The Intercept's Lee Fang has highlighted a few examples of loud National Security Agency allies that have financial ties to the agency and mass surveillance. The list includes Stewart Baker, the general counsel to the NSA from 1992 through 1994, Fox News military analyst Jack Keane, Retired General Wesley Clark, former Central Intelligence Agency chief James Woolsey, former Republican National Committee chair Jim Gilmore, former NSA director Mike McConnell, and Center for Strategic and International Studies President John Hamre. They have surfaced regularly in the media to denounce Snowden, and in the case of Woolsey, to call for Snowden to be "hanged by his neck".
These NSA cheerleaders have received millions of dollars from their involvement with NSA contractors. For example, Clark and Woolsey are advisors to Paladin Capital Group, "an investment advisor and private equity firm whose Homeland Security Fund was set up about three months after the September 11th attacks to focus on defense and intelligence-related startups":
At the time of Woolsey and Clark's anti-Snowden statements it included a stake in Endgame Systems, a computer network security company that had worked with the NSA, having reportedly counted the agency among its largest customers. Paladin was also invested in CyberCore, which had provided technological work to the NSA. Later, in 2014, Paladin invested in Shadow Networks, formerly known as ZanttzZ, which also provided tech work to the NSA.
Since 2009, [Jim] Gilmore has also worked for a major NSA contractor as member of the board of CACI International, for which he has been compensated with more than $1 million in cash and stock awards. CACI, the firm whose contractors were behind the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, has steadily increased its stake in the cyber intelligence business, acquiring the firm Six3 Systems, an NSA contractor, for $820 million two years ago.
Hamre received close to a quarter of a million dollars as a board member to NSA contractor Leidos, as he had the year prior. In 2013 and again in 2012, Hamre took close to quarter of a million dollars as a board member at SAIC, which has served as a major NSA contractor and which split to form Leidos. Also responsible for the [CSIS] report was former NSA director Mike McConnell — only identified by "Former Director of National Intelligence" rather than as vice chairman of NSA contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, his role at the time.
(Score: 2) by bradley13 on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:00PM
Government contractors want their money flow to continue - what a surprise!
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:01PM
I'm all for privacy and putting the NSA down, but is it just me or that article sounds like a list of people to hang when you, The US People, finally start your revolution?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:26PM
Works for me. The US used a stack of playing cards with pictures of the most wanted in Sadam's regime when it invaded Iraq the second time. The American people will need a bigger deck.
In the meantime I propose a wiki-like dossier on all these people that everyone can contribute to. It can have feeds from mobile apps, too, like Periscope and the like such that the People can know exactly who on that list is where at all times. After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, is it not?
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @11:59PM
The American people will need a bigger deck.
Those will be the true Cards Against Humanity.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:03PM
James Woolsey… Woolsey… Any relation? [wikia.com]
j/k
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:14PM
These turkeys just keep getting fatter and fatter.
Seriously, with so much money coming in, how do they even spend it all before they die?
And it seems there is a government position for government people AFTER they retire.
Wow, no wonder the US economy can't fail.
Just keep making up more bullshit as you print more money for stealing the rights of others using fear as an impetus.
America, way to fucking go!!!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:26PM
If I was an invisible man who could walk through walls, and I visited every person listed in the summary and killed him/her....
....I am curious to know what socio-political effect would be triggered by this action?
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:55PM
A five minute power vacuum while the system waits for the next batch of cretins to rise to the top ?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday May 13 2015, @06:51PM
Nothing, except they install mist machines as a defense countermeasure.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by khchung on Wednesday May 13 2015, @01:58PM
Is anyone surprised?
(Score: 2) by wantkitteh on Wednesday May 13 2015, @02:28PM
I'm still getting over the fact the sun comes up *every* morning!!
(Score: 2, Touché) by canopic jug on Wednesday May 13 2015, @02:44PM
...so far.
Money is not free speech. Elections should not be auctions.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @02:48PM
Wow wow dude... where the heck do you live? It's been at least a month over here without sunshine... (I really have to ask them penguins about that, they may know something)
(Score: 2, Troll) by looorg on Wednesday May 13 2015, @03:06PM
If I spent my entire career in the military or with some spooky three-letter-agency and I eventually retire, start my own business or get a new job wouldn't it kind of make sense to start one or get one in the field that I actually have knowledge in? Most people when they switch jobs switch job and are not going down an entirely new career path. So they are capitalizing on their previous knowledge. Not surprising at all. Can't even really say I find anything wrong with it. If its not wrong for other professional fields to do it I don't see how it would be wrong for these people. This is done all the time in all fields of business. If or when I switch jobs if my current employer have something against my new employer they better pay me not to take that job then. This is clearly the Intercept grinding it's governmenthatingaxe as per usual.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Wednesday May 13 2015, @03:13PM
> governmenthatingaxe
govern men that in gaxe ? What's a gaxe?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday May 13 2015, @04:17PM
government hating axe
The Intercept is grinding it's axe. It's governmenthatingaxe.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday May 13 2015, @10:00PM
The Intercept is grinding it's axe. It's governmenthatingaxe.
