https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/1530/2013-12-03/snowdens-embattled-investigator-hires-dc-firm.html

Snowden's Embattled Investigator Hires DC Firm

Tue., Dec. 3, 2013

U.S. Investigations Services, the background check operation that vetted former Booz Allen & Hamilton whistleblower Edward Snowden, has hired Podesta Group to handle oversight and legislation related to government security clearance processes.

USIS, which handles about two-thirds of federal checks, is fighting to remain on Uncle Sam’s payroll.

A federal grand jury is probing whether it rushed background checks without the proper investigation, while the Justice Dept. has joined in a separate whistleblower case in which the company is charged with cutting corners. Congressional Republicans and Democrats have called for investigations into the Snowden mess.

USIS claims it has overhauled management and heightened security measures following the allegations. The federal Office of Personnel Management, which has oversight of the federal security clearance system, had given USIS a clean bill of health.

Well-connected Democrat Tony Podesta heads Team ISIS, which includes David Marin, ex-press secretary for Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA); Josh Holly, former communications director for the House Armed Services Committee; Andrew Kauders, ex-senior advisor to Sen. Bobby Menendez (D-NJ); Lauren Maddox, deputy secretary for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and Michael Quaranta, ex-chief of staff to Rep. Michael Castle (D-DE).

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-investigations-services-agrees-forego-least-30-million-settle-false-claims-act-allegations

From its privatization in 1996 until September 2014, USIS provided background investigations services for OPM under various fieldwork contracts. The government alleged that beginning in at least March 2008 and continuing through at least September 2012, USIS deliberately circumvented contractually required quality reviews of completed background investigations in order to increase the company’s revenues and profits. Specifically, USIS allegedly devised a practice referred to internally as “dumping” or “flushing,” which involved releasing cases to OPM and representing them as complete when, in fact, not all the reports of investigations comprising those cases had received a contractually-required quality review.

In February 2015, Altegrity, USIS and their affiliates filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in Delaware. The settlement of USIS’ FCA liability is part of a broader settlement that also resolves other matters between the United States and USIS/Altegrity that were part of the bankruptcy proceeding.

PROBABLY SNOWDEN RELATED I wonder how many slipped through that crack !