WHO WANTS DoD JOB? After months of speculation following the resignation of James Mattis, and many rumored proposals to potential replacements - we're told all of whom politely declined - President Trump is planning to nominate Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan for the job. Shanahan will have to be confirmed to the post, but the fact that he wants the job at all has him leagues ahead of others.
NO GPS NEEDED FOR THIS MOVE: IARPA Director Stacey Dixon is making a move back to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, becoming the Agency's new Deputy Director. Before serving as both Deputy Director and then Director, of IARPA, she was at NGA - first in the role of chief of congressional affairs, and then later as deputy director of the NGA Office of Corporate Communications, director of the NGA Information Integration Office and later the deputy director of NGA’s research and development directorate. We guess she knows her way around the building.
A RESPECTABLE MOVE: Andrew Borene has joined software company Symantec as a Senior Director of the Federal National Security Group. Little Birds tell us that Borene will be responsible for leading a team to develop cyber defense solutions for federal agencies. Borene is a former senior advisor to IARPA and a former Associate Deputy General Counsel at DoD.
CIA CAN’T GET NO RESPECT: The Central Intelligence Agency has amassed some experience with having political leaders who hold it in low regard. That may come in handy if Senator Bernie Sanders becomes commander in chief. According to The Washington Examiner, back in 1974 (which was only yesterday if you are 77 years old) – Sanders called the CIA “a dangerous institution that has got to go” adding that the Agency “is responsible to nobody except a handful of right-wing lunatics and the big multinational corporate interests.” At the time, Sanders also reportedly speculated that the CIA might be behind a series of domestic terrorist bombings in the United States. Sanders says he no longer wants to ‘abolish’ the nation’s premiere espionage agency, but says he has a ‘lot of problems’ with their activities.
FBI TECHNICAL ADVICE FOR A PRICE: Recently uncovered 1998 correspondence from former FBI official Cartha “Deke” Deloach and the producers of the television series The X-Files shows that Deloach was not a fan of an episode script shared with him of a flash back to the 1950s. Documents released under FOIA show that Deloach opined that the series would not last long (apparently unaware that it had already been on the air for five seasons and would be on for at least five more). He was mostly upset because it portrayed former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover as being friendly with Senator Joe McCarthy and lawyer Roy Cohn. But Muckrock.com, which posted the correspondence, says that the episode had already been shot by the time Deloach kvetched about the script. Pretty sure the producers would not have listened anyway – since the lines attributed to Hoover were reportedly lifted directly from McCarthy speeches about the late director. Deloach did offer to review future scripts, however, if the producers paid him. Such assistance apparently was not needed – since the series focuses on more modern FBI agents investigating the inexplicable.
FBI EMBRACES DOLLY PARTON: The FBI has never been a slouch when it comes to connecting to the public through entertainment. A recent example is the Bureau honoring country singer Dolly Parton as a “distinguished community leader.” Parton’s “Dollywood Foundation” reportedly donated $9 million to victims of the Gatlinburg, TN 2016 wildfires. No doubt to the disappointment of many G-men (and women), Parton could not attend the award ceremony in person – but sent a video thanking the Bureau ending her remarks by singing the words “I will always love you!”
SECRET AGENT RADIO: A U.S. District Court judge in Florida has ruled that a radio station in Washington, D.C. must register as a Russian foreign agent. “RM Broadcasting” reportedly airs Sputnik International broadcasts from Moscow. The Judge agreed with the Justice Department which argued that the U.S. owner of the station can’t just carry Moscow’s signal without conforming with the “Foreign Agents Registration Act” which was created in 1938 to combat Nazi propaganda. The decision was first reported by WTOP radio in DC which speculates that the ruling may lead to other media outlets, such as RT (formerly Russia Today) having to register as well.
HAVING FOLLOWERS IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD: Sure, if you are on Twitter – you want lots of followers. But if you are on the highway, having folks follow you is not always good. Former CIA officer David Bradfield, along with fellow Agency officer Mark Laine, recently published an article on the “Reno Dads Blog” informing civilians how to determine if they may be under surveillance and what to do if you find out you are in fact being followed. Sounds pretty streetwise to us.
BEING FOLLOWED FOLLOWING THE CIA IS NOT ALWAYS GOOD: The CIA has gotten lots of notice for its outreach on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. This week, the Agency announced a new initiative establishing its own “onion service” (TOR) so that people can access the Agency on the dark web, without leaving tracks. The anonymous access will allow those so motivated to communicate with Langley in an encrypted way. As you might suspect, there is a secret code you’re going to need to be able to communicate. We had to jot it down in our super-secret spy codebook because it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue: ciadotgov4sjwlzihbbgxnqg3xiyrg7so2r2o3lt5wz5ypk4sxyjstad.onion. No, really.
COSTLY COMPLAINT: Former NSA and CIA employee Joshua Schulte is in jail on charges of stealing CIA hacking tools, espionage, child porn and a few other items. And he is mad. Mad because being in the slammer is interfering with his financial prospects. According to Techdirt.com Schulte has filed a handwritten complaint against the Attorney general, Department of Justice, FBI and others who he dubs collectively “The Federal Terrorists.” We can’t claim to have read the entire 88-page document – but we understand that he is demanding $50 Billion dollars in lost income. He probably just wants to get out of jail and back to his day job, as Donald Trump’s accountant.
POCKET LITTER: Bits and pieces of interesting /weird stuff we discovered:
THE TIES THAT BIND US: The Washington Post recently ran a heartwarming story about a former CIA case officer who was selling excess neckties on eBay and peddled a particular patriotic one to an Ohio man who wanted it to wear while being sworn in as a U.S. citizen. So, the case officer waived the $6.99 asking price. While the story was touching – it got us wondering if the Agency is paying its (ex) case officers enough – so that they don’t have to sell used ties on line for $6.99.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY: An NBC News affiliate in Washington was first to report the filing of a criminal complaint against Jennifer Hernandez, a 58-year-old woman accused of attempting to enter CIA headquarters multiple times. In one alleged incident, Hernandez walked up to the main vehicle entrance asking to see her recruiter but was sent packing when security officers determined that she had no appointment. The affiliate says she then showed up via Lyft and again via Uber with the same mission. Finally, on May 3rd, the report says she showed up again asking to “speak to Agent Penis.” When denied, she allegedly said she would leave by bus – but subsequently failed to board the Metrobus that stops near the headquarters. She was arrested and sent to Alexandria city jail. Editorial comment: CIA officials are known as “officers” not “agents.” Perhaps “Agent Penis” works for the FBI. There are multiple other lines which come to mind – but since The Dead Drop is a family publication – you will have to add them yourself.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING: Got any tips for your friendly neighborhood Dead Drop? Shoot us a note at TheDeadDrop@theCipherBrief.com.