Are you sure? I read "government hat in gaxe", which seemed to make more sense. Hey, wait a minute mr. Crystal Palace, is this some kind of code?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday May 14 2015, @01:55AM
Yes, it's a code. If you still have your decoder issued by General Mills in the mid-60's then you can probably read the real message. Otherwise - no message for you!
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday May 14 2015, @04:08AM
General Mills, hmmm, did they not own the brand name of Cracker Jack? Cracker, code-cracker! NSA! I knew it! But without the secret ROT frequency (kenneth), I cannot decode the massage, anyway. It must be in the _Cryptonomicon_ somewhere.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Runaway1956 on Thursday May 14 2015, @04:03PM
I confess - I pulled General Mills out of the air. Decoder rings were a big thing back then, but I can't remember who offered them, and who didn't. Cracker Jacks may have, I just don't know. But, since you mentioned Cracker Jacks, I had to look. No, it was never GM. It was it's own independent company, until Borden bought it, then sold it to Pepsico, who placed it under the Frito Lay sub-brand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracker_Jack [wikipedia.org]
As for decoder rings - looks like Ovaltine first capitalized on the things - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_decoder_ring [wikipedia.org]
Ehhhh - another couple minutes of our lives wasted, right? LMAO
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Mr Big in the Pants on Wednesday May 13 2015, @05:04PM
What I find most amusing is that your are unwittingly advocating for the "revolving door" which has, along with other forms of greed and corruption, absolutely devastated democracy in the US. And in the out of control, constitution-ignoring, money sucking security fiasco known as the NSA?!
Good job citizen! And make sure to report anything suspicious you see in your neighbourhood or at work to your nearest friendly authority figure!
(Score: 2, Disagree) by looorg on Wednesday May 13 2015, @06:11PM
I'm not sure I would classify it as unwittingly since I am aware of the problem. The system isn't perfect, I don't think I claimed that. I think the way I stated it was even quite clear. What I was wondering is why things should be different for people people in the military and the intelligence field compared to professionals in other fields. People there jump around between companies and agencies and nobody care all that much. People with just as much power and knowledge. At worst or most there might be some non-compete clause in a contract that have to be adhered to. Instead of answering that I get the same tired anti-government tirades. Just for once answer me why they should get punished for serving the government.
Lets just say that you had worked for the CIA for 25 years. During that time you accumulate some knowledge that others find interesting, others in related fields, and they offer you a job. How is that wrong? You utilize things you have learned to further your career. Just like anyone else. Are you this upset about everyone using knowledge gained leaving one place and setting up business somewhere else or is your mistrust reserved for members of what you believe to be the military-industrial-complex?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @06:39PM
He has the same selfish complex that most whiners here have: if it is something I want or is important to me, it is my right; if it isn't important to ME, it is an abuse of power, socialism, government out of control, etc., etc., etc.
I'd bet he'd be out in front of the whiners on something like no-compete stipulations for programming jobs. "They can't tell me what kind of work I can do!!!"
As for revolving door, there are existing laws against that.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @06:48PM
it is an abuse of power
Well, yes, mass surveillance is an abuse of power (as well as a violation of the constitution), and the people who work at the NSA but are not planning any leaks are true criminals, as well as the people in the government who allow these abuses to continue. Defending the NSA is betraying the principles to which the US is supposed to aspire, so it's interesting to see they have financial ties to NSA contractors. We know why they're defending it.
As for you, I hope, at least, that mass surveillance is an abuse of power to you. It's a shame you have to make these random assumptions about people who just want the government to follow the constitution.
(Score: 2) by Mr Big in the Pants on Wednesday May 13 2015, @07:23PM
Nope, I don't. But I'll hazard a guess this is not the first conspiratorial, ad hominem you have engaged in right?
Please pick up your knuckles...they are dragging on my carpet.
(Score: 2) by Mr Big in the Pants on Wednesday May 13 2015, @07:28PM
If you are aware of the problem that just makes the irony of your statement even more ironic...but I think your understanding of it is somewhat lacking from what you have said.
