Investigation of Improper Disclosure of For Official Use Only Information from the Comprehensive Review Working Group Draft Report
Abstract
We recently completed an investigation in response to a request from the Secretary of Defense that we "investigate and determine the identity of the persons who were the unnamed sources" for the November 11, 2010, Washington Post front-page story, "Report: Little Risk to Lifting Gay Ban." The story cited as its basis two people familiar with the DoD draft report on the impact of the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." As the draft Report was For Official Use Only (FOUO), release of information to the Washington Post would violate DoD information security requirements as set forth in Directive Type Memorandum 04-010, which prohibits unauthorized disclosure of FOUO information. We conclude that the sources of the improper disclosure of FOUO information to the Washington Post cannot be determined based on a preponderance of evidence. We determined that the Secretary of Defense's intent to limit the distribution of the draft Report and the dissemination of information contained in it was not always followed. Despite the Secretary of Defense's direction that distribution of the draft Report on November 4, 2010, be limited to 41 "Eyes-Only" recipients, 60 additional individuals - to include five White House staff members - were given access to the draft Report or were briefed on its content prior to the publication of the Washington Post story. We interviewed 96 of the 101 individuals with access to the draft Report or knowledge of its content. Each denied under oath that he or she disclosed information to the Washington Post or other media sources. We did not interview the White House staff members. Evidence otherwise accessible to us was insufficient to identify the Washington Post's unnamed sources. Accordingly, we could not exclude the possibility that persons outside DoD provided information to the Washington Post.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 08, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA584483
Entities
Organizations
- Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense