THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 1996 TAG: 9606220027
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 49 lines
Now showing at the White House: dumb and dumber.
The Clinton administration deserves whatever embarrassment and criticism it gets for entrusting its personnel-security operation to a couple of political operatives.
There have been red faces and apologies all around for the disclosure that the office improperly obtained FBI background files on more than 400 officials from the Reagan and Bush administrations.
Included were former Secretary of State James Baker III; Kenneth Duberstein, who was chief of staff in the Reagan administration; and James Brady, Reagan's press secretary.
There's no proof as yet that the information was put to any nefarious use. But that possibility should be explored fully during an FBI probe ordered by Attorney General Janet Reno and a Republican-led review by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee.
Certainly, the backgrounds of the two individuals most central to the episode do not inspire particular confidence. Craig Livingstone, recently relieved of his duties as director of the office, was a gofer and advance man for Clinton's presidential campaign and his inaugural committee. Livingstone had no background in security work.
Anthony Marceca, who requested the files while on special assignment to the White House from the Defense Department, was an old political chum of Livingstone's. They worked together on Gary Hart's 1984 presidential campaign and Al Gore's in 1988.
Marceca had experience as an Army investigator. But quoting from sources, The Washington Post described him as having ``more enthusiasm than expertise.''
A still-unanswered question from the two-week-old affair is what list Marceca was working from when he requested the files.
Marceca has said the requests were based on a list of names given to him by a former security-office employee, Nancy Gemmell. His understanding was that everyone on the list needed continued White House clearance, Marceca has said.
In testimony earlier this week, Gemmell had a different spin. She did not recall giving Marceca a list and could not remember any that matched his description.
Stay tuned.
So long as the government has access to sensitive and private information about individuals, that material should be held in the highest trust.
Respect for privacy should know no political bounds.
That's the smart, smarter, smartest policy. by CNB