- They are not serving the government, they are serving themselves and their vested interests so your argument there is just ridiculous.
- The government is supposed to serve the people and these people clearly serving their own best financial interests.
- They have VESTED FINANCIAL INTERESTS.
Try looking up "conflict of interest" and why that is a bad thing...
If you cannot see why this is wrong then I give up. There is no hope for you...
(Score: 2, Disagree) by looorg on Wednesday May 13 2015, @07:59PM
Two out of three bullet-points are true for everyone, the one in the middle is open for interpretation. I believe all these people served the government, they also served themselves as we all do. Everyone has a vested financial interest in their careers, it's not a unique identifier for these people. I'm asking why it's or should be different for these people compared to other professions. Job-jumping or whatever you like to refer to it as is normal these days. It's what I have been asking from the start. You, or perhaps I should say The Intercept, have a clear issue and an axe to grind with parts of the US Government and the what they imagine to be the military-industrial-complex. I can only assume they believe them to have some kind of power and influence never before seen in any other profession; that or they don't care about other professions since they are more interested in government-bashing then anything else. But why not then just answer the question of how long should someone that leaves the government, military or intelligence community be isolated from the workforce. How long and how much are you willing to pay the head of some agency to spend at home doing essentially "nothing"? Because in the end that is what it comes down to. You can't become some kinda of eternal employment pariah just cause you once worked for some part of the government, that would be utterly cruel.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @08:39PM
> But why not then just answer the question of how long should someone that leaves the government, military or intelligence community be isolated from the workforce.
The answer to that question is meta. The problem is not these specific individuals it is the existence of the industry itself. The outsourcing of government functions to corporations is the problem. Cut back on that and your question becomes moot. A major problem is that these people are responsible for the out-sourcing to begin with, in effect they create the jobs they then jump to.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @05:48PM
> If its not wrong for other professional fields to do it I don't see how it would be wrong for these people.
Because the government has a monopoly on force and therefore requires much tighter restrictions and accountability that private business does not.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday May 13 2015, @04:23PM
Almost everyone has already said it - WTF else did you expect? The people mentioned in the story are lesser leaders, who believe that they are greater leaders by virtue of leading from the shadows. But, no matter how you look at it, they are in it for themselves, and/or for their family's benefit. These guys haven't figured out how to take it with them, any more than the rest of us have. So, they are busy accumulating wealth to leave behind for their wives to spend on their new boyfriends, etc.
It's hard to say for sure though. These people may stand closer to the REAL POWER than the public figureheads do. Obama, Bush, Clinton - how much real power did any of them wield? These spooks seem to have at least as much power as the public figures do.
Even so, they answer to someone. NSA doesn't call the shots, or any of the other alphabet agencies.
(Score: 2) by SubiculumHammer on Wednesday May 13 2015, @04:36PM
traitors
(Score: 2) by tibman on Wednesday May 13 2015, @05:08PM
That is most contractors. They don't want efficient, durable, and maintainable systems. They want to suck all the money out of the country.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 13 2015, @05:51PM
> That is most contractors. They don't want efficient, durable, and maintainable systems. They want to suck all the money out of the country.
That sort of black and white thinking guarantees failure of analysis. It might be personally gratifying to express your frustration in those terms but it does not lead to any useful conclusions.
To wit most contractors do want the former but don't mind the latter. Thus, when the two goals come into conflict we end up with a situation much like that described by Upton Sinclair: 'It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.'
(Score: 3, Insightful) by tibman on Wednesday May 13 2015, @07:01PM
I stand by my point of view if we are talking about the industry as a whole. But i think my point fails when looking at the actual engineers who design the systems.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 14 2015, @01:56PM
When you have an economic system designed around exploitation, greed, and selfishness, that rewards sociopathy, what do you expect? They're simply doing what everyone wishes they could do, and what everyone does when given the chance - doing exactly what our economic system is designed for.
(Score: 2) by EQ on Wednesday May 13 2015, @05:41PM
In Latin: Cui bono? Using the government to purse personal aims at the expense of the public is as old as government itself - and all the more argument for limiting what government can do. But a surprise? Nah, as we say today, "follow the money".
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Wednesday May 13 2015, @08:36PM
I think this means that 3LA defenders can be disregarded. They are just speaking in pure self interest.
But I sure want to see the skirt length of that cheerleader choir ;)
(Score: 2, Informative) by smaniak on Wednesday May 13 2015, @09:37PM
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." -- President Dwight Eisenhower, Jan. 17, 1961.
Art is how we decorate space; music is how we decorate time. -- Unknown