The Defense Department is reviewing its security clearance policies after a Pentagon employee was charged with espionage, a DoD spokesman said Tuesday.
Theresa Squillacote, a former attorney in the Pentagon's acquisition reform office, was charged Monday with conspiracy to commit espionage. She, her husband, and another man were allegedly paid more than $40,000 by East Germany for government information. Squillacote was a leftist activist during college.
Capt. Mike Doubleday said Tuesday the Pentagon is investigating how Squillacote got a security clearance "to see if there need to be any changes in the process that we follow in these cases."
"It's standard practice for the department, in situations like this, to do a review of all of the aspects of processes and procedures that were followed in connection with individuals who worked in the department who are subsequently charged with activities like these individuals," Doubleday said.
Squillacote had a "secret" security clearance, which requires a review of government records about a person, but does not require a full background check. Background checks, which include Defense Investigative Service interviews with friends, family and acquaintances, are required only for "top secret" clearances, Doubleday said.
Doubleday said the investigation would determine whether Squillacote should not have been granted a security clearance.
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