox News' John Gibson
that there was "no excuse" for McCarthy's alleged leak. "She is no different than the Ames
or the Hanssens
who have sold intel to others.... I'm absolutely shocked that this woman is not sitting in jail right now awaiting trial and continuing to be debriefed." (The Big Story with John Gibson, 24 April 2006).
Terrorism expert Rand Beers
, a Democratic campaign advisor, commented that "Goss and company were just looking for someone to fire to prove that they were serious about leak investigation. And they could portray her as political."
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) employee who last worked in the Office of the Inspector General. In her career, she was an intelligence analyst and National Intelligence Officer for Warning. She was dismissed
Termination of employment
-Involuntary termination:Involuntary termination is the employee's departure at the hands of the employer. There are two basic types of involuntary termination, known often as being "fired" and "laid off." To be fired, as opposed to being laid off, is generally thought of to be the employee's...
on April 21, 2006 after, according to the CIA, an individual admitted "unauthorized contacts with the media and discussion of classified information" following a polygraph
Polygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
examination. Her lawyer has confirmed the termination of employment but denied his client leaked classified information. The CIA has since reiterated its statements but has not yet officially confirmed news reports that McCarthy is the dismissed employee.
Biography
Before entering the intelligence professionIntelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
, McCarthy received a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Library Science
Library science
Library science is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources; and the...
from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, as well as a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and M.A. in History from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. From 1979 to 1984 she held a position at BERI, S.A. where she conducted financial, operational, and political risk assessment
Risk management
Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities...
for multinational corporations. She also taught at the University of Minnesota and was director of the Social Science Data Archive at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and wrote a book on the colonial history
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
of present-day Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
In 2005, McCarthy received a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
after taking evening classes, and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in December 2005 and the District of Columbia Bar in 2007.
Career in intelligence
McCarthy began working for the CIA in 1984 as an analyst for AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in the Directorate of Intelligence. She served as the Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Warning from 1991 to 1994 and as National Intelligence Officer for Warning from 1994 to 1996.
Following her service as National Intelligence Officer for Warning, McCarthy served as Director of Intelligence Programs on the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
staff. In 1998, Sandy Berger
Sandy Berger
Samuel Richard "Sandy" Berger was United States National Security Advisor, under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his position, he helped to formulate the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration...
, then National Security Advisor
National Security Advisor (United States)
The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
for President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, appointed her as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs succeeding Rand Beers
Rand Beers
Rand Beers was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. On June 19, 2009, Beers was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to direct NPPD’s integrated efforts to reduce risks to...
. She remained at the NSC until July 2001, when she left to take a position with the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a bipartisan Washington, D.C., foreign policy think tank. The center was founded in 1962 by Admiral Arleigh Burke and Ambassador David Manker Abshire, originally as part of Georgetown University...
as a Visiting Fellow in International Security. It has been reported that she returned to CIA in a capacity within the Office of the Inspector General in 2005 and was within days of retiring.
In 1998, McCarthy opposed the bombing of al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory
Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory
The Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum North, Sudan, was constructed between 1992 and 1996 with components imported from the United States, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, India, and Thailand....
suspected of manufacturing chemical weapons. Immediately after the bombing the government of Sudan claimed the factory only made pharmaceuticals and demanded an apology from the U.S. Neither the Clinton nor Bush Administrations have apologized for the attack. The 9/11 Commission Report shows that in April 2000, the National Security staff reviewed the intelligence and agreed that al-Shifa was used in chemical weapons development. The memo to Sandy Berger
Sandy Berger
Samuel Richard "Sandy" Berger was United States National Security Advisor, under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his position, he helped to formulate the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration...
was signed by Richard Clarke
Richard Clarke
Richard Clarke may refer to:* Richard Clarke , Jamaican boxer* Richard Clarke , Northern Irish footballer with Portadown* Richard Clarke , Northern Irish footballer with Newry City & Glentoran...
and Mary McCarthy, showing that McCarthy had changed her view to support the bombing of the plant (see footnote 50 on page 482 of the report).
In 2003, she testified before the 9/11 Commission about warning systems.
