Sanford regains security clearance
By Tony Bartelme
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently revoked Gov. Mark Sanford's access to classified federal security information, then reinstated it after acknowledging that the suspension was made in error.
S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford
It was unclear late Thursday whether the suspension was related to Sanford's secret trip last month to Argentina to meet his mistress.
Katherine Janosek, chief of Homeland Security's personnel security division, wrote Sanford a letter Tuesday, advising him that the agency "has reinstated your access to classified information. The suspension of your clearance was made in error."
Sanford Press Secretary Joel
Sawyer declined to discuss why the clearance was revoked, deferring questions to Homeland Security. "This error had no impact on the governor's ability to do his job, and we have absolutely no reason to believe it was politically motivated," Sawyer said.
A senior Homeland Security official told The Post and Courier that as soon as other officials learned of the revocation, "the mistake was immediately rectified." The official was unable to explain why or how the mistake happened.
On Monday, Sanford joined Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and other federal and local officials for a tour of Project SeaHawk, a port security initiative in Charleston. The federal government is transferring the program from the Department of Justice to Homeland Security in October.
Reach Tony Bartelme at 937-5554 or tbartelme@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
lloyd007 (anonymous) says...
I really don't see why Homeland Security seems to trust the guy. I sure as hell don't...
July 10, 2009 at 12:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Sandy37 (anonymous) says...
I can not imagine anyone taking away his Homeland Security Clearance unless they did it just to embarrass him. Whomever it is must be Gross. Do they really think an American Citizen who is born in America would harm the U.S.
July 10, 2009 at 1:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
realamerican (anonymous) says...
Posted by Sandy37 on July 10, 2009 at 1:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can not imagine anyone taking away his Homeland Security Clearance unless they did it just to embarrass him. Whomever it is must be Gross. Do they really think an American Citizen who is born in America would harm the U.S.
--------------------------------------------
Sandy37, our last president, Bush, did more to harm our country than any terrorist ever did. The answer to your question is yes.
July 10, 2009 at 5:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
postman01 (anonymous) says...
Anyone who thinks this is just a coincidence was born yesterday.
July 10, 2009 at 6:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JourneyOn (anonymous) says...
If he were an active duty military person and did what he did his clearance would be pulled in a flash. This type of behavior (lying as to his whereabouts, cheating on his spouse, secrecy, disappearing,deserting his post)is subject to compromise. If he were a soldier, sailor, or marine and his billet required a clearance, more than likely he would have been handed his discharge and walking papers.
July 10, 2009 at 6:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
martin (anonymous) says...
WHEN was it suspended? What does "recently" mean?
Did it have anything to do with the '08 trip to Argentina since we have some kind of diplomatic problems with that country?
July 10, 2009 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
adenosinetriphosphate (anonymous) says...
Sandy 37, Mark Sanford is clearly not a terrorist, but...
"Do they really think an American Citizen who is born in America would harm the U.S."
Are you serious? A few examples:
- Unabomber Ted Kaczynski
- Eric Rudolph: bombed two abortion clinics, a night club, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Park (killed 2 people, injured over 100).
- Oklahoma City Bombers Timothy McVeigh (ex-military) and Terry Nichols killed 168 people.
- Anthrax - Bruce Ivins, a govt. scientist, killed five people and infected 17 by mailing anthrax.
- Just a couple of weeks ago, James Brunn, a white supremacist, shot up the Holocaust Museum in DC.
July 10, 2009 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
Of course, it was pulled deliberately. As a senior part of homeland security in SC, he left the country clandestinely to diddle a woman who was not his wife at taxpayers expense. That was good timely work by HS. I also do not trust him now with anything for the public.
July 10, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldglory (anonymous) says...
Do we think American living IN America would hurt America? No, not if we're naivete that is. Do the people who feel that way consider there could be a 'spy' in a tryst??
Seems a few here need to review/learn their american history a bit better.
