Bad News on Background Checks

This is one of the bad things about serious backlogs: sometimes people lie to reduce them. At OPM Director John Berry's confirmation hearing, Sen. George Voinovich pushed him hard to commit to clearing the security clearances backlog and to familiarize himself with the proposals to do so. Berry said he would, but the news that federal prosecutors have charged six investigators in two states and the District with lying about whether they did the work to properly check the backgrounds of employees up for clearances will probably--and should probably--shoot that review to the top of his priorities list.