Campaign contributions
In the wake of her dismissal, The New York Times reported McCarthy had donated $2,000 to the John KerryJohn Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
campaign
John Kerry presidential campaign, 2004
The Presidential Campaign of John Kerry, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and the nominee of the Democratic Party challenged Republican incumbent President George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential election on November 2, 2004. Ultimately, Kerry conceded defeat in the race in a telephone call to Bush...
. According to public records, McCarthy also contributed $5,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party
Ohio Democratic Party
The Ohio Democratic Party is the Ohio affiliate to the United States Democratic Party. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern is the Ohio Democratic Party chairman. Redfern was elected to office in December 2005...
and $500 to the Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
in October 2004, and $200 to the Steve Andreasen campaign in November 2002. According to The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
has "recently barraged the agency with questions about the political affiliations of some of its senior intelligence officers."
Leak scandal
On April 21, 2006, it was reported that a CIA employee was dismissed for releasing classified material. The employee was subsequently identified as Mary McCarthy by the New York Times and other news organizations. Sources said the firing occurred after a polygraph examination indicated the possibility of deception and she subsequently admitted revealing classified information. McCarthy reportedly had leaked information to the Washington Posts Dana PriestDana Priest
Dana Priest is an American author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Priest has worked almost 20 years for The Washington Post. As one of the Post's specialists on National Security she has written many articles on the United States' "War on terror." In 2006 she won the Pulitzer Prize for Beat...
on several occasions. Her identity has as yet not been confirmed officially by government sources; however, several CIA spokespersons have talked to the press about the incident. CIA spokeswoman Michele Neff is quoted as saying, "This CIA officer acknowledged having unauthorized discussions with the media in which the officer knowingly shared classified intelligence, including operational information."
On April 24, McCarthy's lawyer, Ty Cobb, told the New York Times that she "categorically denied leaking classified information [and] having access to the information attributed to her." It was not in dispute that she had unauthorized contact with reporters. NBC's Andrea Mitchell
Andrea Mitchell
Andrea Mitchell is an American television journalist, anchor, reporter, and commentator for NBC News based in Washington, D.C.. She is the NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, and has recently reported on the 2008 Race for the White House for NBC News broadcasts, including NBC Nightly...
called such contact a "firing offense," adding, "but no one can recall anyone being fired for this." Prior to her firing, McCarthy had submitted her resignation on February 7, 2006, and her scheduled last day of work was April 30. On the same day, a Newsweek story quoted Beers as saying that she "categorically denie[d] being the source of the leak." The same Newsweek article also reported that a "counter-terrorism official (...) acknowledged that in firing McCarthy, the CIA was not necessarily accusing her of being the principal, original, or sole leaker of any particular story."
According to David Johnston and Scott Shane of the New York Times, "In an effort to stem leaks, the Bush administration launched several initiatives this year [2006] targeting journalists and national security employees. They include FBI probes, extensive polygraphing inside the CIA and a warning from the Justice Department that reporters could be prosecuted under espionage laws."
As of yet, no criminal charges have been filed against McCarthy. The media has also reported that intelligence and law enforcement officials indicated that charges would not likely be filed against McCarthy. According to news reports, other CIA officials have leaked classified information without being fired or prosecuted. Most notable among these is Paul R. Pillar
Paul R. Pillar
Paul R. Pillar is a 28-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency , a visiting professor at Georgetown University for security studies and a member of the Center for Peace and Security Studies....
who leaked portions of a classified National Intelligence Estimate he worked on.
Criminal Code
According to David Johnston and Scott Shane of The New York Times, "In an effort to stem leaks, the Bush administration launched several initiatives this year [2006] targeting journalists and national security employees. They include FBI probes, extensive polygraphing inside the CIA and a warning from the Justice Department that reporters could be prosecuted under espionage laws." The relevant parts of the Espionage Act of 1917Espionage Act of 1917
The Espionage Act of 1917 is a United States federal law passed on June 15, 1917, shortly after the U.S. entry into World War I. It has been amended numerous times over the years. It was originally found in Title 50 of the U.S. Code but is now found under Title 18, Crime...
is in U.S. Code Title 18, Part I, Chapter 37. Deliberate disclosure of classified material for which one is entrusted access fall under Section §794 and Section §798.http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000794----000-.html http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000798----000-.html The laws carry penalties of up to Capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
or up to 10 years imprisonment, respectively.