July 10, 2009 at 10:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eatmorecollards (anonymous) says...
Well it certainly has all the characteristics of a classic "honeypot" operation. He certainly wouldn't be the first US official to fall victim of this type of clandestine intelligence gathering technique, by a hostile government.
* Clayton J. Lonetree, a Marine Sergeant embassy guard in Moscow, was entrapped by a female Soviet officer in 1987. He was then blackmailed into handing over documents when he was assigned to Vienna. Lonetree is the first US Marine to be convicted of spying against the United States.
* Roy Rhodes, a US Army NCO serving at the US embassy in Moscow, had a one-night stand (or was made to believe he had) with a Soviet agent while drunk. He was later told the agent was pregnant, and that unless he co-operated with the Soviet authorities, this would be revealed to his wife.
* Irvin Scarbeck, a US diplomat, was entrapped by a female Polish officer in 1961, and photographed in a compromising position. He was blackmailed into providing secrets.
* Sharon Scranage, a CIA employee described by one source as a "shy, naive, country girl", was allegedly seduced by Ghanaian intelligence agent Michael Soussoudis. She later gave him information on CIA operations in Ghana, which was later shared with Soviet-bloc countries.
* Mordechai Vanunu, who had disclosed Israeli nuclear secrets, began an affair with an American Mossad agent, Cheryl Bentov, operating under the name "Cindy" and masquerading as an American tourist, on September 30, 1986. She persuaded him to fly to Rome, Italy with her on a holiday. Once in Rome, Mossad agents drugged him and smuggled him to Israel on a freighter.
* John Vassall, a British civil servant who was guided by the KGB into having sex with multiple male partners while drunk. The KGB then used photographs of this to blackmail Vassall into providing them with secret information.
* Bernard Boursicot, a French diplomat, was entrapped by Shi Pei Pu, who was working for the Chinese government. Shi Pei Pu, a male Chinese opera singer, successfully masqueraded as a woman and told Boursicot he was carrying Boursicot's child. The situation was fictionalized into the play M. Butterfly.
* Katrina Leung, indicted as a double agent working for both China and the FBI, seduced her FBI handler, James J. Smith, and was able to obtain FBI information of use to China through him. She also had an affair with another FBI officer, William Cleveland.
* In 2006, the British Defence Attache in Islamabad Pakistan, was recalled home, when it emerged that he had been involved in a relationship with a Pakistani woman, who was an intelligence agent. While the British Government deny that secrets were lost, others sources say that several Western operatives and operations within Pakistan were compromised.
* In May 2007 a female officer serving in Sweden's Kosovo force was suspected of having leaked classified information to her Serbian lover who turned out to be a spy.
July 10, 2009 at 1:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lloyd007 (anonymous) says...
..@ eatmorecollards: EXCELLENT POST.!!!
July 10, 2009 at 2:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tash (anonymous) says...
eatmorecollards: Bravo post! An excellent sampling of what could await any of these fools in government or security related positions who fancy themselves a "soul mate" to someone other than their spouse!
July 10, 2009 at 2:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FeetontheGround (anonymous) says...
Mark Sanford taken in by a spy? I can only think of Jethro Bodine from The Beverly Hillbillies always wanting to be a "Double Naught Spy"!
Only I don't think that Jethro was ever as dumb as Sanford has proven to be this summer. I hope he resigns and goes back to Argentina to try and find his "Soul Mate". Oh I forgot, Maria never referred to him as that, did she?
July 10, 2009 at 5:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tash (anonymous) says...
Sanford is not Maria's soul mate. He was her target. Why is there no published information about Maria... how was she able to disappear so completely? It was a covert operation- and the loveguv was the patsy. Maria has other high profile lovers on her plate.
Sanford has no political future now... he is worthless to her-- and her handlers.
This is not a love story... it is a bizarre tale that has not yet come to light.
America dodged a bullet on this one...
July 10, 2009 at 8:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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