Polygraph investigation
The polygraph investigation was part of a large-scale investigation into intelligence leaks. According to the Los Angeles Times, "In the last several months, the agency has conducted dozens of 'single-issue' polygraph examinations in which senior officers were asked exclusively about contacts with news organizations and disclosures of classified information." Some have suggested that the investigations may have been politically motivated. Former CIA officer Melissa Boyle Mahle told Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
on MSNBC's Countdown
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
Countdown with Keith Olbermann is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program that airs on Current TV, where it began airing on June 20, 2011. The program was broadcast on MSNBC from March 31, 2003, to January 21, 2011. On MSNBC, the show presented five selected news stories of...
that many in the agency consider the leak investigation a "witch hunt" (24 April 2006) Mahle also noted, "within the agency, there is no such thing as a good leak. And everybody looks at that pretty much through the same optic. Leaks are bad. Nobody supports it. And if you are caught leaking, you‘re—not only are you going to get fired and lose your security clearance, but you‘re going to lose the respect of your colleagues." Mahle observed that Director of Central Intelligence
Director of Central Intelligence
The Office of United States Director of Central Intelligence was the head of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the principal intelligence advisor to the President and the National Security Council, and the coordinator of intelligence activities among and between the various United...
Porter Goss focused on leaks from "the first day [he] came over to the CIA" and suggests that "employees feel targeted" by what is widely perceived as a witch hunt.
On November 14, 2004, Newsday quoted a former senior CIA official on the political implications of Goss's focus on leaks: "The agency is being purged on instructions from the White House." The official went on to say, "Goss was given instructions ... to get rid of those soft leakers and liberal Democrats. The CIA is looked on by the White House as a hotbed of liberals and people who have been obstructing the president's agenda." Less than two weeks after McCarthy's dismissal, Goss himself was forced out of the CIA, resigning his directorship "under pressure" on May 5, 2005.
Black sites
On April 21, 2006, NBC reported that the "leak pertained to stories on the CIA's rumored secret prisons in Eastern Europe", commonly known as black sites. The article adds that the original Washington Post report, authored by Dana Priest, "caused an international uproar, and government officials have said it did significant damage to relationships between the U.S. and allied intelligence agencies." Earlier in April 2006, Priest received a Pulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for beat journalism for her report on the black sites, a decision that was criticized by some political commentators as Priest refused to identify her sources.
A day later the New York Times reported, "Intelligence officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the dismissal resulted from "a pattern of conduct" and not from a single leak, but that the case involved in part information about secret CIA detention centers that was given to The Washington Post." McCarthy denies being the source of that information, and indeed her lawyer denies that she even had access to that information. It has also been reported that some of the information about rendition operations may have been available from unclassified sources
On April 25, the Washington Post reported that McCarthy's leaks had nothing to do with secret prisons: "Though McCarthy acknowledged having contact with reporters, a senior intelligence official confirmed yesterday that she is not believed to have played a central role in The Post's reporting on the secret prisons. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing personnel matters." A follow-up story on May 14 by the Washington Post put the black sites connection in further doubt, instead positing that McCarthy "had been probing allegations of criminal mistreatment by the CIA and its contractors in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
", and became convinced that "CIA people had lied" in a meeting with Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
staff in June 2005.
Responses and opinions
The response to the revelations in the intelligence community has been mixed. Some former colleagues stressed the illegality and impropriety of leaking classified documents, while others praised the act of alerting the public to possible misconduct within the CIA. Most internal CIA sources requested anonymityAnonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
. A number of these sources voiced doubts as to whether McCarthy had actually leaked the information.
The Washington Post quoted a former senior intelligence official who claimed to have discussed the matter with former colleagues on the previous day as saying, "A majority of CIA officers would probably find the action taken [against McCarthy] correct. (...) A small number might support her, but the ethic of the business is not to leak, and instead to express one's dissenting views through internal grievance channels."
Referring to a senior law enforcement official's comments on the possibility of a criminal prosecution of McCarthy, a Fox News report said "if the person admitted to leaking classified information, it would be almost negligent not to prosecute them for breaking the law. Failing a polygraph in and of itself does not qualify a person for prosecution but an admission does."
NBC's Andrea Mitchell commented that the CIA's action may be an attempt to send a message about leaks as well as a broader message about any contact with reporters:
- Now they've found someone who was about to retire, and they're sending a very tough message. The bottom line is that no one is going to have the courage or the stupidity or the will to talk to reporters from now on. Very few people will, because they can see from this example, what can happen to you... The purpose is, don't even have lunch with reporters. The purpose is, don't have dinner with reporters. Don't pick up the phone if a reporter calls. It doesn't matter what you say, you're not supposed to have a contact with reporters without telling the higher-ups.http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12479685/
Robert David Steele
Robert David Steele
Robert David Steele Vivas , is known for his promotion of open source intelligence . He is a former United States Marine Corps infantry and intelligence officer for twenty years and was the second-ranking civilian in U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence from 1988–1992...
, a former intelligence officer associated with the open source intelligence
Open source intelligence
Open-source intelligence is a form of intelligence collection management that involves finding, selecting, and acquiring information from publicly available sources and analyzing it to produce actionable intelligence...
movement, issued a press release praising McCarthy's actions in leaking information claiming, "There is absolutely no question that Mary acted in the finest traditions of the Republic, helping reveal and reduce terrible violations of international law and human rights by the CIA."
Ray McGovern
Ray McGovern
Raymond McGovern is a retired CIA officer turned political activist. McGovern was a Federal employee under seven U.S. presidents over 27 years, presenting the morning intelligence briefings at the White House for many of them.-Early life:...
, who worked as a CIA analyst for 27 years, suggested that if McCarthy leaked the information about "black sites," "if she's in the chain of command and she sees these kinds of crimes being perpetrated, under Nuremberg and other international law, she is required... to do something."
Richard Kerr spent 32 years at the CIA and regarding McCarthy said "she should have argued against the policy, but not to provide information on a classified basis that she had an obligation to protect" and regarding leaks in general said, "If every individual or senior officer in CIA decides they're going to make the judgments of what policies or what activities the CIA are appropriate on their own, as an individual, you have an organization that cannot function."
Former CIA operative Wayne Simmons told Fox News' John Gibson
John Gibson (media host)
John David Gibson is an American radio talk show host. As of September 2008, he hosts the syndicated radio program The John Gibson Show on Fox News Radio. Gibson was formerly the co-host of the weekday edition of The Big Story on the Fox News television channel.-Early career:Gibson earned a BA...
that there was "no excuse" for McCarthy's alleged leak. "She is no different than the Ames
Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Hazen Ames is a former Central Intelligence Agency counter-intelligence officer and analyst, who, in 1994, was convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia...
or the Hanssens
Robert Hanssen
Robert Philip Hanssen is a former American FBI agent who spied for Soviet and Russian intelligence services against the United States for 22 years from 1979 to 2001...
who have sold intel to others.... I'm absolutely shocked that this woman is not sitting in jail right now awaiting trial and continuing to be debriefed." (The Big Story with John Gibson, 24 April 2006).
Terrorism expert Rand Beers
Rand Beers
Rand Beers was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. On June 19, 2009, Beers was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to direct NPPD’s integrated efforts to reduce risks to...
, a Democratic campaign advisor, commented that "Goss and company were just looking for someone to fire to prove that they were serious about leak investigation. And they could portray her as political."
Book
- Social Change and the Growth of British Power in the Gold Coast: The Fante States, 1807-1874, University Press of America, Lanham, MarylandLanham, MarylandLanham is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County in the State of Maryland in the United States of America. Because it is not formally incorporated, it has no official boundaries, but the United States Census Bureau has defined a census-designated place consisting of Lanham and the...
, 1983. ISBN 0-8191-3148-2
External links
- The New York Times, "C.I.A. Defends Officer's Firing in Leak Case", April 25, 2006
- FoxNews Video, "Two sides of the story: Fired CIA officer Mary McCarthy hires lawyer and denies leaking any secrets", April 25, 2006
- The New York Times, "Colleagues Say CIA Analyst Played by Rules", April 23, 2006
- The New York Times: "CIA Fires Senior Officer Over Leaks", April 22, 2006
- MSNBC, "CIA officer fired after admitting leak", April 21, 2006
- TPM Cafe: Comment from ex-employee Larry Johnson: "This smells fishy", 22 April 2006
- MSNBC Countdown with Keith Olberman, April 25, 2006: transcript, video